Prevalence of schistosomiasis and associated risk factors in endemic communities: cross-sectional study, Patioba and Colônia Miranda, Sergipe, 2022-2023

Objectives

To determine the prevalence of schistosomiasis and identify risk factors that influence disease transmission in endemic communities in the state of Sergipe.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Patioba and Colônia Miranda communities, located in the municipalities of Japaratuba and São Cristóvão, respectively. An epidemiological and parasitological survey of schistosomiasis was conducted using a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Kato-Katz method. Pearson’s Chi-squared test and correlation coefficients were used to determine associations between categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Prevalence ratio (PR), odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) measured the strength of associations.

Results

A total of 721 participants were included in the study. Schistosomiasis prevalence was 33.6% (118/351) in Patioba and 25.7% (95/370) in Colônia Miranda. The male sex (n=62, 52.5%; p-value 0.008), low level of education (n=65, 55.1%; p-value 0.034), fishing activities (PR 1.69; 95%CI 1.35; 2.11; p-value 0.002) and bathing/personal hygiene in freshwater (PR 1.48; 95%CI 1.17; 1.87; p-value 0.027) were associated with infection. Being of the male sex was also a predictor of infection (OR 1.41; 95%CI 1.01; 1.96; p-value 0.040), as was contact with freshwater (OR 0.40; 95%CI 0.28; 0.58; p-value<0.001).

Conclusions

Patioba and Colônia Miranda have high schistosomiasis prevalence, as well as Schistosoma mansoni infection risk factors that vary between the two communities studied.