World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

OCCURRENCE OF URINARY SCHISTOSOMIASIS AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS IN EGBU COMMUNITY, OWERRI NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, IMO STATE NIGERIA

*Victor Ugochukwu Obisike and Blessing Oluebube Urukwu

ABSTRACT

Urinary schistosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases, the ignorance of the disease among communities and infected individual is of Public Health concern. Infection occurs when skin comes in contact with contaminated freshwater in which certain types of snails that carry the parasite inhabit. The infection is common in tropics and subtropics, mainly in poor communities without access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. A cross sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis among primary school pupils in Egbu community in Owerri north local government, Imo state. Urine samples was collected from 216 students that volunteered for the study. Chemical examination of the urine was carried out on the urine samples collected using commercially prepared test strips (combi 11 urine test strip) to detect the presence of haematuria and bilirubin, membrane filtration method and microscope were used in detecting the S. haematobim eggs. Out of 216 urine samples examined, 72(33.3%) were infected. This shows a high prevalence of urinary schistosomisis. Higher prevalence 38.3% was recorded in the age range of ?10, while a lower prevalence of 30.4% was found among the age range of 11-20. Prevalence was higher in male than in the female 34.9%) and 30.4% respectively. Comperism between the urine that tested positive hamaturia and non haematuria urine shows 88.9% and 14.8% prevalence respectively. The level of awareness of Schistosomiasis is poor in the study area. The result obtained from this study indicates endemicity of urinary schistosomisis in the area.

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