title: Evidence of increasing risk of schistosomiasis among school-age children in municipality of Calatrava, Province of Negros Occidental, Philippines.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore risk of school-age children being infected with schistosomiasis in selected villages in the municipality of Calatrava, province of Negros Occidental, Philippines.
  
  
  METHODS
  As part of the monitoring and evaluation of the helminth control program in the province of Negros Occidental, parasitological monitoring, through the use microscopy of stool samples processed using Kato-Katz technique, was conducted to describe the baseline and follow-up parasitological status of school-age children in 2010 and 2012, respectively. Seven villages from the municipality of Calatrava were selected as study sites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During baseline assessment, only one case of schistosomiasis was reported from the village of Marcelo. During follow-up assessment, 32 cases (6.9%) of schistosomiasis were reported and the prevalence of moderate-heavy intensity infection was 1.3% in six villages. Among the seven villages included in the follow-up, Minapasuk had the highest prevalence at 14.6%, while San Isidro reported no case of schistosomiasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-endemic villages, which have reported positive cases in school-age children, may need to be assessed for possible endemicity for schistosomiasis. Transmission of the disease may need to be determined in these villages through active parasitological and malacological surveillance. Other non-endemic villages adjacent to or share river networks with endemic villages in Calatrava may need to be explored for possible introduction of the disease, especially after typhoons and flooding. Establishing endemicity for schistosomiasis in these villages will help infected and at risk individuals to receive yearly treatment to reduce morbidities caused by this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila; Neglected Tropical Diseases Study Group, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila. Electronic address: vybelizario@upm.edu.ph.
authors.forename: V Y
authors.initials: VY
authors.lastname: Belizario
authors.affiliation: Yale School of Medicine, Yale University.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Erfe
authors.affiliation: Neglected Tropical Diseases Study Group, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila.
authors.forename: Jra
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Naig
authors.affiliation: Neglected Tropical Diseases Study Group, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila.
authors.forename: Plc
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chua
keywords: Prevalence; Risk; Schistosomiasis japonicum; School-age population