Adolescents and young adults an excluded group in preventive chemotherapy for schistosomiasis control in Northern Tanzania: Are they at risk and reservoirs of infection? Prevalence and determinants of transmission in Northern Tanzania
Objective: The study investigated the magnitude of urogenital schistosomiasis and determinants of transmission among adolescents and young adults in the Itilima district of Simiyu region, Northern Tanzania.
Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was carried out using probability sampling strategies to select 433 secondary school students from five schools among the five wards of the endemic area of Itilima district. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used to gather data on determinants, and collected urine samples were examined for the macrohaematuria and presence of S. haematobium using the standard urine filtration technique. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and logistic regression.
Results: The overall prevalence of S. haematobium infection and macrohaematuria among adolescents and young adults were 15.9% and 3%, respectively, with the majority being lightly infected (85.5%). The determinants for urogenital schistosomiasis among the adolescents and young adults in Itilima district were being a form one student (aOR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.16-11.8, p = 0.018), residents of Sasago (aOR = 5.57, 95% CI: 1.98-15.67, p = 0.001) and Budalabujiga wards (aOR = 2.99, 95% CI: 1.04-8.56, p = 0.042), having positive attitudes towards urogenital schistosomiasis (aOR = 3.14, 95% CI: 1.27-7.72, p = 0.013), swimming at the river (aOR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.06-3.50, p = 0.032), and urinating at the water bodies (aOR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.05-2.69, p = 0.032).
Conclusions: Urogenital schistosomiasis is prevalent among adolescents and young adults and would serve as a reservoir of continuity of S. haematobium transmission. Preventive chemotherapy campaigns should be extended to adolescents and young adults and integrated with regular screening, health education, and adequate water supply.