Leyte town steps up drive vs schistosomiasis

JULITA, Leyte, Feb. 17 (PNA) -- About 8,000 people will be covered with massive treatment against schistosomiasis in this town in the bid to curb the old-aged health concern.

Jose Baranda, the town’s health officer, said 19 of the 26 villages are low lying and rice field communities, making about 40 percent of the 14,000 population vulnerable to schistosomiasis.

“We have been conducting rigid mass treatment in the last five years, bringing the prevalence rate to only three percent this year,” Baranda added.

About 10 people in town died every year due to infections associated with schistosomiasis, according to the local health official.

Mayor Irvin Dy said they have been stepping up information in vulnerable communities especially that some people have become less responsive to the campaign after super typhoon Yolanda ravaged the town in 2013.

“Information dissemination has now covered all villages since the infection is very endemic in our town due to presence of irrigation. We’re an agricultural towns with about 60 percent of land area is devoted to rice farming,” Dy added.

Absence of sanitary toilets has triggered the emergence of this disease. 

People become infected when larval forms of the parasite – released by freshwater snails – penetrate the skin during contact with infested water. These snails got parasites from human feces of infected persons.

The Department of Health is highly recommending the use of sanitary toilets, ensure safe water supply, use foot bridges and control of stray animals to attain up to 75 percent reduction of disease transmission. 

Schistosomiasis is an infection caused by blood fluke. A person may acquire the infection from fresh water contaminated with larval cercariae, which developed in snails. Untreated individuals could transmit the disease through discharging schistosome eggs in feces into bodies of water.

Long term infections can result to severe development of lesions, which can lead to blockage of blood flow. The infection can also cause portal hypertension, which can make collateral circulation, hence, redirecting the eggs to other parts of the body. (PNA)
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