title: Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth infections in schoolchildren in north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
abstract: There is a paucity of epidemiological data pertaining to schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
  
  
  
  A cross-sectional survey was carried out in the north-eastern part of DRC enrolling 400 schoolchildren aged 9-14 years. Stool and urine samples were subjected to standard diagnostic methods and examined under a microscope for helminth eggs.
  
  
  
  Four out of five children were infected with at least one helminth species. Schistosoma mansoni was the predominant species (57.8%). Urine examinations were all negative for S. haematobium.
  
  
  
  S. mansoni and STH infections are highly endemic in the surveyed part of the DRC, calling for interventions in school-aged children.
authors: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland astrid.knoblauch@unibas.ch.
authors: Astrid M
authors: AM
authors: Knoblauch
authors: University of KwaZulu-Natal, 4041 Durban, South Africa.
authors: Colleen
authors: C
authors: Archer
authors: SHAPE Consulting Limited, P.O. Box 602, St Peter Port, Channel Islands.
authors: Milka
authors: M
authors: Owuor
authors: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Sandro
authors: S
authors: Schmidlin
authors: SHAPE Consulting Limited, P.O. Box 602, St Peter Port, Channel Islands.
authors: Mark J
authors: MJ
authors: Divall
authors: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Jürg
authors: J
authors: Utzinger
authors: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Mirko S
authors: MS
authors: Winkler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D005243:Feces; D005260:Female; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006376:Helminths; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010063:Ovum; D015995:Prevalence; D012548:Schistosoma haematobium; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012987:Soil; D014556:Urine
chemical_list: D012987:Soil
keywords: Cross-sectional survey; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Schistosomiasis; Soil-transmitted helminthiasis