The performance of haematuria reagent strips for the rapid mapping of urinary schistosomiasis: field experience from Southern Sudan.
The implementation of programmes to control neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) requires up-to-date information on the prevalence and distribution of each NTD. This study evaluated the performance of reagent strip testing for haematuria to diagnose Schistosoma haematobium infection among school-aged children in the context of a rapid mapping survey in Southern Sudan. The reagent strips were highly sensitive (97.8%) but only moderately specific (58.8%). The proportion of false positive diagnoses was significantly higher among girls than boys, especially among girls aged 5-10 years. These findings suggest that reagent strips alone are not sufficient for rapid mapping surveys. A two-step approach is thus recommended whereby haematuria-positive urine samples are subsequently examined using urine filtration.
Robinson
Emily
E
Malaria Consortium - Africa Regional Office, Kampala, Uganda.
Picon
Diana
D
Sturrock
Hugh J
HJ
Sabasio
Anthony
A
Lado
Mounir
M
Kolaczinski
Jan
J
Brooker
Simon
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006417:Hematuria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011934:Reagent Strips; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000652:urine; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology
D011934:Reagent Strips