Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Mar 25;16(3):e0010092.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010092. eCollection 2022 Mar.

National mapping of schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis and anaemia in Yemen: Towards better national control and elimination

Nur Alia Johari  1 , Dhekra Amin Annuzaili  1 , Hani Farouk El-Talabawy  2 , Maryam Ba-Break  3 , Abdulsalam M Al-Mekhlafi  4 , Samira Al-Eryani  4 , Abdulhakim Ali Alkohlani  5 , Albis Francesco Gabrielli  6 , Riadh Ben-Ismail  6 , Sami Alhaidari  7 , Adel Muaydh  7 , Rasheed Alshami  7 , Magid Al Gunaid  7 , Alaa Hamed  5 , Nehad Kamel  5 , Karen Palacio  8 , Fiona Fleming  1 , Michael Duncan French  1
Affiliations

National mapping of schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis and anaemia in Yemen: Towards better national control and elimination

Nur Alia Johari et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) are known to be endemic in Yemen. However, the distribution of both diseases had not previously been assessed by a well-structured national mapping study covering all governorates. The main aim of this study was, therefore, to map the prevalence of SCH and STH in Yemen in order to better inform implementation of effective national control and elimination interventions. The assessment of the distribution of anaemia was also included as a well-known consequence of infection with both SCH and STH. Secondarily, the study aimed to provide a broad indication of the impact of large-scale treatment on the distribution of infection.

Methodology and principal findings: To achive these aims, 80,432 children (10-14 years old) from 2,664 schools in 332 of Yemen's 333 districts were included, in 2014, into this national cross-sectional survey. Countrywide, 63.3% (210/332) and 75.6% (251/332) of districts were found to be endemic for SCH and STH respectively. More districts were affected by intestinal than urogenital SCH (54.2% and 31.6% respectively). SCH infection was mostly mild and moderate, with no districts reporting high infection. One quarter (24.4%) of Yemeni districts had high or moderate levels of Ascaris lumbricoides infection. Infection with Trichuris trichiura was the second most common STH (44.9% of districts infected) after A. lumbricoides (68.1%). Hookworm was the least prevalent STH (9.0%). Anaemia was prevalent in 96.4% of districts; it represented a severe public health problem (prevalence ≥ 40%) in 26.5% of districts, and a mild to moderate problem in two thirds of the districts (33.7% and 36.1% respectively).

Conclusion: This study provided the first comprehensive mapping of SCH, STH, and anaemia across the country. This formed the basis for evaluating and continuing the national control and elimination programme for these neglected tropical diseases in Yemen.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. District-level prevalence maps of schistosomiasis infection in Yemen, 2014.
(A) Intestinal (Schistosoma mansoni) and (B) Urogenital (S. haematobium) schistosomiasis. These figures were created for this manuscript in QGIS using open source data from DIVA-GIS for the base layers. (DIVA-GIS-http://www.diva-gis.org/gdata).
Fig 2
Fig 2. Prevalence of any schistosomiasis (intestinal or urogenital) infection in Yemen, 2014.
The maps depict any schistosomiasis prevalence at (A) Governorate and (B) District level. These figures were created for this manuscript in QGIS using open source data from DIVA-GIS for the base layers. (DIVA-GIS-http://www.diva-gis.org/gdata).
Fig 3
Fig 3. District-level point prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthaisis infection in Yemen, 2014.
The maps depict (A) any soil-transmitted helminth infection and (B) Ascaris lumbricoides infection. These figures were created for this manuscript in QGIS using open source data from DIVA-GIS for the base layers. (DIVA-GIS-http://www.diva-gis.org/gdata).
Fig 4
Fig 4. Prevalence maps of the public health significance of anaemia in Yemen, 2014.
The maps display anaemia severity nationwide at (A) the governorate level and (B) the district level. These figures were created for this manuscript in QGIS using open-source data from DIVA-GIS for the base layers. (DIVA-GIS-http://www.diva-gis.org/gdata).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Lo N.C., et al., A call to strengthen the global strategy against schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis: the time is now. The Lancet infectious diseases, 2017. 17(2): p. e64–e69. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(16)30535-7 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. WHO, Prevention and control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis: World Health Organization/Unicef joint statement. 2004, World Health Organization: Geneva. - PubMed
    1. Bailey F., et al., Neglected tropical diseases and mental health: progress, partnerships, and integration. Trends in parasitology, 2019. 35(1): p. 23–31. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2018.11.001 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Nagi M, et al., Epidemiological, clinical and haematological profile of schistosomiasis in Yemen. Eastern Mediterranean health journal., 1999. 5 (1):177–81. - PubMed
    1. Kjetland E.F., Leutscher P.D., and Ndhlovu P.D., A review of female genital schistosomiasis. Trends Parasitol, 2012. 28(2): p. 58–65. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2011.10.008 - DOI - PubMed

Publication types