Predicting the timing of second praziquantel treatment and its effect on reduction of egg counts in southern Ghana. Nsowah-

Abstract

Schistosoma haematobium infection could be associated with morbidity. Generally, the cost of schistosomiasis control is high and it becomes a burden for governments or non-governmental organisations to repeat control programs so as to reduce morbidity. There is therefore, the need to optimise the available meagre resources for its control. From 1993 to 1997 the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research of the University of Ghana carried out a schistosomiasis control program in southern Ghana. Using the generated data, an attempt is made to determine the timing of the second praziquantel treatment and the period needed after the second chemotherapy to have egg counts reduced to low levels in southern Ghana. It was revealed that the second praziquantel treatment in areas 1, 2, and 3 should be administered latest at 13.8, 11.8 and 13.2 months, respectively after the first one. Most importantly, it takes 24.4 months to bring egg counts to zero in area 3 while in area 1, it takes about 29 months after the second praziquantel treatment. Egg counts were not reduced to zero in area 2 after the second chemotherapy. At least passive health education and continuous safe water supply should support the chemotherapy in addition to weed removal at the water contact sites.