[Seroepidemiological study of urogenital schistosomiasis in Algeria: the focus of Khemis el Kechna].

Two foci of schistosomiasis are known to be active in Algeria, first in the north of the country, at wadi El Hamiz in relation with the dam of El Hamiz river in the commune of Khemis el Kechna; and the other in the south, in the Tassili N'Ajjer region (Djanet, Ihérir, Tamadjert). In relation with a preparatory phase of a control programme of the disease a sero-epidemiological study was performed in the focus of Khemis el Kechna in 1987-1988; 1,876 parasitological samples and 1,760 serological samples were collected. The parasitological prevalence was 4.90%, the serological prevalence was 15.6% with a wider distribution by age.