They, however, are not frequency used in countries were the disease is common due to the cost of the equipment and the technical experience required to run them. Using a microscope to detect eggs costs about US$0.40 per test well PCR is about $US7 per test as of 2019. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) are being studied as they are lower cost. LAMP testing is not commercially available as of 2019. Treatment
The standard drug for S. mansoni infection is praziquantel at a dose of 40 mg/kg. Oxamniquine is also used. Epidemiology
As of WHO report in 2016, 206.5 million people worldwide are having schistosomiasis due to different species of Schistosoma. More than 105 million people were given medical treatment. S. mansoni is the major species causing an annual death of about 130,000. It is endemic in 55 countries and most prevalent in Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname. About 80-85% of schistosomiasis is found in sub-Saharan Africa, where S. haematobium, S. intercalatum and S. mansoni are endemic. Approximately 393 million Africans are at risk of infection from S. mansoni, of which about 55 million are infected at any moment. Annual death due to S. mansoni is about 130,000. The prevalence rate in different countries of Africa are: 73.9% in northern Ethiopia, 37.9% in western Ethiopia, 56% in Nigeria, 60.5% in Kenya, 64.3% in Tanzania, 19.8% in Ghana, and 53.8% in Côte dIvoire.
Tiagabine (trade name Gabitril) is an anticonvulsant medication produced by Cephalon that is used in the treatment of epilepsy. The drug is also used off-label in the treatment of anxiety disorders and panic disorder. Medical uses
Tiagabine is approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an adjunctive treatment for partial seizures in individuals of age 12 and up. It may also be prescribed off-label by physicians to treat anxiety disorders and panic disorder as well as neuropathic pain (including fibromyalgia). For anxiety and neuropathic pain, tiagabine is used primarily to augment other treatments. Tiagabine may be used alongside selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or benzodiazepines for anxiety, or antidepressants, gabapentin, other anticonvulsants, or opioids for neuropathic pain. It is effective as monotherapy and combination therapy with other antiepileptic drugs in the treatment of partial seizure.The American Academy of Sleep Medicines 2017 clinical practice guidelines recommended against the use of tiagabine in the treatment of insomnia due to poor effectiveness and very low quality of evidence. Side effects
Side effects of tiagabine are dose related. The most common side effect of tiagabine is dizziness. Other side effects that have been observed with a rate of statistical significance relative to placebo include asthenia, somnolence, nervousness, memory impairment, tremor, headache, diarrhea, and depression. Adverse effects such as confusion, aphasia (difficulty speaking clearly)/stuttering, and paresthesia (a tingling sensation in the bodys extremities, particularly the hands and fingers) may occur at higher dosages of the drug (e.g., over 8 mg/day).