Project goal
Reliable and updated maps of helminth (worm) infection distributions are essential to target treatment to populations in greatest need. Although many surveys of worms have been conducted, the data are rarely available in a form that is accessible to policy-makers and the managers of public health programmes. This is especially true in sub-Saharan Africa, where empirical data are seldom in the public domain.
In an attempt to address this paucity of geographical information on infection risk, this Global Atlas of Helminth Infection has been developed. The goal is to develop an open-access, global information resource on the distribution of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and schistosomiasis.
Project aims
The project aims which support delivery of the goal are to:
- Collate in a single database all available information on the prevalence of STH and schistosomiasis
- Describe the global distribution and prevalence of STH and schistosomiasis
- Provide an information resource to guide control efforts
- Highlight areas where further survey information is required.