A pilot study using wearable global positioning system data loggers to compare water contact levels: Schistosoma haematobium infection in pre-school-age children (PSAC) and their mothers at Barombi Kotto, Cameroon.
Macklin, Grace;
Stanton, Michelle C;
Tchuem-Tchuenté, Louis Albert;
Stothard, J Russell;
(2018)
A pilot study using wearable global positioning system data loggers to compare water contact levels: Schistosoma haematobium infection in pre-school-age children (PSAC) and their mothers at Barombi Kotto, Cameroon.
TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE, 112 (7).
pp. 361-365.
ISSN 0035-9203
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/trstmh/try059
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BACKGROUND: Barombi Kotto, Cameroon serves as a reference location for assessing intervention strategies against Schistosoma haematobium. METHODS: As part of a pilot study, the whole community was treated with praziquantel, inclusive of pre-school-age children (PSAC) and their mothers. One year later, egg-patent infections were reassessed and water contact patterns of 12 pairs of PSAC and their mothers were measured with global positioning system (GPS) data loggers. RESULTS: A substantial reduction in general infection prevalence, from 44.8% to 12.2%, was observed but certain PSAC and mothers continued to have egg-patent infections. Analysis of GPS data demonstrated similar water contact levels between the child and mother groups, although certain individuals were numerical outliers. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the potential of GPS data loggers to clarify the at-risk status of PSAC and mothers.