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Strongyloides Stercoralis Public Health Control in Rwanda

NCT07009613 · Status: COMPLETED · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 1415

Last updated 2025-06-06

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently issued guideline for the public health control of Strongyloides stercoralis in endemic areas. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of implementing the WHO recommendations in Rwanda, specifically to intergrate the activities for the public health control of strongyloidiasis in the ongoing national programme for the control of the other soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis, that has been in place for several years. As additional objective, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of S. stercoralis in two districts of Rwanda (Gisagara and Rubavu). To evaluate the feasibility, we asked lab technicians to evaluate challenges emerged during the implementation of the laboratory procedures with a structured questionnaire. Also, we evaluated the costs needed to perform these tests. We estimated the prevalence of S. stercoralis by calculating the number of positive cases out of all people tested. The lab technicians participated to a training session, where they were taught the S. stercoralis-specific lab techniques, and to a two-day pilot study where they could practice. The tests used were parasitological techniques (agar stool culture, (APC) and Baermann method) and an antibody rapid diagnostic test (RDT). Duration of training, with a specific focus on larvae differentiation, was identified as pivotal for a successful implementation of the parasitological techniques. The use of the RDT was instead considered easy to apply at all evaluation time points. Raw cost (i.e. not including staff salaries and transport costs) of materials and equipment was below 2 euros/test for each assay. In both districts, Strongyloides prevalence was below the threshold recommended by the WHO for the implementation of mass treatment, hence this aspect was not evaluated.

Conditions

  • Strongyloides Stercoralis Infection
  • Strongyloides

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Parasitological tests

The primary outcome was reported based on the technicians' answers collected with a structured questionnaire. The individuals screened underwent testing with the tests detailed above

OTHER

Questionnaire

The primary outcome was based on the technicians' evaluation, based on their answers collected in a questionnaire. The individuals screened were tested with assays used for the national control programmes

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Rwanda

    collaborator OTHER

  • Rwanda Biomedical Centre

    collaborator OTHER

  • IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria di Negrar

    lead OTHER

Eligibility

Min Age
5 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2024-09-23
Primary Completion
2024-10-11
Completion
2024-10-14

Countries

  • Rwanda

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07009613 on ClinicalTrials.gov