The USAID Government of Egypt's Schistosomiasis Research Project (SRP)

Schistosomiasis is the major public health problem in rural Egypt, with almost six million Egyptians infected as at min 1996. lit 1983, the prevalence of schistosomiasis in rural Egypt was greater than 50%(1), but a ten-year campaign of diagnosis and treatment has reduced the prevalence and intensity of infection. Parallel to this campaign, the government of the USA has funded a research project to examine all aspects of schistosomiasis with a view to improving the control strategy. As outlined here by Taha EI Khoby, Nabil Galal and Alan Fenwick, after almost ten years, the project's achievements include: assisting WHO in its attempts to develop a vaccine against schistosomiasis, developing a suspension formulation of praziquantel suitable for young children, and establishing a unit to monitor reports of resistance to praziquantel(2,3). In addition, a large epidemiological study has established the extent of the problem in Egypt(4). Slow-release formulation of niclosamide(5), health education material for use on TV, dipstick diagnostic tests(6), and evaluation of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool have also been achieved(7-9). As the project closes, Egypt is left with an effective strategy for the control of schistosomiasis and several back-tip tools for use in the event of development of resistance to praziquantel. The Ministry of Health and Population has the basis of a Geographical Information System (GIS) unit and the country has a trained and equipped scientific community capable of biomedical research, and almost 100 scientific papers published on their work.