Abstract
BackgroundGlobal elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem is set as target in the new World Health Organization’s Neglected Tropical Diseases Roadmap for 2030. Due to a long history of interventions, the Zanzibar islands of Tanzania have reached this goal since 2017. However, challenges occur on the last mile towards interruption of transmission. Our study will investigate new tools and strategies for breaking schistosomiasis transmission.MethodsThe study is designed as an intervention study, documented through repeated cross-sectional surveys (2020–2024). The primary endpoint will be the sensitivity of a surveillance-response approach to detect and react to outbreaks of urogenital schistosomiasis over three years of implementation. The surveys and multi-disciplinary interventions will be implemented in 20 communities in the north of Pemba island. In low-prevalence areas, surveillance-response will consist of active, passive and reactive case detection, treatment of positive individuals, and focal snail control. In hotspot areas, mass drug administration, snail control and behaviour change interventions will be implemented. Parasitological cross-sectional surveys in 20 communities and their main primary schools will serve to adapt the intervention approach annually and to monitor the performance of the surveillance-response approach and impact of interventions. Schistosoma haematobium infections will be diagnosed using reagent strips and urine filtration microscopy, and by exploring novel point-of-care diagnostic tests.DiscussionOur study will shed light on the field applicability and performance of novel adaptive intervention strategies, and standard and new diagnostic tools for schistosomiasis elimination. The evidence and experiences generated by micro-mapping of S. haematobium infections at community level, micro-targeting of new adaptive intervention approaches, and application of novel diagnostic tools can guide future strategic plans for schistosomiasis elimination in Zanzibar and inform other countries aiming for interruption of transmission.Trial registration ISRCTN, ISCRCTN91431493. Registered 11 February 2020, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN91431493
Highlights
Global elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem is set as target in the new World Health Organization’s Neglected Tropical Diseases Roadmap for 2030
The evidence and experiences generated by micro-mapping of S. haematobium infections at community level, micro-targeting of new adaptive intervention approaches, and application of novel diagnostic tools can guide future strategic plans for schistosomiasis elimination in Zanzibar and inform other countries aiming for interruption of transmission
In the new World Health Organization (WHO) Roadmap on neglected tropical disease (NTD) published in 2021, the global elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem and the validated absence of infections in humans in 25 among 78 endemic countries is set as target for 2030 [5]
Summary
Global elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem is set as target in the new World Health Organization’s Neglected Tropical Diseases Roadmap for 2030. In the new WHO Roadmap on NTDs published in 2021, the global elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem and the validated absence of infections in humans in 25 among 78 endemic countries are set as targets for 2030 [5]. According to WHO, once interruption of transmission is close or has been achieved, affected countries will need to implement a surveillance system “to detect and respond to resurgence of transmission and to prevent reintroduction from regions where the disease is still endemic” [4] Despite these recommendations, specific guidance and thresholds on when, where and how to adapt intervention strategies in near-to-elimination settings is yet to be developed [11, 12, 15]. More evidence on the feasibility, impact, effectiveness and sustainability of multi-pronged intervention approaches needs to be generated
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