ISSN 2756-3391
African Journal of Parasitology Research | Vol. 14, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 629–636
DOI: 10.46882/AJPR/140629
Article Type: Full Length Research Paper
Title: Spatio-temporal modeling of urinary schistosomiasis transmission risks near emerging small-scale irrigation dams in the Savannah region of Togo
Names of Authors: Koffi M. Agbognigan¹, Yao A. Ameyapoh², Mablé E. Lawson¹
Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Faculté des Sciences, Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo. ²Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Contrôle de Qualité des Denrées Alimentaires, Lomé, Togo.
Abstract: Anthropogenic hydrological changes are primary drivers of parasitic disease distribution in West African savannah ecosystems. This study investigated the micro-spatial distribution and temporal transmission dynamics of Schistosoma haematobium near three newly built small-scale agricultural dams in northern Togo. A cohort of 950 school children (aged 6 to 15 years) was monitored over a 12-month period using urine filtration and macroscopic analysis. Malacological surveys were also conducted to evaluate intermediate snail host density. The overall baseline prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis across the villages was 36.8 percent (n = 350). The mean microfilarial egg intensity reached 45 eggs per 10 milliliters of urine. Snail tracking confirmed high seasonal density peaks of Bulinus globosus inside irrigation channels during the early dry season (November to January), with a cercarial shedding rate of 3.8 percent. Multivariate spatial regression showed that children living within 1.5 kilometers of an irrigation dam faced a significantly higher risk of infection (odds ratio = 4.25, 95 percent confidence interval [2.81 to 6.44]) compared to those living further away. Haematuria was detected in 24.6 percent of parasitaemic individuals. These findings prove that micro-dams dramatically amplify localized schistosomiasis transmission, highlighting the need for structural snail-proofing of irrigation infrastructures alongside routine school-based praziquantel distribution.
Keywords: Schistosoma haematobium, Bulinus globosus, Agricultural dams, Spatial regression, Transmission dynamics, Togo
Manuscript Timeline: Received: 12 May 2026; Revised: 14 June 2026; Accepted: 15 July 2026; Published: 10 August 2026
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