Urogenital Schistosomiasis—Evidence-Based Benefits of Treatment Initiated Early During Childhood

Abstract

Urogenital schistosomiasis, caused by the helminth parasite Schistosoma haematobium, is one of the most important childhood public health problems in Africa, compromising child growth and development and usually causing irreversible damage in life leading to increased susceptibility to HIV coinfection in adulthood. Naturally acquired immunity develops slowly, and with no vaccine available, infection and morbidity are controlled by treatment with the antihelminthic drug praziquantel. Treatment is believed to accelerate development of protective immunity. In our recent research, we demonstrated that morbidity occurs in young children and that the markers of morbidity can be used for diagnosis, while development of pathology is reduced by a single antihelminthic treatment. Many gaps exist in the control efforts of schistosomiasis that could be initiated during early years of growth to avoid childhood schistosomiasis with immense benefits in adulthood susceptibility or increased HIV transmission. Treating urogenital schistosomiasis infection during earlier childhood age is a relatively cheap strategy to benefit child health and provide opportunity to develop protective immune responses. Studies on the association of urogenital schistosomiasis with HIV transmission indicate that prevention and protective immunity could be achieved by administering treatment earlier during childhood.