Haematological profiles of primary school children infected with urinary schistosomiasis in Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Haematological profiles such as packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (Hb), total and differential white blood cell counts of primary school children infected with urinary schistosomasis in Ibadan were investigated.
Haemoglobin, white blood cell (total) counts, neutrophil and lymphocyte levels were within limits. However. mild anaemia and eosinophilia were observed in the pupils. Male pupils had significantly higher PCV than the female pupils, regardless of infection (p<0.05). Eosinophil values were higher in schistosome-infected pupils than in non-infected pupils. This was found to be significant at p<0.05. However, there was no significant difference
(p>0.05) in eosinophil values of male and female schistosome-infected and non-infected pupils. Treatment of schistosome-infected pupils were carried out using praziquantel drug. Three months after treatment, pupils were re-examined for urinalysis. Result obtained showed negative schistosome eggs in urine samples except for two
pupils who had few dead eggs in urine at microscopy. While other blood parameters of infected pupils remained within limit, eosinophil levels which were slightly higher before treatment reduced after treatment with praziquantel.

Keywords: haematological profiles, school pupils, Schistosoma haematobium, Ibadan.

Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 28 (2) 2007: pp. 95-98