High Prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium Amongst Pre-Secondary School Children in Ebonyi State,Nigeria: An Overview of the Evidence

Abstract

Urine sample of 302 pre-secondary school children aged 9-15 (mean 2.5 +- 3.1) yr were tested for the presence of eggs of Schistosma haematobium in which (32%) of the 302 were positive. While prevalence was related to age of participants in a positive fashion there were no gender differences. While children of civil servants had the lowest prevalence (18.8%), children of farmers had the highest prevalence, indicating that the poor environmental conditions of farmer’s children placed them at greater risks. Routine screening of infective parasitic agents in children entering secondary school prevents the transmission of such infective agents to other children and as well saves the affected children from possible fatal outcome of inevitable complications of such infections.

Key words: Schistosoma haematobium parasites trematode bilharziasis