A review on prevalence of human and animal schistosomiasis from 1960 to 2022 in the Republic of Niger

Schistosomiasis is one of the most prevalent Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). It affects approximately 1.5 billion individuals globally and remains a public health concern, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where it is endemic. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has implemented roadmap initiatives to end the disease by 2030. This review study was conducted to ascertain the prevalence of schistosomiasis, thus monitoring and evaluating the progress of control strategies employed for its eradication in Republic of Niger. Online relevant and eligible articles from PubMed, HINARI, Google Scholar, Révue de l’élèvage et de la médecine vétérinaire, and Web of Science on animal and human schistosomiasis from 1960 to 2022 in The Republic of Niger were sourced for this review study. The results of this study revealed a mean prevalence of human schistosomiasis of 43.3 %. Tillabèri region had the highest rate (50%), followed by Dosso (43%), and Tahoua and Maradi had the lowest (25%). Animal schistosomiasis is present in Zinder (S. bovis), while in Tillaberi, Niamey, Tahoua and Maradi the S. curassoni species was noted. However, no data on any species were recorded in Diffa and Agadez. There is a paucity of published data on the prevalence and trends of ruminant animal schistosomiasis (Schistosoma bovis and Schistosoma curassoni) in Republic of Niger. Most of the studies reviewed focused on humans. Research on intermediate hosts (gastropods/molluscs) has highlighted their role in transmission. In general, this review found that most of the research conducted over time was concentrated in the western, middle, and southern regions of the country, where the hydro-agricultural scheme was developed for food selfsufficiency in Republic of Niger. Hence, this study highlights the need for in-depth and wider coverage of research on human and animal health using the One Health approach.