{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T12:43:02Z","timestamp":1785156182782,"version":"3.55.0"},"update-to":[{"DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0013638","type":"new_version","label":"New version","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,7]],"date-time":"2026-07-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783382400000}}],"reference-count":43,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,30]],"date-time":"2026-06-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782777600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Science for Africa Foundation (Afrique One-ASPIRE","award":["Del-15-008"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Del-15-008"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100031746","name":"Science for Africa Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["Del-22-011"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Del-22-011"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100031746","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100010269","name":"Wellcome Trust","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100010269","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office"},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000780","name":"European Union","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000780","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosntds.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS Negl Trop Dis"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease with a greater burden in Africa, including Ghana. Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS), a gynaecological manifestation of urogenital schistosomiasis, is often missed or misdiagnosed due to similarities with sexually transmitted infections and other gynaecological infections, with limited ease of health worker identification and diagnostic capability. This study assessed healthcare workers\u2019 knowledge and diagnostic capacity for FGS in the Central Gonja District of Ghana.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A quantitative cross-sectional study sampled 237 healthcare workers from 19 facilities near the Black and the White Volta rivers using a three-phase multistage sampling process. Data was collected via a self-administered Kobo Toolbox questionnaire, focusing on sociodemographic factors, whether facilities had functional screening tools for FGS and health workers\u2019 capacity to diagnose and treat these conditions. Analysis was conducted in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), employing descriptive statistics and Pearson\u2019s chi-square tests to assess inferential associations between variables and health workers\u2019 knowledge of FGS\/schistosomiasis, which served as the main outcome variable.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The study involved health workers with a mean age of 31.6\u2009\u00b1\u20094.18 years, of whom 52.3% were male. Knowledge gaps were significant: only 30% (71\/237) demonstrated good understanding of schistosomiasis and merely 16.9% (40\/237) showed adequate knowledge of FGS. Despite 91.6% recognition of schistosomiasis (\u2018Bilharzia\u2019), knowledge of genital manifestations lagged severely (FGS: 26.8%, MGS (Male genital schistosomiasis): 18.1%). While demographic factors showed no association, experienced staff demonstrated better FGS knowledge (p\u2009=\u20090.003). Critical health system deficiencies emerged; 74% of facilities lacked laboratories, 90% lacked praziquantel and 100% lacked FGS diagnostic capacity. Even among clinicians,\u2009&lt;\u200943% knew standard FGS treatment and only 1\/3 considered FGS in relevant diagnoses.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>In the Central Gonja District of the savannah region located in the northern part of Ghana, where schistosomiasis prevalence is classified as moderate (10\u201349%), healthcare workers demonstrated limited knowledge and diagnostic capacity regarding FGS. These findings highlight the need to integrate FGS into reproductive health guidelines, strengthen healthcare worker training and improve diagnostic resources for early detection and management in endemic settings.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0013638","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,30]],"date-time":"2026-06-30T19:33:18Z","timestamp":1782847998000},"page":"e0013638","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Diagnostic competence and health worker knowledge of female genital schistosomiasis management in a rural Ghanaian district"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3370-7240","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Courage","family":"Gbeze","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Akosua Bonsu","family":"Karikari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Samuel Amoako","family":"Asirifi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nana Boakye","family":"Alahaman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Seth Christopher Yaw","family":"Appiah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cl\u00e9mence","family":"Ess\u00e9-Diby","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gloria Ivy","family":"Mensah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kennedy Kwasi","family":"Addo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,30]]},"reference":[{"issue":"7","key":"pntd.0013638.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0011530","article-title":"Knowledge, attitudes and practices toward female genital schistosomiasis among community women and healthcare professionals in Kimpese region, Democratic Republic of Congo","volume":"18","author":"CW Wambui","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"7","key":"pntd.0013638.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"395","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijpara.2016.02.006","article-title":"Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS): From case reports to a call for concerted action against this neglected gynaecological disease","volume":"46","author":"V Christinet","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int J Parasitol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0013638.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.1186\/s40249-017-0256-8","article-title":"Moving from control to elimination of schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa: Time to change and adapt strategies","volume":"6","author":"L-A Tchuem Tchuent\u00e9","year":"2017","journal-title":"Infect Dis Poverty"},{"issue":"2","key":"pntd.0013638.ref004","first-page":"42","article-title":"Schistosomiasis burden and trend analysis in Africa: Insights from the global burden of disease study 2021","volume":"10","author":"D Peng","year":"2025","journal-title":"Trop Med Infect Dis"},{"key":"pntd.0013638.