TY - JOUR T1 - A Rationale for Schistosomiasis Control in Elementary Schools of the Rainforest Zone of Pernambuco, Brazil A1 - Favre, Tereza C. A1 - Pereira, Ana P. B. A1 - Galvão, Aline F. A1 - Zani, Luciana C. A1 - Barbosa, Constança S. A1 - Pieri, Otávio S. Y1 - 2009/03/17 N2 - Author Summary In 2001, a World Health Assembly resolution urged member states to ensure treatment against schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in endemic areas with the goal of attaining a minimum target of at least 75% of all school-aged children by 2010. In the highly endemic Rainforest Zone of Pernambuco (ZMP), northeast Brazil, the Schistosomiasis Control Program has registered a cumulative coverage of only 20% of the population at risk, which jeopardizes the accomplishment of the minimum target for that area. Demographic and parasitological data from a representative municipality of the ZMP provide evidence that the current, community-based approach to control can be complemented with school-based actions. In the most troubled municipalities, individual diagnosis and treatment could be focused on school-aged children rather than whole populations without compromising the principles of the primary health care system. Local health and education teams should be encouraged to include school-based interventions to scale up coverage and achieve a rapid impact on infection. JF - PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases JA - PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases VL - 3 IS - 3 UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0000395 SP - e395 EP - PB - Public Library of Science M3 - doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000395 ER -