- Asian Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences (2015) Volume 5, Issue 43

Prevalence and Intensity of Schistosoma haematobium among school children in Ajase-Ipo, Kwara State, Nigeria

A study was conducted to investigate the current pattern of prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma haematobium infection among school children in Ajase Ipo community, Kwara State, Nigeria. Schistosoma haematobium infections were detected using microscopy examination for schistosome eggs and macroscopically for gross haematuria and screened for microhaematuria and protenuria, using commercial reagent strip(Medi-test combi-9) in accordance with manufacturer’s instruction. Out of 150 individuals who were investigated, 88(58.7%) were found infected. The sex pattern of Schistosoma haematobium infections as obtained from the study area showed that infection rate between males and females were comparable and not statistically significant (p =0.380) but is slightly higher in male (62.0%) than female (54.9%). The study revealed that subject that spend over 60mins in water had the highest prevalence of infection (69.6%) compared to those that spend between 10- 60mins (57.14%) and less than10mins (22.20%). This is statistically significant (p<0.05). Also activities such as bathing and washing in the stream served as the predisposing factors to infection. 97.3% of individual that showed sign of haematuria were infected compared to 71.13% of infected individuals that shows sign of protenuria. The research concluded that urinary schistosomiasis is endemic in Ajase Ipo community and the use of reagent strip is an indication to the microscopy examination of eggs and positive diagnosis of the disease

Author(s): Bolaji OS, Elkanah FA, Ojo JA, Ojurongbe O, Adeyeba OA

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