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1016\/j.curtheres.2019.06.001","article-title":"Schistosomiasis: Life cycle, diagnosis, and control","volume":"91","author":"ML Nelwan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Curr Ther Res Clin Exp"},{"issue":"8","key":"pntd.0013638.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/S2542-5196(20)30129-7","article-title":"Prevalence and distribution of schistosomiasis in human, livestock, and snail populations in northern Senegal: A One Health epidemiological study of a multi-host system","volume":"4","author":"E L\u00e9ger","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet Planet Health"},{"issue":"4","key":"pntd.0013638.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0006364","article-title":"The effectiveness of water treatment processes against schistosome cercariae: A systematic review","volume":"12","author":"L Braun","year":"2018","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"pntd.0013638.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"60","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2018.00060","article-title":"An epidemiological trend of urogenital schistosomiasis in Ethiopia","volume":"6","author":"B Chala","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"issue":"12","key":"pntd.0013638.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0006134","article-title":"Polypyridylruthenium(II) complexes exert anti-schistosome activity and inhibit parasite acetylcholinesterases","volume":"11","author":"MK Sundaraneedi","year":"2017","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"9541","key":"pntd.0013638.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1106","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(06)69440-3","article-title":"Human schistosomiasis","volume":"368","author":"B Gryseels","year":"2006","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"issue":"4","key":"pntd.0013638.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"239","DOI":"10.1016\/S0001-706X(96)00026-5","article-title":"Female genital schistosomiasis due to Schistosoma haematobium. Clinical and parasitological findings in women in rural Malawi","volume":"62","author":"EF Kjetland","year":"1996","journal-title":"Acta Trop"},{"issue":"7","key":"pntd.0013638.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0008337","article-title":"Genital self-sampling compared with cervicovaginal lavage for the diagnosis of female genital schistosomiasis in Zambian women: The BILHIV study","volume":"14","author":"AS Sturt","year":"2020","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"7","key":"pntd.0013638.ref013","article-title":"The double jeopardy of having female genital schistosomiasis in poorly informed and resourced health systems in Ghana","volume":"20","author":"M Gyapong","year":"2015","journal-title":"Tropical Medicine and International Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0013638.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1097\/AOG.0000000000000025","article-title":"Helminth infections: A new global women\u2019s health agenda","volume":"123","author":"P Hotez","year":"2014","journal-title":"Obstet Gynecol"},{"issue":"26","key":"pntd.0013638.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2493","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMp1914709","article-title":"Female genital schistosomiasis","volume":"381","author":"PJ Hotez","year":"2019","journal-title":"New England Journal of Medicine"},{"issue":"2","key":"pntd.0013638.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"58","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pt.2011.10.008","article-title":"A review of female genital schistosomiasis","volume":"28","author":"EF Kjetland","year":"2012","journal-title":"Trends Parasitol"},{"issue":"9","key":"pntd.0013638.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"615","DOI":"10.2471\/BLT.20.252270","article-title":"Integration of prevention and control measures for female genital schistosomiasis, HIV and cervical cancer","volume":"98","author":"D Engels","year":"2020","journal-title":"Bull World Health Organ"},{"issue":"9995","key":"pntd.0013638.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"743","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(15)60692-4","article-title":"Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 301 acute and chronic diseases and injuries in 188 countries, 1990\u20132013: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013","volume":"386","author":"T Vos","year":"2015","journal-title":"The Lancet"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0013638.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"691","DOI":"10.1186\/s12879-021-06380-5","article-title":"Association between cervical dysplasia and female genital schistosomiasis diagnosed by genital PCR in Zambian women","volume":"21","author":"H Rafferty","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMC Infect Dis"},{"issue":"10","key":"pntd.0013638.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"705","DOI":"10.1177\/0956462414523743","article-title":"Genital schistosomiasis and its unacknowledged role on HIV transmission in the STD intervention studies","volume":"25","author":"EF Kjetland","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int J STD AIDS"},{"key":"pntd.0013638.ref021","author":"H Unlimit","year":"2024"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0013638.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-019-7041-5","article-title":"Community knowledge, perceptions and water contact practices associated with transmission of urinary schistosomiasis in an endemic region: A qualitative cross-sectional study","volume":"19","author":"T Angelo","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"issue":"9","key":"pntd.0013638.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0012443","article-title":"Breaking the silence of female genital schistosomiasis in Ghana\u2019s health system: A case of health workers within the FAST project","volume":"18","author":"M Gyapong","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"3","key":"pntd.0013638.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0007207","article-title":"A major hurdle in the elimination of urogenital schistosomiasis revealed: Identifying key gaps in knowledge and understanding of female genital schistosomiasis within communities and local health workers","volume":"13","author":"VA Kukula","year":"2019","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0013638.ref025","first-page":"126","article-title":"Knowledge and perceptions about schistosomiasis among primary school children and teachers in rural KwaZulu-Natal","volume":"35","author":"E Mazani","year":"2020","journal-title":"S Afr J Infect Dis"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0013638.