Epidemiological Study on Urinary Schistosomiasis in Oguta local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

A survey was conducted to determine the prevalence and intensity of urinary schistosomiasis in seven communities in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. The standard centrifugation method of analysis of urine for the examination of schistosome ova was employed. Of the 997 urine specimens examined in the seven communities, 337(33.8%) comprising 214 (36.6%) males and 123 (29.8%) females were infected. Infection was found to be sex-related in the area (X² = 5.09; df = 1; p<0.05). The prevalence and intensity of infection was highest in persons in their second decade of life in both sexes and thereafter decreased with increase in age. Among the infected persons, 176(52.2%) and 161(47.8%) were excreting < 50 eggs/10ml of urine and 50 eggs/10ml of urine respectively. Infection rate was higher among farmers (41.3%) and students/apprentices (33.1%) than other occupational groups. There was, however, no significant difference in the prevalence of infection among the various occupational groups (x² = 7.13; df = 3; p>0.05).

Keyword: Urinary schistosomiasis, schistosoma, trematode, cercaria, Nigeria

International Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences, 5(3): 264-270, 2009