IMPACT OF MASS TREATMENT WITH PRAZIQUANTEL IN A RECENT OUTBREAK OF BILHARZIA IN GUEBO 2 IN SOUTHERN COTE DIVOIRE

Bilharzia is a public health problem in Cote dIvoire, especially in rural areas. This study was conducted in the locality of Guebo 2 located 45.2 kilometres from Abidjan, northwest of Yopougon, with the aim of assessing the epidemiological status of bilharzia in the school environment where cases of urinary bilharzia had been reported in 2012 with a prevalence of 42.8%. 119 pupils were sampled in schools A and B, from Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 pupils. Urine and stool samples were taken. The urine was filtered and observed under a light microscope and the stool was analysed by Kato-Katz. The results gave a prevalence of 0% for urinary bilharzia and 2.52% for intestinal bilharzia. The results show that eight (8) years later, from 2012 to 2020, urinary bilharziasis has significantly decreased in Guebo 2. The low prevalence of intestinal bilharziasis could mean that it is incipient or has declined. However, these low prevalences demonstrate that the mass treatments carried out through deworming by the Bilharzia Control Programme since 2012 are effective. Thus, the results of this study made it possible to assess the level of endemicity of bilharzia in this locality eight years after its emergence. The malacological survey identified the two genera of mollusc intermediate hosts of schistosome in Cote dIvoire, Bulinus and Biomphalaria.