Spatial distribution of urogenital schistosomiasis in school-aged children in Togo: an oversampling survey in three districts in 2022

Urogenital schistosomiasis remains a major public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, and understanding its local dynamics is key to effective elimination planning. This study characterised S. haematobium epidemiology among school-aged children in southern Togo after over a decade of preventive chemotherapy.

A 2022 cross-sectional survey collected urine samples from 6,400 children aged 5–14 across 3,146 households in three districts of Togo’s Plateaux region, testing for hematuria and egg counts alongside sociodemographic and geolocation data.

Prevalence was 4.48% for macrohematuria, 16.11% for microhematuria and 15.0% for S. haematobium eggs, with marked variation by district, Ogou consistently highest, and heavy-intensity infection ranging from 0.92% (Est-Mono) to 12.91% (Ogou).

The persistent geographic variability, despite over a decade of control, supports more targeted, area-specific treatment strategies to accelerate progress toward WHO elimination goals.