The presence ol schistosomiasis mansoni is known in Martinique since t
he beginning of the XXth century. A general survey of the distribution
of the disease was carried out in 1977 and showed a mean prevalence o
f 12 % (coprology and serology taken together) in the whole of the isl
and. Following this survey, an integrated control programme associatin
g sanitary education, detection and treatment of patients and improved
sanitation, was developed. in addition, a biological control programm
e against the intermediate snail host, Biomphalaria glabrata using the
competitor snail, Melanoides tuberculata, was developed in the transm
ission sites. The decline of snail populations and of its parasite, as
well as a strong reduction of the prevalence in humans were recorded
between 1977 and 1996. At the present time, only few cases correspondi
ng to older infections are detected. This epidemiological situation is
quite different from that in Guadeloupe island where, in spite of an
excellent control programme which was achieved on the Basse-Terre dist
rict, an important focus is still functionning on Grande-Terre distric
t with the black rat as host reservoir. Such loci do not exist on Mart
inique island.