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SUMMARY:The Burden of Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Nigeria\, Control Effo
 rts and the Need for Research Collaboration - Professor Olaoluwa Pheabian 
 Akinwale - Nigerian Institute of Medical Research
DTSTART:20231004T130000Z
DTEND:20231004T140000Z
UID:TALK204997@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Anna Protasio
DESCRIPTION:Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are caused by diffe
 rent species of parasitic worms such as - Ascaris lumbricoides (Roundworm)
 \, Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale (Hookworms) and Trichuris 
 trichiura (Whipworm). They are transmitted through eggs present in human f
 aeces\, which contaminate soil in areas with poor sanitation. STHs affect 
 over 1.5 billion people worldwide\, with the highest prevalence in sub-Sah
 aran Africa\, China\, South America\, and Asia and are a significant publi
 c health concern in Nigeria. The infections are prevalent in the six geopo
 litical zones of the country\, but the southwest zone has the highest burd
 en of these infections. Recent studies reported that 54.8% of Nigerian chi
 ldren aged 0-17 years were infected with one or more species of STHs\, and
  the most prevalent species was Ascaris lumbricoides. Children infected wi
 th these worms are usually nutritionally and physically impaired\, while i
 nfected women of reproductive age are at risk of maternal and infant morta
 lity\, low birth weight\, and iron deficiency anaemia. In Nigeria\, the na
 tional control program implements an integrated approach to control these 
 infections\, which includes periodical deworming to eliminate infecting wo
 rms\, health education to prevent re-infection\, and improved sanitation t
 o reduce soil contamination with infective eggs\, with the goal of elimina
 ting STHs as a public health problem by the year 2030. There is a need for
  collaborations across disciplines to determine the impact of co-infection
 s on STH burden\, mechanisms of immunoregulatory action\, and susceptibili
 ty and protective factors associated with STH infections at the interfaces
  between humans\, animals\, and the environment\, among others.
LOCATION:Seminar Room\, Tennis Court Road\, Dept of Pathology.
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