By Catherine Murombedzi
FARMERS are more at-risk from Soil Transmitted Helminth (STH) infection. The disease is passed by a parasite. Farmers work on the soil, and this being the home of STH, awareness on infection is very important.
The infection can occur at all ages, from children to the elderly. Farmers are at risk of contracting STH infection because of their daily work, which is in direct contact with the soil. The risk of STH infection is due to poor personal hygiene and environmental sanitation.
With most rural homes lacking a toilet, sanitation is poor with open defection rife.
Schistosomiasis, commonly known as bilharzia, is a notifiable disease as it spreads easily through infected sources. It is passed through contaminated water sources where the specific snails carrying the parasite are found.
Mass oral drug administration is among the key ways to combat infection and possible death from neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
Usually, patients seek treatment after infection. Treatment is expensive and proves a leakage in the first pillar of prevention.
Clean water is scarce, with most rural communities sharing drinking, bathing, laundry, and gardening water with domesticated and wild animals. There can never be hygiene where basic clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) are scarce. Most preventable diseases hinge on the availability of water and sanitation.
Anyone who grew up in the rural areas can attest to swimming in snail infested pools. Snails are the least of fears, only crocodiles and water snakes send shivers down the spines of river champions.
The five diseases caused by helminths are enterobiasis (Enterobius vermicularis or pinworm/threadworm), ascariasis (Ascaris or roundworm), taeniasis (Taenia saginata or beef tapeworm), cysticercosis (Taenia solium or pork tapeworm), and schistosomiasis, known simply as bilharzia (Schistosoma mansoni).
Speaking at Ministry of Health and Child Care media training supported by Higher Life Foundation on Neglected Tropical Diseases ( NTDs) recently Health and Child Care Permanent Secretary, Dr Aspect Maunganidze said Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) have a devastating effect on communities.
He said bilharzia was a preventable disease and urged the media to drum up awareness and prevention.
“Interventions are necessary to deal with challenges; prevention and treatment, among others are important. You all are aware that prevention is key to disease control. With most diseases, if prevented, the incidence goes down. If we can prevent, most infectious diseases, cancerous diseases are (also) preventable. We can have more funds going to research. Mass drug administration regarding NTDs is possible to prevent the spread. As a country, we have a robust primary prevention scheme where mass vaccination campaigns are done nationally
“As a ministry, we recognize the importance of engaging communities in the fight against NTDs. The government is committed to driving research and innovation, in particular, NTD control. We continue to collaborate with research institutes in the country, among other efforts,” Dr Maunganidze said.
Schistosomiasis infection occurs when the skin comes into contact with contaminated freshwater carrying certain types of snails.
Freshwater becomes contaminated by Schistosoma eggs when infected people urinate or defecate in the water.
The eggs hatch in the water, releasing tiny larvae. When another person comes in contact with this contaminated water, the larvae penetrate the skin.
A few days after infection, an infected person may develop a skin rash or feel itchy, followed by fever, chills, and cough. Muscle aches can follow within 1-2 months of infection. Most people have no symptoms at this early phase of infection. The parasite may lie dormant for years in some people.
Alves Phiri, an assistant national coordinator for Neglected Tropical Diseases in the Ministry of Health said schistosomiasis can cause bruises in women’s genital. With these bruises sexually transmitted infections and HIV find easy passage to infecting one.
“Urogenial schistosomiasis can also be transmitted through sexual intercourse. If one partner has schistosomiasis, it is possible to transmit it to their uninfected partner during sexual intercourse,” said Alves Phiri.
“With the biological make-up of females, schistosomiasis places women at risk of HIV infection.
“In Zimbabwe, Shamva District has been found to have the highest number of females with bilharzia,” Phiri added.
With Shamva being an agro district, the proximity to infected sources places farmers at risk.
Both urinary and intestinal schistosomiasis can be treated with praziquantel, an antibiotic of first choice taken for one to two days.
The same drug in a single dose is also used for mass drug prevention in communities where bilharzia is detected.
Schistosomiasis control also focuses on snail control to reduce transmission.
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