Abstract

In Botswana the prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis in children in some communities has risen to as high as 80 percent in recent years. Through chemotherapy this prevalence is being reduced and the government is now planning the maintenance phase of its control program. It is recognized that morbidity control through chemotherapy alone is ineffective without a concordant strategy to reduce transmission. This project intends to elucidate aspects of the bionomics of snail intermediate hosts in Ngamiland which are relevant to effective planning of community based, integrated control of schistosomiasis. The project will identify and study the seasonal distribution of the intermediate hosts and their habitats. It will also study the schistosome infection rates in these intermediate hosts in the context of schistosomiasis transmission sites and correlate the infection rates in communities in relation to these transmission sites.

Post-Project Summary

A complete postproject abstract could not be written due to lack of documentation in the IDRC library.

Recipient Institution(s)