01852nas a2200253   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653001600054653001400070653003100084653001300115653002000128100002000148700001400168700001200182700001500194700001400209245010600223856008300329300001100412490000700423520115400430022001401584       2026                            d  c06/202610aSchistosoma10aBilharzia10aNeglected tropical disease10aParasite10aschistosomiasis1 aSriruttan-Nel C1 aMoodley B1 aFrean J1 aMlotshwa D1 aMsimang V00aPersistent Burden of Schistosomiasis in South Africa: A National Laboratory-Based Analysis, 2019-2024  uhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13307819/pdf/tropicalmed-11-00154.pdf  a1 - 160 v113 a<p>Schistosomiasis remains the second leading cause of death among parasitic diseases globally, contributing substantially to chronic morbidity and disability. South Africa (SA) is endemic for schistosomiasis, with ongoing efforts to expand mass drug administration. In the absence of true prevalence data, this study retrospectively analysed public sector laboratory-confirmed schistosomiasis cases from 2019 to 2024. Over this period, 73,680 cases were microscopically diagnosed, with  accounting for 99.9% of infections. The test positivity rate of 20 per 100,000 population is lower than previously reported, with the burden concentrated among boys aged 5-19 years, particularly in the KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga provinces. These findings highlight a persistent burden within defined demographic groups and geographic areas, while also suggesting possible early signs of improvement that are potentially linked to public health interventions. The results provide valuable evidence to inform the scale-up of national schistosomiasis control programmes and the prioritisation of interventions towards the most affected populations.</p>  a2414-6366