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EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND CONTROL ASPECTS OF SCHISTOSOMIASIS IN BRAZILIAN ENDEMIC AREA
Affilliation
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Medicina Tropical. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Programa de Controle da Esquistossomose. Brasília, DF, Brasil.
Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Programa de Controle da Esquistossomose. Brasília, DF, Brasil.
Abstract
The present work analyzes the epidemiology of schistosomiasis in Brazil, its expansion, the attempts to control
the disease, and the overall difficulties. The authors present the distribution of schistosomiasis intermediary hosts in
Brazil, the migration routes of the human population, and disease distribution in highly and lowly endemic areas
and isolated foci. They also analyze the controlling programs developed from 1977 to 2002, indicating the prevalence evolution and the reduction of disease morbi-mortality. In addition, the authors also evaluate controlling
methods and conclude that: (a) no isolated method is able to control schistosomiasis, and every controlling program should consider the need of a multidisciplinary application of existing methods; (b) in long term, basic
sanitation, potable water supply, as well as sanitary education, and community effective participation are important for infection control; (c) in short term, specific treatment at endemic areas, associated with control of intermediary hosts at epidemiologically important foci, are extremely relevant for controlling disease morbidity, although
not enough for interrupting infection transmission.
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