Zanzibar is one of the first settings in sub-Saharan Africa targeted for elimination of urogenital schistosomiasis.
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease with a huge impact on global health. More than 200 million people are infected, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Researchers from Swiss TPH, the Natural History Museum London and partner institutions in Zanzibar have published a study on interventions for schistosomiasis elimination in Zanzibar, which found that while schistosomiasis was eliminated as a public health problem in over 90% of the study regions, transmission is not yet interrupted and reinfection occurs. Results were published today in the Lancet Global Health. Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by blood flukes (parasitic flatworms). Infection occurs when individuals, particularly children, are exposed to contaminated natural freshwater while swimming, bathing or washing. Over 700 million people are at risk of infection, particularly in areas where access to safe water and sanitation is lacking.
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