@article {15453, title = {Low heritable component of risk for infection intensity and infection-associated disease in urinary schistosomiasis among Wadigo village populations in Coast Province, Kenya}, journal = {The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene}, volume = {70}, number = {1}, year = {2004}, note = {AI-45473/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States
MH59490/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
TW/ES01543/TW/FIC NIH HHS/United States
Journal Article
Research Support, U.S. Gov{\textquoteright}t, P.H.S.
United States}, month = {Jan}, pages = {57-62}, abstract = {To estimate their heritable component of risk for Schistosoma haematobium infection intensity and disease, we performed a community-based family study among an endemic population in coastal Kenya. Demography and family linkages were defined by house-to-house interviews, and infection prevalence and disease severity were assessed by standard parasitologic testing and by ultrasound. The total population was 4,408 among 912 households, with 241 identified pedigree-household groups. Although age- and sex-adjusted risk for greater infection intensity was clustered within households (odds ratio = 2.7), analysis of extended pedigree-household groups indicated a relatively low heritability score for this trait (h2 = 0.199), particularly after adjustment for common household exposure effects (adjusted h2 = 0.086). Statistical evidence was slightly stronger (h2 = 0.353) for familial clustering of bladder morbidity, with an adjusted h2 = 0.142 after accounting for household exposure factors. We conclude that among long-established populations of coastal Kenya, heritable variation in host susceptibility is low, and likely plays a minimal role in determining individual risk for infection or disease.}, keywords = {*Endemic Diseases, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Animals, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Kenya, Male, Middle Aged, Parasite Egg Count, prevalence, Schistosoma haematobium/*growth \& development, Schistosomiasis haematobia/*genetics/parasitology, Urinary Tract Infections/*genetics/parasitology, Urine/parasitology}, isbn = {0002-9637 (Print)
0002-9637 (Linking)}, author = {King, C. H. and Blanton, R. E. and Muchiri, E. M. and Ouma, J. H. and Kariuki, H. C. and Mungai, P. and Magak, P. and Kadzo, H. and Ireri, E. and Koech, D. K.} }