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Updated: May 12, 2026
Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children
Published on: August 22, 2012
Achieving elimination of soil-transmitted helminthiasis as a public health problem in Mali
Mahamadou Traore1, Fatoumata K Maiga1, Modibo Keita2
1Programme National de Lutte Contre les Schistosomiases et les Geohelminthes, Ministère de la Santé, Bamako, Mali.
Introduction:
Mali was endemic for soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH), mainly hookworms in the southern regions. Following baseline mapping, mass drug administration (MDA) for STH was integrated with MDA for schistosomiasis for school-aged children (SAC) or lymphatic filariasis (LF) for populations aged five and older and vitamin A supplementation for preschool children. Epidemiological evaluations were conducted to assess progress towards eliminating STH as a public health problem.
Methods:
Cross-sectional studies were conducted in schools in 2004-2005 at baseline and in 2014-2019 for integrated evaluation with either schistosomiasis assessments or LF transmission assessment surveys (TAS). Children aged 7-14 years (6-7 years in TAS-STH surveys) were selected through systematic random sampling, and stool samples from selected children were examined using the Kato-Katz method for the eggs of any species of STH. The prevalence of infection and the prevalence of moderate-intensity and heavy-intensity (MHI) infections were calculated.
Results:
A total of 13 769 SAC were examined at baseline in 2004-2005, with an overall STH prevalence of 6.3% (95% CI 5.9% to 6.7%). Overall STH prevalence was the highest in Sikasso (22.9%), followed by Segou (9.4%). The prevalence of MHI infections ranged from 0% to 9.0% among the survey sites, with high prevalences (2.9-9.0%) in some communities in the Sikasso region. The predominant species of STH infection was hookworm, with negligible infection by Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura. Integrated schistosomiasis/STH impact assessments from 2014 to 2017 sampled 5776 children, with an overall prevalence of 0.1% (95% CI 0.1% to 0.3%) and 0% MHI infections. The integrated TAS-STH surveys in 2018-2019 in 29 districts further confirmed an overall low STH prevalence of 0.1% (95% CI 0.0% to 0.3%). These results indicate the progress towards the national goal of eliminating STH as a public health problem in Mali and highlight the need for continued surveillance in certain regions.
Conclusion:
Through over a decade of integrated treatment overcoming major security challenges, Mali may have successfully eliminated STH as a public health problem in all regions, one of the first countries in Africa to achieve this milestone.
