PREVALENCE AND INTENSITY OF SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI BEFORE AND AFTER CHEMOTHERAPY IN SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN

Aims: To determine prevalence rate and intensity of Schistosoma mansoni infection in School Aged Children before and after chemotherapy Methodology: This study was carried out in Mwea Division of Kirinyaga County.Stool samples were collected from children in Mianya primary school.The samples were collected from each child and analysed for the presence or absence of S. mansoni eggs.Stool analysis was done at the Kimbimbi County Hospital-Division of Vector Borne Disease laboratories.The positive cases were treated with Praziquantel.Stool samples were again collected from the treated children at 6 and 12 week post treatment and analysed for the presence of S. mansoni eggs.Eggs were quantified per gram of the feacal sample.Results: Baseline prevalence for the selected pupils in the school was above 60% before chemotherapy with most children having heavy infections ≥400epg/feaces.The prevalence reduced significantly after treatment at six weeks (20%) but increased slightly at twelve weeks (50%) indicating re-infection.However most of the positive children had light infections during this period. Conclusion:The prevalence rate in the study area remains high but after intervention there is a reduction but only for a limited time.Reinfection is also high which thought to be a contributing factor to the continuous cycle of the disease in the area.This calls for a more integrated approach for control of the disease in the area.Drug administration alone is not adequate in alleviating the burden of diseases.