Schistosoma japonicum in Ethiopia: Is there a need for tuning schistosomiasis surveillance in Africa?

BACKGROUND

Schistosomiasis is a communicable disease of public health importance in Africa, where Schistosoma mansoni is the most prevalent species. The determinant of the geographic distribution of Schistosoma spp. is a snail, the intermediate host, specific for each species affecting human beings. The accurate identification of cases is essential for the success of control programs in endemic areas. The current work presents a case of Schistosoma japonicum in a woman living in Ethiopia.

CASE PRESENTATION: In Ethiopia, in an area endemic for S. mansoni, a woman attended a health center, because of joint and abdominal pain. She had never travelled out of the country. She was living in the shore of the Blue Nile River, in Bahir Dar city, which receives a large Chinese population for years. A stool sample was analyzed using Kato Katz, saline concentration and polymerase chain reaction techniques, indicating a co-infection by S. japonicum and S. mansoni.

CONCLUSIONS

This study raises awareness about the event, previously noticed, that populations migration is linked to new scenarios of schistosomiasis species. The role of local microscopists becomes of great importance for accurate detection and epidemiological surveillance.