Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40413412›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2025

Trends of Coverage of Mass Drug Administration, Population at Risk and Reported Cases of Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminths, Uganda, 2013-2023.

Benigna G Namara, Benon Kwesiga, Richard Migisha, Lilian Bulage, Benjamin Tinkitina, Alex Riolexus Ario, Alfred Mubangizi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Benigna G NamaraUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda. benignamara@uniph.go.ug.
Benon KwesigaUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Richard MigishaUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Lilian BulageUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Benjamin TinkitinaVector Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases Division, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Alex Riolexus ArioUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Alfred MubangiziVector Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases Division, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda.

Funding

This study was supported by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cooperative Agreement GH001353-01
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUganda has a high burden of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), which particularly affect rural populations. Some NTDs are targeted for control/elimination using preventive chemotherapy administered annually or bi-annually to at-risk populations through mass drug administration (MDA). Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) are two of these diseases. MDA for Schistosomiasis is given only to school-age children (SAC) and adults, whereas that for STHs is given only to SAC and pre-school-age children (pre-SAC). The MDA coverage target for both NTDs should be 75%. A decline in the size of the population at risk (PAR) and the number of cases are indicators of effective control/progress towards elimination. We describe the trends in the coverage of MDA and the outcomes of schistosomiasis and STHs.

methodsWe reviewed available data on MDA coverage, size of population at risk, and disease occurrence (case counts) for schistosomiasis and STHs from 2013 to 2023. We analysed the trends using the Mann Kendal test.

resultsFrom 2014 to 2022, there was an apparent increase in MDA coverage for schistosomiasis in both SAC (from 21 to 82%, p = 0.5) and adults (from 34 to 36%, p = 0.1); however, both trends were not significant. Similarly, for STHs, MDA coverage increased for both SAC (from 63 to 114%, p = 0.09) and pre-SAC (from 65 to 76%, p = 1.0); however, these trends were not significant. The PAR for schistosomiasis increased by 25% for SAC (2014: 4,777,189 vs 2022: 5,979,311, p = 0.0025) and by 60% for adults (2014: 4,436,444 vs 2022: 7,091,933, p = 0.03). For STHs, PAR increased by 19% for both SAC (2014:11,287,385 vs 2022:13,397,219, p = 0.03) and pre-SAC (2014: 5,279,025 vs 2022: 6,299,355, p = 0.047). From 2013 to 2023, there was a 62% reduction in reported cases of schistosomiasis (2013:6,518 vs. 2023:2501, p = 0.7) and a 52% reduction in reported cases of STHs (2013:2,457,021 vs. 2023:1,176,463, p = 0.5), but both trends were not significant. The increase in PAR indicates that transmission is spreading beyond previous extents despite ongoing MDA. Non-significant trends may be attributed to fluctuations across years, precluding a monotonic pattern., Nonetheless, the apparent changes can provide actionable insights to inform improvements in programmatic interventions.

conclusionsCurrent efforts to control schistosomiasis and STHs using MDA should be strengthened to achieve sustainable control. Strategies to improve and maintain MDA coverage for both NTDs to a target of 75% are crucial, while the rise in PAR and unabating case counts necessitate targeted interventions, including improved sanitation, health education, and vaccine development.

Indexed as

AnthelminticsHelminthiasisMass Drug AdministrationSchistosomiasisSoilAdolescentAdultAnimalsChildChild, PreschoolHelminthsHumansMaleNeglected DiseasesUgandaAnthelminticsSoilControlEliminationMass Drug AdministrationPopulation at riskSchistosomiasisSoil-transmitted HelminthesUganda

Identifiers

PMID40413412
PMCPMC12102895

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.