Socio-Demographic Risk Factors of Schistosomiasis Mansoni in Patients with Gastrointestinal Symptoms : A Seroprevalance Study in Egypt

Abstract

Limited data is available on the epidemiologic status of schistosomiasis mansoni in Egypt. The present work aimed to explore the seroepidemiological status of Schistosoma inansoni infection in Egypt by screening inhabitants of different Egyptian govemorates and its correla- tion with morbid symptoms and risk factors. Health questionnaires and indirect haemagglutination test (IHAT) were performed upon a cross-sectional study of 1788 individuals from 22 govemorates. Socio-demographic varjables included sex, age, residence and.canal water contact. A multivariate regressi6n model was used to assess associations betWeen S.mansoni infection and socio-demographic variables; S.mansoni significant titre ≥ 1:160 was detected in 43% of samples. S. mansoni showed the highest prevalence in Al-Fayoum (15.2%), Kafr EI-Sheikh (11.2%) then Assiut (10.9%) while the least positiveresults were from Matrouh (0.2%). This may be the first indication to emerging foci in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Suez, Port Said and the Red Sea Govemorates. Anti-S.mansoni antibodies were least de- tected at 1 1-2Oys while they were the highest at 41-SOys, the highest titres (1/1280) were achieved by the age group 31 -4Oys.Male gender was a risk factor as 48.2% of males were IHAT +ve. Contacting canal water tends to be advantageous for schistosomiasis mansoni as 72.6% had a histoxy of canal contact and 96.7% of them achieved the highest titre. The alteration in the actual prevalence of schistosomiasis mansoni in Egypt with emergence of new foci including Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Mersa-Matrouh and the north-eastern province alongside Suez Canal that may be explained by the associated socioepidemiologic risk factors.