Genitourinary schistosomiasis among pre-primary schoolchildren in a rural community within the Cross River Basin, Nigeria.
In Africa, most schistosomiasis control programmes defined the age 5-19 years as the target population for nationwide control through the school systems, excluding the under fives. A study was therefore undertaken to determine the prevalence and intensity of genitourinary schistosomiasis in children aged 0-5 years (pre-primary) in Adim, a rural and endemic community within the Cross River Basin, Nigeria. Of the 126 children examined, 25 (19.8%) were infected with Schistosoma haematobium, with no significant difference (P > 0.05) in infection rates between boys (21.1%) and girls (18.2%). Both prevalence and intensity of infection increased significantly (P 0.05) between intensity in boys (6.2 eggs/10 ml urine) and girls (5.6 eggs/10 ml urine). A total of 32.5 and 27.8% of the children had haematuria and proteinuria, respectively; it was not gender specific (P > 0.05). Six species of snail were encountered, with Bulinus globosus being the most abundant and widespread. The results of this study have shown that pre-primary schoolchildren are a source of transmission of schistosomiasis in endemic communities and should be integrated into any control intervention.
Opara
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KN
Department of Zoology, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria. nkopara@yahoo.com
Udoidung
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Ukpong
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D017677:Age Distribution; D000818:Animals; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004199:Disease Vectors; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health; D012548:Schistosoma haematobium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000652:urine; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012908:Snails / Q000469:parasitology*; D014556:Urine / Q000469:parasitology; D014867:Water / Q000469:parasitology
D014867:Water