PRELIMINARY-STUDY OF URINARY SCHISTOSOMIASIS IN A VILLAGE IN THE DELTA OF THE SENEGAL RIVER BASIN, SENEGAL

Three years after the first cases of urinary schistosomiasis infection were reported in the village of Mbodiene, Senegal, Schistosoma haemat obium eggs were found in 87% of the inhabitants of this village; 30% w ere heavily infected (>50 eggs per 10 mL urine). The prevalence of inf ection was very high in all age groups, but children showed more inten se infections. No difference between sexes was found. In the special s ituation of a very high prevalence, test strips for proteinuria and ha ematuria are not very useful for the individual diagnosis of S. haemat obium infection. Six and 12 weeks after treatment with a single dose o f praziquantel (40 mg/kg), S. haematobium eggs were found in 25% and 3 0% of the treated subjects, respectively. Bulinus globosus was identif ied as intermediate host, but other snail vectors may also play a role . S. mansoni eggs were found in 1% of the population. Both S. haematob ium and S. mansoni are spreading in the delta of the Senegal river.