The epidemiology and consequences of Schistosoma mansoni infection in West Nile, Uganda : I. Field studies of a community at Panyagoro

A Jonam fishing community at Panyagoro, West Nile District, Uganda, was studied and the 235 people examined showed a very high infection rate with S. mansoni. The mean egg output of males over 5 years old was 1112 eggs/g. and of females was about half this level. High egg output levels were maintained into old age. Diarrhoea with blood and abdominal pain were extremely frequent. Hepatosplenomegaly, eosinophilia and anaemia were common and particularly occurred together in people who looked ill and had marked abdominal distension and ascites. Malaria was endemic but other possible causes of these findings were largely absent. Much disease is probably due to S. mansoni which is here causing disease of public health importance in sub-Saharan Africa.