title: Prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni infection and the therapeutic efficacy of praziquantel among school children in Manna District, Jimma Zone, southwest Ethiopia.
abstract: Intestinal schistosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical parasitic diseases caused by Schistosoma mansoni. Currently, the control measures for the disease are mainly based on mass drug administration (MDA) with praziquantel (PZQ) targeting the school-age children. In Ethiopia, the potential foci for schistosomiasis and therapeutic efficacy of PZQ among school-age children remain poorly explored. Therefore, we determined both the prevalence and intensity of S. mansoni infection and the therapeutic efficacy of PZQ among school children in the Manna District (new foci for S. mansoni), Jimma Zone, southwest Ethiopia.
  
  
  
  A cross-sectional study was conducted among the school children aged between 6 and 18 years in three primary schools in Manna district from March to April 2014. For diagnosis of S. mansoni, a single stool sample was obtained from each child and processed using single Kato Katz and examined under light microscopy. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic information of the school children participated in the study. School children excreting eggs of S. mansoni were administered with 40 mg/kg of PZQ and re-examined after three weeks post-treatment. The therapeutic efficacy of PZQ against S. mansoni was evaluated by means of cure rate and egg reduction rate.
  
  
  
  The overall prevalence of S. mansoni among the school children in the three primary schools in Manna District was 24.0 %. Higher prevalence was recorded for males 25.6 % (61/238) than for females 22.5 % (59/262). Majority (27.5 %) of infection intensity was light with mean faecal egg count (FEC) of 202 eggs per gram (EPG). The therapeutic efficacy of PZQ at a dose of 40 mg/kg was highly efficient (cure rate of 99.1 % and egg reduction rate of 99.9 %) among the school children in the three primary schools in Manna District.
  
  
  
  The school children in the three primary schools of Manna District, Jimma Zone were at moderate risk of the morbidity caused by S. mansoni (prevalence > 10 % and < 50 % according to WHO threshold), and hence a biannual MDA with PZQ is required. PZQ available on the local market was found efficient and can be recommended for individual treatment in absence of MDA. The therapeutic efficacy of PZQ at 40 mg/kg against S. mansoni was high in the study area.
authors: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences and Pathology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia. mitiku.bajiro@ju.edu.et.
authors: Mitiku
authors: M
authors: Bajiro
authors: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences and Pathology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Dana
authors: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences and Pathology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors: Mio
authors: M
authors: Ayana
authors: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences and Pathology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Emana
authors: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences and Pathology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors: Zeleke
authors: Z
authors: Mekonnen
authors: Departement of Biomedical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors: Belay
authors: B
authors: Zawdie
authors: Departement of Biomedical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors: Asfaw
authors: A
authors: Garbi
authors: Public Health Laboratory, South Nations Nationalities and People's Regional State Health Bureau, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
authors: Ashenafi
authors: A
authors: Kure
authors: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences and Pathology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors: Ahmed
authors: A
authors: Zeynudin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015995:Prevalence; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D011223:Praziquantel
keywords: Cure rate; Egg reduction rate; Intensity; Kato-Katz; Praziquantel; Prevalence; Schistosom mansoni