Six rounds of annual praziquantel treatment during a national helminth control program significantly reduced schistosome infection and morbidity levels in a cohort of schoolchildren in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Zimbabwe's helminth control program significantly reduced schistosome infection intensity and prevalence and urogenital schistosomiasis morbidity prevalence in a cohort of school-aged children, moving the schistosome prevalence in the children from moderate to low by WHO classification. These findings will inform the design of the country's next stage interventions for helminth control and eventual elimination.