Gender Related Differences in Infection Intensity, Prevalence and Risk of Schistosoma Mansoni and Schistosoma Haematobium: A Systematic Review Protocol

Background: The varying extent to which schistosomiasis affects human males and females, depending on context and individual health status is unclear. A key step towards achieving equitable health outcomes and health care delivery is understanding how schistosomiasis is distributed by sex. The purpose of this review is to systematically investigate sex differences in intensity and prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium infections . Methods: : The systematic review will be conducted and reported based on the items outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement. Ovid-MEDLINE, PubMed, Ovid-PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases were searched for eligible studies published between inception and March 2020. Observational and intervention studies reporting data on the prevalence and/or intensity of schistosomiasis ( S. mansoni/S. haematobium ) distributed by sex in any population group will be included. Hand searches for further relevant publications will also be undertaken. Using a defined criterion, search results have been screened independently and in duplicate by three reviewers, any disputes were resolved by team consensus. Study and population characteristics will be extracted from eligible publications and stored in a structured data extraction sheet in Microsoft Excel. A descriptive synthesis of the results will be undertaken in line with the outcomes of this study. Discussion: This review aims to provide a current overview of the distribution of the burden of Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium by sex. An understanding of the sex distribution of schistosomiasis will play an important role in designing treatment strategies aimed towards prevention and control. Systematic review registration PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020175165