Assessment of haematuria and proteinuria as diagnostic markers for monitoring treatment of urinary schistosomiasis with artesunate

Abstract

Oral artesunate although originally manufactured for the treatment of malaria has recently been shown to be effective in the treatment of S. haematobium infection. The usage of the presence/absence of haematuria and proteinuria in monitoring the outcome of treatment of urinary schistosomiasis patients with artesunate was assessed in the present study. The mean ova count, haematuria and proteinuria of 87 infected subjects who were treated were significantly reduced from 55.5 ± 1.3 ova/10ml, 168.6 ± 1.23 eryl/μgl and 458.6 ± 1.40 mg/dl to 1.8 ± 0 ova/10ml, 9.1 ± 0.4 eryl/μgl and 65.4 ± 1.64mg/dl respectively (P < 0.05 in all cases). This effect was also demonstrated by gender. It is concluded that reagent strips (Haematuria and proteinuria) are reliable in monitoring the efficacy of artesunate.


Keywords; urinary schistosomiasis, treatment, artesunate, diagnostic markers

Mary Slessor Journal of Medicine Vol. 5(1), 2005: 1-6