Schistosoma mansolii infection in Jiga town, Gojam Administrative Region

Abstract

Summary: The impact of socioeconomic status and water use patterns on Schistosoma mansoni infection was studied in Jiga town in Gojam Administrative Region: Questionnaire interviews and parasitological surveys were made in a 10% randomly selected household sample covering 106 households with 505 individuals. The household surveys showed that use of stream water continued after installation of the piped water system in 1983, due to the high cost of piped water and frequent breakdown of the pump. Simple and multiple regression and correlation analyses of the relationship between S.mansoni infection and socioeconomic, water use and environmental variables at the individual and household levels revealed that intensity of infection was not related to the amount of water used in the home (r=-0.33, p<0.05) and income (r= -0.37, p<0.05). Infection rate was positively correlated with level of education (r = 0.34), students being the most affected (r = 0.30) .Mapping of mean egg counts and water sources used failed to reveal any travel distance effect on infection. The potential use of geographic mapping of individual and household infection and behavioral data in tropical disease research is discussed.[Ethiop. J. HealthDev.1995;9(1):1-6]