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Review
. 2020 Jul;103(1_Suppl):125-134.
doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0787.

Contributions of the Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation (SCORE) to Schistosomiasis Control and Elimination: Key Findings and Messages for Future Goals, Thresholds, and Operational Research

Daniel G Colley  1   2 , Fiona M Fleming  3 , Sultani H Matendechero  4 , Stefanie Knopp  5   6   7 , David Rollinson  7 , Jürg Utzinger  5   6 , Jennifer D Castleman  1 , Nupur Kittur  1 , Charles H King  1   8 , Carl H Campbell  1 , Fatma M Kabole  9 , Safari Kinung'hi  10 , Reda M R Ramzy  11 , Sue Binder  1
Affiliations
Review

Contributions of the Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation (SCORE) to Schistosomiasis Control and Elimination: Key Findings and Messages for Future Goals, Thresholds, and Operational Research

Daniel G Colley et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

Herein, we summarize what we consider are major contributions resulting from the Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation (SCORE) program, including its key findings and key messages from those findings. Briefly, SCORE's key findings are as follows: i) biennial mass drug administration (MDA) with praziquantel can control schistosomiasis to moderate levels of prevalence; ii) MDA alone will not achieve elimination; iii) to attain and sustain control throughout endemic areas, persistent hotspots need to be identified following a minimal number of years of annual MDA and controlled through adaptive strategies; iv) annual MDA is more effective than biennial MDA in high-prevalence areas; v) the current World Health Organization thresholds for decision-making based on the prevalence of heavy infections should be redefined; and vi) point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen urine assays are useful for Schistosoma mansoni mapping in low-to-moderate prevalence areas. The data and specimens collected and curated through SCORE efforts will continue to be critical resource for future research. Besides providing useful information for program managers and revision of guidelines for schistosomiasis control and elimination, SCORE research and outcomes have identified additional questions that need to be answered as the schistosomiasis community continues to implement effective, evidence-based programs. An overarching contribution of SCORE has been increased cohesiveness within the schistosomiasis field-oriented community, thereby fostering new and productive collaborations. Based on SCORE's findings and experiences, we propose new approaches, thresholds, targets, and goals for control and elimination of schistosomiasis, and recommend research and evaluation activities to achieve these targets and goals.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Percentage of villages that would have been classified as controlling morbidity (< 5% heavy infections [≥ 400 Schistosoma mansoni eggs per gram of feces] or having eliminated schistosomiasis as a public health problem (< 1% heavy infections) before any mass drug administration (MDA), in Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation studies in 294 villages in high prevalence areas, in Kenya and Tanzania.
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