Prevalence and Intensity of Urinary Schistosomiasis in Abarma Village, Gusau, Nigeria: A Preliminary Investigation

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the prevalence and intensity of urinary schistosomiasis in Abarma district of Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Nigeria. A total of 400 urine samples were collected and analyzed for the eggs of Schistosoma haematobium using the standard filtration technique out of which 296 (74.0%) were found to be infected. The mean egg intensity of infection was 77.63 eggs/10ml of urine. The infection rate was higher among males 81.7% than the females 68.6%, although the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The males had higher mean egg intensity of 139.36 eggs/10ml of urine compared to the females with 38.16%eggs/10ml of urine. The highest infection was recorded in the age group 10-19 years, with 86.8% and egg mean intensity of 102.7 eggs/10ml of urine while the least infection rate occurred within the 30-39 years and 50-59 years age groups, with  55.0 and 50.0 eggs/10ml of urine respectively indicating infection to be age specific (p < 0.05). Statistical analysis indicated the infection to be higher in lower age group (p < 0.05). With respect to occupation, students were the highest infected (87.65%), followed by farmers (85.7%), traders (75.0%), housewives (58.7%) and civil servants (12.5%). Prolonged contact with water was a factor aiding infection as the people engaged in farming had the highest infection rate of 100.0% while those that went to the river to fetch water had the least infection rate of 52.7%.  Those that went to the river for fishing had the highest mean egg intensity of 112.18 eggs/10ml of urine, while the least mean egg intensity occurred among those that engaged in swimming with 32.13 eggs/10ml of urine. These findings indicate that the area is endemic to urinary schistosomiasis and therefore prompt intervention in the study area is needed.