Epidemiological and Clinical-Laboratorial Profile of Schistosomiasis in an Endemic Urban Area in Pernambuco, Brazil

Abstract

In Brazil, although schistosomiasis mansoni is estimated to present positivity and severe infection rates below 5% in endemic states, there are inequalities among regions represented by municipalities showing moderate and high positivity rates. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological and clinical-laboratory profiles of an urban area. A cross-sectional ecological study was conducted in Novo Horizonte, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The study area was mapped using a GPS receiver, a parasitological survey was performed (using Kato-Katz and Hoffman, Pons e Janer techniques), and clinical evaluations were conducted using upper abdominal ultrasonography (US) and socioenvironmental conditions related to household and peridomestic environments were performed. Based on parasitological techniques, 23.68% positivity rate was found, 66.67% male individuals, and a 284.5 eggs per gram mean. Using molecular biology techniques, the prevalence has increased to 28.94%. US was performed in 55 infected and 57 non-infected individuals, of which 31 and 19 presented periportal fibrosis (PPF), respectively. Infected individuals with PPF presented a larger portal vein diameter and had a higher frequency in males. The Novo Horizonte showed a moderate positivity rate within a municipality considered to have low endemicity. The results highlight the need to carry out frequent parasitological surveys, increased active case finding and the use of other more sensitive diagnosis methods. More targeted studies are needed to better understand the dynamics of schistosomiasis transmission in this locality, as well as the health consequences for exposed and infected individuals.