title: Schistosomiasis haematobia in Mali: prevalence rate in school-age children as index of endemicity in the community.
abstract: In a nationwide survey of schistosomiasis conducted in Mali from 1984 to 1989, 56265 individuals from 323 villages had their urine examined parasitologically using a filtration technique. From a sample of 242 children in 3 villages, aged 7 to 14 years, urine samples were collected and tested for haematuria using reagent strips. Analysis of the age-specific prevalence rates of Schistosoma haematobium infection showed a strong positive correlation between the prevalence rate in the 7-14 year-old age group, and both the overall prevalence (r = 0.90; P < 0.001) and the prevalences at other ages. An index was derived from this relationship using the equation: overall prevalence = -1.14 + 0.74 (prevalence in 7-14 year-olds). The sensitivity and specificity of reagent strip testing for microhaematuria as compared to urine filtration were 73.3% and 83.2% respectively. We conclude that reagent strip testing of urine samples collected from a sample of individuals aged 7-14 years would be sufficient to estimate the overall prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium infection in a Malian community and suggest that this assessment procedure be used at the peripheral level of primary health care to decide on treatment regimes.
authors.affiliation: Programme Schistosomiase, Institut National de Recherche en Santé Publique, Bamako, Mali.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Traoré
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Maude
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bradley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006417:Hematuria / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008302:Mali / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity