Seasonal patterns in the transmission of Schistosoma haematobium, S. mattheei and S. mansoni in the highveld region of Zimbabwe

Abstract

The pattern of fluctuation in the population size of Bulinus globosus and Biomphalaria pfeifferi, in their infection rates with Schistosoma haematobium/S. mattheei and S. mansoni, respectively, and in the cercarial population size as monitored using hamster immersions, was elucidated in streams in the temperate highveld region of Zimbabwe over a 27-month period during 1982-1984. The results revealed that transmission of S. mansoni was erratic and unpredictable without a clearcut seasonal transmission pattern. In contrast, transmission of S. haematobium and S. mattheei exhibited a marked seasonal pattern, being most intensive during the hot, dry season (September-November) and markedly reduced during the cold, dry season (June-August). During the rainy (December-February) and warm, post-rainy (March-May) seasons transmission was moderate and variable, but occasionally intensive. The results also showed that rodent immersion is to be preferred to measurements of snail population size and snail infection rate in elucidating seasonality of transmission of schistosomiasis.