EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SCHISTOSOMIASIS IN SUBURB AN SCHOOL AREA OF BAMAKO (REPUBLIC-OF-MALI)

Epidemiology of schistosomiasis has been assessed in October, 1990 in three primary schools of a suburban district of Bamako: Magnambougou. It was a cross sectional study which was carried out on an hazardous s ample of 549 pupils of 7 to 14 years old. The Kato-Katz and urine filt ration methods were used to search schistosome eggs. The prevalence ra te was 50 % (256/512) in Schistosoma haematobium and 5.6 % (26/464) in S. mansoni. Children from 11-14 years old were more infected by Schis tosoma haematobium (59.4 %), than those from 7-10 years old (35.2 %) ( p < 0.005). Among these children, 26.2 % excreted more than 100 eggs p er IO mi of urine. The infection did not varied significantly no matte r what the sex is (53.7 and 44.8 % respectively in boys and girls) (p = 0.05). According to the residence, pupils living in Magnambougou wer e more infected (54.9 %) than those of others district (31.1 %) (p < 0 .001). Likewise, S. haematobium infection was more important in A and C schools (64.9 and 73.2 % respectively) than in B school (11.2 %) (p < 0.001). Two major snails species which are the intermediate hosts of urine schistosomiasis in Mall (Bulinus truncatus and Bulinus globosus ) were found in the shelters: however, B. truncatus was only infected in 13.1 % (19/145). Contamination was local and ''ruralisation'' activ ities (particularly gardening) seemed to be the most important display ing factor.