Dr Aklilu Lemma and the battle against bilharzia
(schistosomiasis)
Schistosomiasis (also known as bilharziasis) is a common parasitic
disease. It affects 200–300 million people in Africa (including
Ethiopia), South America, Asia and parts of the Caribbean. It is
caused by parasitic flatworms which spend part of their lifecycle in
freshwater snails and part in humans. Anyone washing, working
or playing in shallow fresh water is at risk. Once inside a person,
the parasites mature and produce eggs which are passed out in the
urine and faeces. Tey also infest the blood vessels, liver, kidneys,
bladder and other organs. Te body sets up an immune reaction
and an infected person can become weakened and ill for many
years.
Some of the most important work in fnding a way of controlling
this parasite, which is effective but does not cost too much, was
carried out by Dr Aklilu Lemma, one of Ethiopia’s most renowned
biologists.
Dr Aklilu began his work in 1964, when he was investigating the
freshwater snails that carry the schistosomiasis parasite around
Adwa in northern Ethiopia. He saw women washing clothes in the
water and he noticed that downstream of the washing party there
were more dead snails than anywhere else he had collected. Te
women were using the soapberry, Endod (Phytolacca dodecandra),
to make washing suds. Dr Aklilu collected some live snails from
above the washing party and asked one of the women to give him
some of her Endod suds. Not long afer the suds were put in the
snail container, the snails all died. Tis was the start of years of work
for Dr Aklilu.
Back in the laboratory he showed that if the Endod berries were
dried, crushed and diluted in water they would kill snails at very low
concentrations. Other scientists carried out similar investigations
and got the same results. If the freshwater snails can be controlled,
the spread of schistosomiasis can be greatly reduced. Te World
Health Organisation recommended a chemical molluscicide (i.e. a
compound that kills molluscs including snails) but it was extremely
expensive. Endod works well, it is cheap, it is well known by local
people who are likely to use it and it is environmentally friendly as
it breaks down naturally within about two days.
Dr Aklilu Lemma worked for many years to convince scientists all
around the world that his ideas would work. Trials using locally
collected Endod showed that using the molluscicide worked. Before
the water was treated, 50% of children 1–6 years old were infected.
Afer treatment only 7% were infected by the flatworm. Dr Aklilu’s
results were published in journals around the world. He found the
best species of the soapberry plant and developed programmes for
local communities to treat their own water. Eventually people were
convinced and the use of Endod-based molluscicides is spreading
throughout Africa and beyond. Hopefully a combination of Endod
water treatment to kill the snails, improved hygiene, clean water, wells and medicine for affected people will mean that Ethiopia
can be free of this terrible disease. If we succeed it will be largely
due to the work of Dr Aklilu Lemma. He has been honoured and
recognised in many different ways both in Ethiopia and around the
world for his work.
አስተያየቶች
አስተያየት ይለጥፉ