Strongyloides Stercoralis Public Health Control in Rwanda

NCT ID: NCT07009613

Last Updated: 2025-06-06

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Total Enrollment: 1415 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-09-23
• Study Completion Date: 2024-10-14

Brief 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

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: OTHER
• Study Time Perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL

Interventions

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

Intervention Type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

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

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• People living in the selected districts and households
• Obtainment of written informed consent (for children's participation, consent was sought from parents/guardians).

Exclusion Criteria

• Inability to supply an adequate stool sample

• Minimum Eligible Age: 5 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University of Rwanda

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Rwanda Biomedical Centre

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria di Negrar

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Dora Buonfrate

Head of infectious disease Clinical Research Unit

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda

Kigali, , Rwanda

Countries

Rwanda

Other Identifiers

No477/RNEC/2024

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id