African Schistosomiasis: A Framework of Indicators Assessing the Transmission Risk and Intervention Effectiveness.

Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease with a complex transmission mechanism, requiring a snail intermediate host, is influenced by biology, the environment, human behavior and the prevailing socioeconomic situation. This study aimed to systematically investigate the importance and feasibility of indicators related to the factors influencing transmission and intervention measures for and . Based on a literature review and group discussions according to the Delphi method, a framework questionnaire was designed.

Schistosomiasis transmission in Zimbabwe: Modelling based on machine learning.

Zimbabwe, located in Southern Africa, faces a significant public health challenge due to schistosomiasis. We investigated this issue with emphasis on risk prediction of schistosomiasis for the entire population. To this end, we reviewed available data on schistosomiasis in Zimbabwe from a literature search covering the 1980-2022 period considering the potential impact of 26 environmental and socioeconomic variables obtained from public sources.

Understanding facilitators and barriers to COVID-19 vaccination in the Zimbabwean population: a qualitative analysis.

Background: Vaccines are effective biological interventions that reduce health burdens. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were concerns about varying levels of COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the Zimbabwean population. This study aimed to understand facilitators and barriers to COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the Zimbabwean population.

Factors affecting hand hygiene practice during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Zimbabwean population: a qualitative study.

Background: Practicing hand hygiene is recommended as one of the key preventive measures for reducing the transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious agents. However, it is often not practiced frequently enough or correctly by the public. We aimed to identify barriers to and facilitators of hand hygiene in the Zimbabwean population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Spiritual and religious aspects influence mental health and viral load: a quantitative study among young people living with HIV in Zimbabwe.

Introduction: The role of religion and spirituality as social determinants of health has been widely discussed. Studies among people living with HIV describe positive and negative influences of religion and spirituality on health outcomes. With a HIV prevalence of 14.

Elimination of STH morbidity in Zimbabwe: Results of 6 years of deworming intervention for school-age children.

This paper reports the prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections measured in Zimbabwe before and after a control intervention based on annual deworming of school-age children (SAC) conducted from 2012 to 2018. In 2010, epidemiological data were collected from 13 195 SAC in 255 randomly selected schools in all districts nationwide using, as diagnostic methods, the Kato-Katz and the formal ether stool concentration technique. At follow up, conducted in 2017, only Kato-Katz was performed; specimens were collected from 13 352 children in 336 schools.

Accuracy of different diagnostic techniques for Schistosoma haematobium to estimate treatment needs in Zimbabwe: Application of a hierarchical Bayesian egg count model.

Background: Treatment needs for Schistosoma haematobium are commonly evaluated using urine filtration with detection of parasite eggs under a microscope. A common symptom of S. haematobium is hematuria, the passing of blood in urine.

Genetic diversity of Biomphalaria pfeifferi, the intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni in Shamva district, Zimbabwe: role on intestinal schistosomiasis transmission.

The fresh water snail Biomphalaria pfeifferi is the intermediate host for Schistosoma mansoni, which causes human intestinal schistosomiasis in Zimbabwe. Despite the medical importance of this intermediate host, there are no current data on its molecular characterization in Zimbabwe. In 2016, human water contact sites were identified in four communities in Madziwa area, Shamva district, Zimbabwe.

Phylogeography of (Audouin, 1827) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in Selected African Countries.

The transmission of some schistosome parasites is dependent on the planorbid snail hosts. is important in urinary schistosomiasis epidemiology in Africa. Hence, there is a need to define the snails' phylogeography.

Reinfection of urogenital schistosomiasis in pre-school children in a highly endemic district in Northern Zimbabwe: a 12 months compliance study.

Background: In light of the shift to aiming for schistosomiasis elimination, the following are needed: data on reinfection patterns, participation, and sample submission adherence of all high-risk age groups to intervention strategies. This study was conducted to assess prevalence, reinfections along with consecutive participation, sample submission adherence, and effect of treatment on schistosomiasis prevalence in children aged five years and below in an endemic district in Zimbabwe, over one year.

Methods: The study was conducted from February 2016-February 2017 in Madziwa area, Shamva district.

Dynamics of paediatric urogenital schistosome infection, morbidity and treatment: a longitudinal study among preschool children in Zimbabwe.

Background: Recent research has shown that in schistosome-endemic areas preschool-aged children (PSAC), that is, ≤5 years, are at risk of infection. However, there exists a knowledge gap on the dynamics of infection and morbidity in this age group. In this study, we determined the incidence and dynamics of the first urogenital schistosome infections, morbidity and treatment in PSAC.

Inclusion of edaphic predictors for enhancement of models to determine distribution of soil-transmitted helminths: the case of Zimbabwe.

Background: Reliable mapping of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) parasites requires rigorous statistical and machine learning algorithms capable of integrating the combined influence of several determinants to predict distributions. This study tested whether combining edaphic predictors with relevant environmental predictors improves model performance when predicting the distribution of STH, Ascaris lumbricoides and hookworms at a national scale in Zimbabwe.

Methods: Geo-referenced parasitological data obtained from a 2010/2011 national survey indicating a confirmed presence or absence of STH among school children aged 10-15 years was used to calibrate ten species distribution models (SDMs).