Effect of Schistosoma haematobium infection on the cognitive functions of preschool age children and benefits of treatment from an endemic area in Zimbabwe
Abstract Background Schistosomiasis is known to affect the cognitive functions of children, however, but there is paucity of information on its impact on early childhood development in developing countries where the disease is endemic. This study aimed at determining the effects of schistosomiasis d...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-10-01
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| Series: | BMC Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-022-07784-7 |
| _version_ | 1798044319046696960 |
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| author | Maritha Kasambala Takafira Mduluza Arthur Vengesai Tariro Mduluza-Jokonya Luxwell Jokonya Herald Midzi Rutendo Birri Makota Arnold Mutemeri Emmanuel Maziti Bazondlile Dube-Marimbe Dixon Chibanda Francisca Mutapi Samson Mukaratirwa |
| author_facet | Maritha Kasambala Takafira Mduluza Arthur Vengesai Tariro Mduluza-Jokonya Luxwell Jokonya Herald Midzi Rutendo Birri Makota Arnold Mutemeri Emmanuel Maziti Bazondlile Dube-Marimbe Dixon Chibanda Francisca Mutapi Samson Mukaratirwa |
| author_sort | Maritha Kasambala |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Schistosomiasis is known to affect the cognitive functions of children, however, but there is paucity of information on its impact on early childhood development in developing countries where the disease is endemic. This study aimed at determining the effects of schistosomiasis due to Schistosoma haematobium on early childhood development in children below 5 years old from Murewa District, Zimbabwe, including the benefits of treatment. Methods Preschool age children (PSAC) under the age of 5 years were screened at baseline and at 6 months post-treatment for S. haematobium infections diagnosed using the urine filtration method. Cognitive domains were assessed using the Griffith Mental Developmental Scales III on 136 PSAC. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the level of association between S. haematobium infection and performance in the cognitive domains adjusting for confounding factors (i.e. nutrition, hemoglobin levels, gender and age). Median Development Quotient scores of each cognitive domain at baseline and at 6 months post-treatment were compared and quantified. Results After adjusting for confounding factors, PSAC infected with S. haematobium had greater odds of having lower scores in the Foundation of Learning Domain (OR = 3.9, p = 0.008), Language and Communication Domain (OR = 3.2, p = 0.017), Eye-Hand Coordination Domains (OR = 10.7, p = 0.001), Personal-Social-Emotional Domain (19.3, p = 0.001) and in the Overall General Development Domain (7.2, p = 0.011). Improvement of cognitive performance was observed at 6 months post treatment in the following Domains; Language and Communication Domain (p = 0.003), Eye-Hand Coordination Domain (p = 0.02) and General Development Domain (p = 0.006). Conclusion The study showed that S. haematobium infection in PSAC is associated with lower cognitive scores in the Foundation of Learning, Language and Communication, Eye-Hand Coordination, Personal-Social-Emotional and in the Overall General Development domains. Our results strengthen the call for inclusion of PSAC in routine deworming programs for the control of urinary schistosomiasis and the need to develop locally validated tools to monitor early child development in endemic areas where resources are limited. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:01:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-981d2142446d45c4973ea5c978c56882 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2334 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:01:58Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-981d2142446d45c4973ea5c978c568822022-12-22T03:58:07ZengBMCBMC Infectious Diseases1471-23342022-10-012211910.1186/s12879-022-07784-7Effect of Schistosoma haematobium infection on the cognitive functions of preschool age children and benefits of treatment from an endemic area in ZimbabweMaritha Kasambala0Takafira Mduluza1Arthur Vengesai2Tariro Mduluza-Jokonya3Luxwell Jokonya4Herald Midzi5Rutendo Birri Makota6Arnold Mutemeri7Emmanuel Maziti8Bazondlile Dube-Marimbe9Dixon Chibanda10Francisca Mutapi11Samson Mukaratirwa12School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, KwaZulu-NatalDepartment of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, University of ZimbabweDepartment of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, University of ZimbabweDepartment of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, University of ZimbabweDepartment of Surgery, College of Health Sciences, University of ZimbabweDepartment