Control and elimination strategies for schistosomiasis in Burkina Faso, West Africa

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES. Between 2004 and 2012, five rounds of mass drug administration (MDA) of praziquantel has been rolled out for the control of schistosomiasis in Burkina Faso, West Africa. The aim of this study is to analyse the effect of MDA of praziquantel on the prevalence and intensity of infection of schistosomiasis in Burkina. METHODS. A longitudinal survey was conducted from 2008 to 2013 at 22 sentinel sites across Burkina in order to estimate the presence of Schistosoma haematobium infection. In addition, in 2013, a cross sectional study of S. haematobium and S. mansoni in school children aged 7 to 11 years was conducted in the same sites. Standardised diagnostic techniques were used to analyse stool (Kato Katz) and urine (filtration) samples for the presence and number of S. mansoni and S. haematobium eggs, respectively. RESULTS. The findings from the longitudinal survey show a reduction in the median prevalence of S. haematobium from 16% to 3%. The cross-sectional survey shows that 13 of 22 sentinel sites still had a prevalence of schistosomiasis >1%, with a prevalence of 56% at the highest. The prevalence of schistosomiasis was higher among boys and older children. CONCLUSIONS. The impact evaluation of five years of MDA of praziquantel in Burkina Faso from 2004 to 2012 suggests that treatment has had a significant impact on reducing the prevalence of schistosomiasis. However, the prevalence of schistosomiasis still remains high in a third of the sentinel sites and, in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, increased frequency of drug distributions, alongside health education and improvement of sanitation and access to improved water sources, is needed. Further and more detailed studies are needed in order to determine the effect of control strategies and future priorities for the control of schistosomiasis in Burkina Faso.