Assessment of quality of life as a tool for measuring morbidity due to Schistosoma mansoni infection and the impact of treatment.

Recently, health measurements have broadened to include the assessment of quality of life (QOL). This study was conducted to assess whether the short form of the World Health Organization (WHO) QOL questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) was an effective tool for measuring morbidity due to Schistosoma mansoni infection and whether it could detect an impact of treatment with praziquantel. A total of 724 adults 18-85 years of age were enrolled. At baseline, S. mansoni prevalence was 73.2% by stool examination and 75.4% by circulating cathodic antigen, and there was no association between infection status and WHOQOL-BREF scores. Six months after treatment, S. mansoni prevalence was lower and the proportion of persons with higher WHOQOL-BREF scores significantly increased among persons who were infected at baseline. However, a similar increase was observed in persons not infected at baseline. In areas of high prevalence, the WHOQOL-BREF may not be able to detect the benefits of schistosomiasis control programs.

[1]  Lisette van Lieshout,et al.  A Five-Country Evaluation of a Point-of-Care Circulating Cathodic Antigen Urine Assay for the Prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni , 2013, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[2]  J. Utzinger,et al.  Accuracy of Urine Circulating Cathodic Antigen Test for the Diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni in Preschool-Aged Children before and after Treatment , 2013, PLoS neglected tropical diseases.

[3]  U. Kitron,et al.  Evaluation of the Health-related Quality of Life of Children in Schistosoma haematobium-endemic Communities in Kenya: A Cross-sectional Study , 2013, PLoS neglected tropical diseases.

[4]  R. Wiegand,et al.  Schistosoma mansoni morbidity among school-aged children: a SCORE project in Kenya. , 2012, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[5]  G. Pereira,et al.  Quality of life of patients with hepatitis C. , 2012, Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical.

[6]  J. Utzinger,et al.  Schistosomiasis, Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis, and Sociodemographic Factors Influence Quality of Life of Adults in Côte d'Ivoire , 2012, PLoS neglected tropical diseases.

[7]  C. Owaga,et al.  Integrated community-directed intervention for schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminths in western Kenya – a pilot study , 2012, Parasites & Vectors.

[8]  E. Wouters,et al.  Correlations between disease-specific and generic health status questionnaires in patients with advanced COPD: a one-year observational study , 2012, Health and Quality of Life Outcomes.

[9]  David Rollinson,et al.  Evaluation of Circulating Cathodic Antigen (CCA) Urine-Tests for Diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni Infection in Cameroon , 2012, PLoS neglected tropical diseases.

[10]  J. McCarthy,et al.  A Research Agenda for Helminth Diseases of Humans: The Problem of Helminthiases , 2012, PLoS neglected tropical diseases.

[11]  D. Karanja,et al.  Geographical distribution of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths among school children in informal settlements in Kisumu City, Western Kenya , 2011, Parasitology.

[12]  B. Abudho,et al.  Schistosomiasis among young children in Usoma, Kenya. , 2011, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[13]  B. Abudho,et al.  Evaluation of Urine CCA Assays for Detection of Schistosoma mansoni Infection in Western Kenya , 2011, PLoS neglected tropical diseases.

[14]  D. Karanja,et al.  Impact of intense, longitudinal retreatment with praziquantel on cure rates of schistosomiasis mansoni in a cohort of occupationally exposed adults in western Kenya , 2009, Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH.

[15]  Jürg Utzinger,et al.  Diagnostic dilemmas in helminthology: what tools to use and when? , 2009, Trends in parasitology.

[16]  S. Chanteau,et al.  Controlling Schistosomiasis: Significant Decrease of Anaemia Prevalence One Year after a Single Dose of Praziquantel in Nigerien Schoolchildren , 2008, PLoS neglected tropical diseases.

[17]  C. King,et al.  The unacknowledged impact of chronic schistosomiasis , 2008, Chronic illness.

[18]  J. Utzinger,et al.  Assessment of the age-specific disability weight of chronic schistosomiasis japonica. , 2007, Bulletin of the World Health Organization.

[19]  C. King,et al.  Transmission control for schistosomiasis - why it matters now. , 2006, Trends in parasitology.

[20]  Christl A Donnelly,et al.  Morbidity indicators of Schistosoma mansoni: relationship between infection and anemia in Ugandan schoolchildren before and after praziquantel and albendazole chemotherapy. , 2006, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[21]  A. Dicko,et al.  Association of Schistosoma haematobium infection with protection against acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Malian children. , 2005, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[22]  L. Slutsker,et al.  Geographic distribution of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths in Western Kenya: implications for anthelminthic mass treatment. , 2003, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[23]  Soil-transmitted Helminthiasis.  Prevention and control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis : report of a WHO expert committee , 2002 .

[24]  M. I. Kamel,et al.  Impact of type and stage of schistosomiasis on quality of life and productivity of infected workers. , 2001, Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology.

[25]  Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth infections. , 2001, Releve epidemiologique hebdomadaire.

[26]  L. Chitsulo,et al.  The global status of schistosomiasis and its control. , 2000, Acta tropica.

[27]  E. Gomo,et al.  Quality of life evaluation in patients with HIV-I infection: the impact of traditional medicine in Zimbabwe. , 2000, The Central African journal of medicine.

[28]  S. Brooker,et al.  Age patterns in stunting and anaemia in African schoolchildren: a cross-sectional study in Tanzania , 2000, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

[29]  M. Power,et al.  Development of the World Health Organization WHOQOL-BREF Quality of Life Assessment , 1998, Psychological Medicine.

[30]  B. Nahlen,et al.  Studies on schistosomiasis in western Kenya: I. Evidence for immune-facilitated excretion of schistosome eggs from patients with Schistosoma mansoni and human immunodeficiency virus coinfections. , 1997, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[31]  S. McGarvey,et al.  Impact of annual screening and chemotherapy with praziquantel on schistosomiasis japonica on Jishan Island, People's Republic of China. , 1994, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[32]  J. Williams.  Basic laboratory methods in medical parasitology Geneva: World Health Organization, 1991. viii+114 pp. Price Sw.fr. 21.00, US$ 18. 90 (in developing countries Sw.fr. 14.70). ISBN 92-4-1544104 , 1992 .

[33]  F. Cox.  Basic laboratory methods in medical parasitology , 1992 .

[34]  B. Blas,et al.  Improvement of ultrasonographic and serologic changes in Schistosoma japonicum-infected patients after treatment with praziquantel. , 1992, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[35]  K. Warren,et al.  EFFECT OF TARGETED MASS TREATMENT ON INTENSITY OF INFECTION AND MORBIDITY IN SCHISTOSOMIASIS MANSONI 3-Year Follow-up of a Community in Machakos, Kenya , 1983, The Lancet.

[36]  H. Behnke.  MANAGEMENT OF POLYCYTHAEMIA VERA. , 1965, Lancet.