01506nas a2200205   4500000000100000008004100001653011000042100001600152700001300168700001200181700001600193700001400209700001500223700001500238245013000253300001000383490000800393520088500401022001401286       2016                            d10aCross-sectional survey; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Schistosomiasis; Soil-transmitted helminthiasis1 aKnoblauch A1 aArcher C1 aOwuor M1 aSchmidlin S1 aDivall MJ1 aUtzinger J1 aWinkler MS00aSchistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth infections in schoolchildren in North-Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.  a424-60 v1103 a<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>There is a paucity of epidemiological data pertaining to schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>A cross-sectional survey was carried out in the north-eastern part of DRC enrolling 400 schoolchildren aged 9-14 years. Stool and urine samples were subjected to standard diagnostic methods and examined under a microscope for helminth eggs.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Four out of five children were infected with at least one helminth species. Schistosoma mansoni was the predominant species (57.8%). Urine examinations were all negative for S. haematobium.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>S. mansoni and STH infections are highly endemic in the surveyed part of the DRC, calling for interventions in school-aged children.</p>
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