Table 1. Potential morbidity metrics for urogenital and intestinal schistosomiasis control programs in Africa.
| Category of morbidity indicator | Urogenital schistosomiasis (S. haematobium) | Intestinal schistosomiasis (S. mansoni) |
|---|---|---|
| Currently recommended primary measures [3] | Prevalence of heavy infection (≥50 eggs/10ml) measured via urine filtration | Prevalence of heavy infection (≥400 eggs per gram of stool) via Kato–Katz thick smear testing |
| Available alternatives: | ||
| Point-of-care test prevalences | Micro- and macrohematuria (blood in the urine) | Blood in the stool (including persistent bloody diarrhea) |
| Proteinuria | Fecal occult blood | |
| Leukocyturia | Calprotectin in stool | |
| Anemia | Anemia | |
| Prevalence of chronic and/or anatomic findings | Ultrasonography of bladder and ureters and genital organs | Ultrasonography of liver, spleen, portal branch, portal veins |
| Palpation of bladder tenderness | Palpation of liver and spleen size | |
| FGS signs and symptoms score (vaginal discharge, bleeding after intercourse, genital itching, pelvic pain) | Ascites | |
| MGS signs and symptoms score (hemospermia, egg excretion in semen, prostatic enlargement) | ||
| Growth stunting (height for age) | Growth stunting (height for age) | |
| Abnormally low BMI (physical wasting) | Abnormally low BMI (physical wasting) | |
| Quantifiable functional morbidities among SAC | Shuttle run test for exercise intolerance | Shuttle run test for exercise intolerance |
| School attendance and behavior | School attendance and behavior | |
| Cognitive development | Cognitive development | |
Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; FGS, female genital schistosomiasis; MGS, male genital schistosomiasis; SAC, school-aged children.