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Food and Waterborne Parasitology Sep 2020Waterborne parasitic diseases form one of common and important public health and economic problems in low- and middle-income countries, though little is known on the...
Waterborne parasitic diseases form one of common and important public health and economic problems in low- and middle-income countries, though little is known on the burden and patterns of these diseases in most regions. This systematic scoping review informs on the prevalence and pattern of waterborne parasitic infections in eastern Africa from 1st of January 1941 to 31st of December 2019. The review found limited number of published studies on waterborne parasitic diseases, though 13 of the 15 studied countries in eastern Africa provided one or more published report(s) totalling 47 reports. Focus of studies was mainly on schistosomiasis where 44.8% of the 47 retrieved studies reported it. Other frequently reported diseases were giardiasis (23.4% of reports), soil-transmitted helminths (23.4%) and amoebiasis (21.3%). Rarely reported diseases were malaria, cryptosporidiosis, isosporiasis, dracunculiasis and trichomoniasis. Based on parasitological examinations, schistosomiasis prevalence ranged from 17 to 33% in Burundi, 1.9 to 73.9% in Ethiopia, 2.1 to 18% in Kenya, 7.2 to 88.6% in Uganda, 22.9 to 86.3% in Tanzania, 27.2 to 65.8% in Somalia, 15 to >50% in Mauritius, 2.4% in Eritrea and 5.0 to 93.7% in Madagascar. Amoebiasis prevalence was 4.6-15,3% (Ethiopia), 5.9-58.3% (Kenya), 54.5% (Rwanda), 0.7-2.7% (Sudan), 19.93% (Uganda) and 4.5-5.0% (Seychelles). Giardiasis prevalence was 0.6-55.0% (Ethiopia), 16.6% (Kenya), 3.6% (Rwanda), 21.1% (Sudan), 40.7% (Uganda), 45.0% (Eritrea) and 3.3-6.0% (Seychelles). Soil-transmitted helminths prevalence was 41.7-52.4% (Ethiopia), 32.4-40.7% (Kenya), 9997 cases (Rwanda), 85.0% (Somalia), 4.7% (Madagascar) and 1.1-84% (Seychelles), , and hookworms were the most common helminths detected. Malaria prevalence was 2.9-4.31% (Ethiopia), an annual episode of 9 million people (Sudan), 13.0% (Tanzania), 146 hospital cases (Madagascar), 1.4-2.0% (Seychelles) and <5.0% in Djibouti. It is also observed that >50% of the populations in eastern Africa region lack improved drinking water sources or sanitation facilities. This may account for the observed high prevalence of the diseases. The author also suggests likely underestimation of the prevalence as most waterborne parasitic diseases are neglected and cases likely only recorded and left unpublished in health facilities. Thus for a thorough mapping of burdens of these diseases, grey literature, including hospital records must be reviewed while interventions focusing on improved water and sanitation are likely to reduce the burden considerably.
PubMed: 32995583
DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2020.e00089 -
Tropical Medicine & International... Dec 2020The objective of this study was to identify the existing challenges in the last mile of the global Guinea Worm Eradication Program.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to identify the existing challenges in the last mile of the global Guinea Worm Eradication Program.
METHODS
Systematic Review of articles published from 1 January 2000 until 31 December 2019. Papers listed in Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, ProQuest PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched and reviewed.
RESULTS
Twenty-five articles met inclusion criteria of the study and were selected for analysis. Hence, relevant data were extracted, grouped and descriptively analysed. Results revealed 10 main challenges complicating the last mile of global guinea worm eradication: unusual mode of transmission; rising animal guinea worm infection; suboptimal surveillance; insecurity; inaccessibility; inadequate safe water points; migration; poor case containment measures, ecological changes; and new geographic foci of the disease.
CONCLUSION
This systematic review shows that most of the current challenges in guinea worm eradication have been present since the start of the campaign. However, the recent change in epidemiological patterns and nature of dracunculiasis in the last remaining endemic countries illustrates a new twist. Considering the complex nature of the current challenges, there seems to be a need for a more coordinated and multidisciplinary approach of dracunculiasis prevention and control measures. These new strategies would help to make history by eradicating dracunculiasis as the first ever parasitic disease.
Topics: Animals; Communicable Disease Control; Disease Eradication; Dracunculiasis; Dracunculus Nematode; Humans; Water Supply
PubMed: 32946140
DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13492