Schistosomiasis

understanding the factors for high prevalence of the disease in an endemic municipality in the State of Espírito Santo

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infectious disease responsible for approximately 200 thousand deaths per year worldwide. Human contagion occurs in contact with watercourses contaminated by cercariae, which are eliminated by infected Biomphalaria genus. The prevalence is associated with socioeconomic factors, being more common in areas with inadequate basic sanitation. Thus, we verify factors that influence the high prevalence of schistosomiasis in the endemic municipality of Afonso Cláudio, Espírito Santo such as: level of education, income, and exposure. We applied 30 questionnaires and we verified that all affected people live or have lived in the countryside. Besides, regardless of education, young people had less knowledge about the disease. Although public managers claim the development of educational activities, majority interviewed reported that they are unaware of such actions. Precarious basic sanitation conditions have been recorded, mainly in the rural area, where rudimentary fossa predominate, which do not prevent water contamination and proliferation of parasites. Misinformation, associated with precarious basic sanitation conditions, makes the population vulnerable to schistosomiasis, explaining the high prevalence in the municipality. As strategies to control schistosomiasis in the region, in the short term, educational measures are a priority. In the long term, more robust investments in basic sanitation, malacological research, active search for human cases and treatment of positive cases are needed.