INTRODUCTION:

Schistosomiasis Control Program (SCP) in Brazil is based on coproscopic investigations and treatment of infected people, and has already reduced the number of patients with severe forms and mortality rates.

OBJECTIVES:

To test the hypothesis that data from Schistosomiasis Control Program Information System (SCPIS) at municipal level allow the assessment of schistosomiasis and geohelmintoses prevalences, as well as the impact of SCP actions on the control of these parasitoses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Data from SCPIS and Epidemiological Surveillance were used for the Municipality of São João Evangelista, Minas Gerais State, from Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística and Companhia de Saneamento de Minas Gerais between 1997 and 2013. Absolute frequencies and prevalence percentages of parasitoses were calculated as well as the percentage of treatment coverage. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare these data between urban and rural areas.

RESULTS:

During the study period, the positivity percentages for schistosomiasis ranged from 0.7% to 19.2%; for Ascaris lumbricoides from 2.1% to 29.2%; and for hookworms from 0% to 52.9%. No significant differences were found in the prevalence of these parasitoses between urban and rural areas. Among the rural areas studied, data indicated a decrease in the prevalence of helminths after the provision of treated water.

CONCLUSION:

Data presented in this study showed the effectiveness SCP for the diagnosis and control not only of schistosomiasis, but also of other helminths, suggesting to use it in public actions of control of these parasitic infections.