title: Urinary schistosomiasis among pregnant women in some endemic tropical semi - urban communities of Anambra State, Nigeria.
abstract: Urinary schistosomiasis is caused by the deposition of eggs by adult flukes in the   blood vessels surrounding the bladder of the infected host. Schistosomiasis is ranked the   second most important parasitic disease of man and undoubtedly the most important of   helminth origin. This paper reports the prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium infection   among pregnant women in some endemic tropical semi - urban communities of Anambra   State, Nigeria, screened using Medi-Test Combi 9 and urine centrifugation methods. Laboratory   analysis of urine samples collected from 172 pregnant women indicated that 41 (23.8%) had   urinary schistosomiasis with Anam community having the highest prevalence of 35.1% among   other communities. The overall prevalence and intensity of infection among age groups   showed that the youngest age group in the study, 16-20 years had the highest prevalence. Out   of 24 women within this age group, 12 (50.0%) were infected among which 8 (33.3%) had light   infection while 4 (16.6%) had moderate infection. The peak mean intensity of 7.6 eggs/10ml   urine was observed in age group 16-20 years while the oldest age group, 41-45 years had the   lowest mean intensity of 1.0 egg/10ml urine. Haematuria and proteinuria which are diagnostic   for schistosomiasis were higher within age group 16-20 years in all the communities with   Anam community having the highest prevalence of 50% for both biochemicals within age   group 16-20 years. The findings from this study will be useful in developing specific programme   for this special group of women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. joseph.eyo@unn.edu.ng
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Eyo
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Onyishi
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Okafor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006417:Hematuria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D059208:Parasite Load; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012548:Schistosoma haematobium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014505:Urban Population; D014556:Urine / Q000469:parasitology; D055815:Young Adult