of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, University of ZimbabweDepartment of Biological Sciences and Ecology, University of ZimbabweDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, University of ZimbabweDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, University of ZimbabweDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, University of ZimbabweDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, University of ZimbabweInstitute for Immunology and Infection Research and Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of EdinburghSchool of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, KwaZulu-NatalAbstract Background Schistosomiasis is known to affect the cognitive functions of children, however, but there is paucity of information on its impact on early childhood development in developing countries where the disease is endemic. This study aimed at determining the effects of schistosomiasis due to Schistosoma haematobium on early childhood development in children below 5 years old from Murewa District, Zimbabwe, including the benefits of treatment. Methods Preschool age children (PSAC) under the age of 5 years were screened at baseline and at 6 months post-treatment for S. haematobium infections diagnosed using the urine filtration method. Cognitive domains were assessed using the Griffith Mental Developmental Scales III on 136 PSAC. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the level of association between S. haematobium infection and performance in the cognitive domains adjusting for confounding factors (i.e. nutrition, hemoglobin levels, gender and age). Median Development Quotient scores of each cognitive domain at baseline and at 6 months post-treatment were compared and quantified. Results After adjusting for confounding factors, PSAC infected with S. haematobium had greater odds of having lower scores in the Foundation of Learning Domain (OR = 3.9, p = 0.008), Language and Communication Domain (OR = 3.2, p = 0.017), Eye-Hand Coordination Domains (OR = 10.7, p = 0.001), Personal-Social-Emotional Domain (19.3, p = 0.001) and in the Overall General Development Domain (7.2, p = 0.011). Improvement of cognitive performance was observed at 6 months post treatment in the following Domains; Language and Communication Domain (p = 0.003), Eye-Hand Coordination Domain (p = 0.02) and General Development Domain (p = 0.006). Conclusion The study showed that S. haematobium infection in PSAC is associated with lower cognitive scores in the Foundation of Learning, Language and Communication, Eye-Hand Coordination, Personal-Social-Emotional and in the Overall General Development domains. Our results strengthen the call for inclusion of PSAC in routine deworming programs for the control of urinary schistosomiasis and the need to develop locally validated tools to monitor early child development in endemic areas where resources are limited.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-022-07784-7Cognitive functionsEarly child developmentPre-school aged childrenSchistosomiasis |
| spellingShingle | Maritha Kasambala Takafira Mduluza Arthur Vengesai Tariro Mduluza-Jokonya Luxwell Jokonya Herald Midzi Rutendo Birri Makota Arnold Mutemeri Emmanuel Maziti Bazondlile Dube-Marimbe Dixon Chibanda Francisca Mutapi Samson Mukaratirwa Effect of Schistosoma haematobium infection on the cognitive functions of preschool age children and benefits of treatment from an endemic area in Zimbabwe BMC Infectious Diseases Cognitive functions Early child development Pre-school aged children Schistosomiasis |
| title | Effect of Schistosoma haematobium infection on the cognitive functions of preschool age children and benefits of treatment from an endemic area in Zimbabwe |
| title_full | Effect of Schistosoma haematobium infection on the cognitive functions of preschool age children and benefits of treatment from an endemic area in Zimbabwe |
| title_fullStr | Effect of Schistosoma haematobium infection on the cognitive functions of preschool age children and benefits of treatment from an endemic area in Zimbabwe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of Schistosoma haematobium infection on the cognitive functions of preschool age children and benefits of treatment from an endemic area in Zimbabwe |
| title_short | Effect of Schistosoma haematobium infection on the cognitive functions of preschool age children and benefits of treatment from an endemic area in Zimbabwe |
| title_sort | effect of schistosoma haematobium infection on the cognitive functions of preschool age children and benefits of treatment from an endemic area in zimbabwe |
| topic | Cognitive functions Early child development Pre-school aged children Schistosomiasis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-022-07784-7 |
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