Schistosomiasis management from a Global Health perspective: an integrated approach model

Schistosomiasis or bilharzia, is a Neglect Tropical Disease (NDTs) It could be an acute or chronic disease caused by parasitic blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma. Schistosomiasis affects around 240 million people in 78 countries and more than 90% of infected people live in in Sub-Saharan Africa countries. Schistosomiasis is endemic in northern Senegal and predominantly affects poor, rural communities, especially populations who work in the agriculture or fishing industries. The factors possibly associated with transmission include socioeconomic status, level of education, use of untreated water, and hygienic conditions. Urogenital Schistosomiasis produces symptoms such as haematuria and dysuria. In most cases, haematuria disappears after adolescence, but previous lesions may evolve into hydronephrosis or bladder calcifications. Other sequelae, such as bladder cancer and an increased risk of HIV infection, are determined by epithelium inflammation of the urogenital organs, especially in women. In endemic countries such as those in the Sub-Saharan region, controlling and eradicating Schistosomiasis can’t be limited to the delivery of drugs; a healthcare system capable of integrating a sustainable control strategy and eradicating NTDs’ main causes is fundamental. The research project aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated approach to the control and surveillance of schistosomiasis, about health of the child population of a rural village in Senegal related to infection reduction and modification of risk behavior. The intermediate objective of this work is to investigate the prevalence of the disease in the specific context of the study and the factors related to it to identify coherent and sustainable interventions that take into account of environmental, cultural and religious assemen