Abstract
Schistosoma mansoni epidemiology is very uncertain in Gabon despite its wide distribution in Sub-Saharan African whereas knowledge of schistosomiasis endemicity setting has important implications for the national policy controls. To date only two cases of S. mansoni were diagnosed by the Department of Parasitology-Mycology (DPM), Libreville-Gabon between 1995 and 2009 and both came from Plaine Orety, an urban area of Libreville. As the result of this finding a survey that we report results here was conducted to determine the epidemiological status of S. mansoni in this site. Parasitological and malacological surveys were conducted prospectively from January to May 2012. Parasitological survey included people living in Plaine Orety (Libreville) area at least three months and aged from two years upwards. Stool examination was performed using Kato-Katz technique and malacological investigations were conducted in all the streams of this area for the same period to identify the intermediate snail host of S. mansoni. A total of 495 people were examined, of them 4 cases (0.81%) were identified positive to S. mansoni with no significant influence of sex or age group (p>0.05). Infected peoples said they never went out of the country but stayed in other regions of the country, i.e. Kango, Ovan, Lambarene, Port-Gentil, Bitam and Fougamou. No intermediate snail host of human schistosomes has been identified in the whole surveyed water sites of Plaine Orety. Freshwater snails identified are: Lymnea sp, Physa sp, Melanoides sp and Indoplanorbis exustus (intermediate snail host of cattle schistosomes in India). The finding of this study illustrate existing indigenous cases of S. mansoni in Libreville (Gabon) even if local active transmission area remains to be elucidate because of the absence of intermediate snail host Biomphalaria.
Highlights
The genus Schistosoma includes 21 species but only onethirds are responsible for human schistosomiasis
Four species of Schistosoma are responsible for human schistosomiasis in Africa: Schistosoma mansoni, S. haematobium, S. intercalatum and S. guineensis [3]
Epidemiological data gathered in this study has shown the presence of indigenous cases of S. mansoni in Libreville (Gabon)
Summary
The genus Schistosoma includes 21 species but only onethirds are responsible for human schistosomiasis. Four species of Schistosoma are responsible for human schistosomiasis in Africa: Schistosoma mansoni, S. haematobium, S. intercalatum and S. guineensis [3]. Both S. mansoni and S. haematobium have a large geographical distribution in Africa, whereas S. intercalatum is limited to Rodrigue Mintsa Nguema et al.: Recent Examination for Assessing Epidemiological Status of Schistosoma. In Gabon two species were commonly found: S. guineensis responsible for intestinal schistosomiasis and S. haematobium responsible for urogenital schistosomiasis [5; 6, 7]. These two species affect about 500,000 peoples from the Gabon’s 1.1 million estimated population [8]. The presence of natural hybrids between S. guineensis and S. haematobium has been suggested in some areas of the country: provinces of MoyenOgooué [9] and Estuaire [10], but not confirmed in recent molecular data [11]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
