What is it about?
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by infection with parasitic flatworms that reside in the blood. This study investigated the prevalence of schistosomiasis in an area of southern Malawi by searching for schistosomiasis eggs in boys' urine and faeces. We found that approximately half the study population was infected with schistosomiasis, a much higher prevalence than other recent studies conducted nearby. This is despite the large scale use of anti-parasitic medications in this area to treat people for schistosomiasis. This study also examined risk factors and diagnostics for schistosomiasis.
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Why is it important?
This study demonstrated the importance of continuous monitoring of prevalence of schistosomiasis when antiparasitic medications are being given to people on a large scale. It raised many questions as to why the prevalence of schistosomiasis doesn't appear to be reducing as hoped.
Perspectives
I hope this article demonstrated that despite the huge amount of resources spent on controlling schistosomiasis in Malawi it remains a significant issue. In my opinion it emphasises that use of anti-parasitic medications alone is unlikely to be sufficient, and other interventions such as snail control and improved clean water access are required.
Oscar Herrera
NHS Providers
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Schistosomiasis amongst adolescent boys in non-lakeshore southern Malawi: Investigating local risk-factors within a nested community-based cross-sectional survey, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, December 2025, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0013745.
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