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s12879-018-3102-0","article-title":"Treating schistosomiasis among South African high school pupils in an endemic area, a qualitative study","volume":"18","author":"A Lothe","year":"2018","journal-title":"BMC Infect Dis"},{"issue":"5","key":"pntd.0013638.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0302554","article-title":"Knowledge of female genital schistosomiasis and urinary schistosomiasis among final-year midwifery students in the Volta Region of Ghana","volume":"19","author":"WK Azanu","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pntd.0013638.ref028","unstructured":"WHO ESPEN. https:\/\/espen.afro.who.int\/countries\/ghana. 2024. Accessed 2024 December 17."},{"key":"pntd.0013638.ref029","unstructured":"KoboToolbox. https:\/\/www.kobotoolbox.org\/. Accessed 2025 February 11."},{"key":"pntd.0013638.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3389\/fitd.2025.1669964","article-title":"Assessing knowledge, attitude and preventive practices of schistosomiasis among nursing and midwifery students in the Hohoe nursing and midwifery training college, Ghana","volume":"6","author":"DT Naabil","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Trop Dis"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0013638.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1186\/s12978-016-0238-5","article-title":"Knowledge and awareness of genital involvement and reproductive health consequences of urogenital schistosomiasis in endemic communities in Ghana: A cross-sectional study","volume":"13","author":"DR Yirenya-Tawiah","year":"2016","journal-title":"Reprod Health"},{"issue":"3","key":"pntd.0013638.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pgph.0000059","article-title":"\u201cFemale genital schistosomiasis is a sexually transmitted disease\u201d: Gaps in healthcare workers\u2019 knowledge about female genital schistosomiasis in Tanzania","volume":"2","author":"HD Mazigo","year":"2022","journal-title":"PLOS Glob Public Health"},{"issue":"9","key":"pntd.0013638.ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0009789","article-title":"\u201cWe know about schistosomiasis but we know nothing about FGS\u201d: A qualitative assessment of knowledge gaps about female genital schistosomiasis among communities living in Schistosoma haematobium endemic districts of Zanzibar and Northwestern Tanzania","volume":"15","author":"HD Mazigo","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"3","key":"pntd.0013638.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0007207","article-title":"A major hurdle in the elimination of urogenital schistosomiasis revealed: Identifying key gaps in knowledge and understanding of female genital schistosomiasis within communities and local health workers","volume":"13","author":"VA Kukula","year":"2019","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"5","key":"pntd.0013638.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"174","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pt.2012.02.002","article-title":"Female genital schistosomiasis \u2013 icebergs of morbidity ahead?","volume":"28","author":"JR Stothard","year":"2012","journal-title":"Trends Parasitol"},{"issue":"9","key":"pntd.0013638.ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0008725","article-title":"Correction: Female genital schistosomiasis and HIV\/AIDS: Reversing the neglect of girls and women","volume":"14","author":"PJ Hotez","year":"2020","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"pntd.0013638.ref037","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105524","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actatropica.2020.105524","article-title":"Beyond the barrier: Female Genital Schistosomiasis as a potential risk factor for HIV-1 acquisition","volume":"209","author":"AS Sturt","year":"2020","journal-title":"Acta Trop"},{"issue":"12","key":"pntd.0013638.ref038","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1509","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-3156.2008.02161.x","article-title":"Female genital schistosomiasis--a differential diagnosis to sexually transmitted disease: Genital itch and vaginal discharge as indicators of genital Schistosoma haematobium morbidity in a cross-sectional study in endemic rural Zimbabwe","volume":"13","author":"EF Kjetland","year":"2008","journal-title":"Trop Med Int Health"},{"key":"pntd.0013638.ref039","unstructured":"World Health Organisation. Female genital schistosomiasis: a pocket atlas for clinical health-care professionals (no. WHO\/HTM\/NTD\/2015.4). Geneva; 2015."},{"key":"pntd.0013638.ref040","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3389\/fitd.2024.1395467","article-title":"A holistic approach to address female genital schistosomiasis in Ghana and Madagascar: The FGS Accelerated Scale Together Package","volume":"5","author":"A Krentel","year":"2024","journal-title":"Frontiers in Tropical Diseases"},{"key":"pntd.0013638.ref041","author":"RT Sawyerr","year":"2019"},{"key":"pntd.0013638.ref042","article-title":"Towards the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Healthcare-seeking behaviour of women with STIs or STI symptoms in sub-Saharan Africa","author":"AA Seidu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sex Transm Infect"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0013638.ref043","first-page":"55","article-title":"Bad girl and unmet family planning need among Sub-Saharan African adolescents: The role of sexual and reproductive health stigma","volume":"2","author":"KS Hall","year":"2018","journal-title":"Qual Res Med Healthc"}],"updated-by":[{"DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0013638","type":"new_version","label":"New version","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,7]],"date-time":"2026-07-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783382400000}}],"container-title":["PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.0013638","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,7]],"date-time":"2026-07-07T17:41:37Z","timestamp":1783446097000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.0013638"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Robert Adamu","family":"SHEY","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,30]]},"references-count":43,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,30]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.0013638","relation":{},"ISSN":["1935-2735"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1935-2735","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,30]]}}}