Urinary schistosomiasis among school children in Nigeria: consequences of indigenous beliefs and water contact activities.
A study of urinary schistosomiasis in Umueze-Anam, Anambra State, Nigeria, showed a Schistosoma haematobium infection of 26% (85) among school children with no significant difference by sex except when age as a variable is introduced. Eleven percent (37) of the 333 children were positive for haematuria; all these 37 children lived within 1.0 km of the water sources. Of the 85 infected children, swimming and laundering accounted for 65% and 48% of all water contact activities, for boys and girls respectively. One-third of the 230 adults interviewed believed haematuria to be a venereal disease and 20% thought it was a sign of maturity. Individual perception of causation and seriousness of haematuria differed by level of education and by sex. Less than 2% of the respondents knew that snails transmitted the disease. The effects of social restrictions on the epidemiology of infection is discussed.
Amazigo
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Department of Zoology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
Anago-Amanze
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Okeibunor
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007846:Laundering; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013550:Swimming; D014867:Water / Q000469:parasitology*
D014867:Water