Prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis and associated risk factors among pregnant women and primary school pupils in Ahoada Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

The prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis among pregnant women and primary school pupils in selected communities in Ahoada-East Local Government Area of Rivers State was investigated. The midstream urine sample was collected from 530 participants (146 pregnant women and 384 primary school pupils) into well-labelled 20ml screw-capped universal bottles for parasitological analysis. A standard zinc sulphate technique was adopted in the concentration of the parasites. A self-structured questionnaire was utilized to gather each participant's sociodemographic information. Results showed zero prevalence and zero intensity of urinary schistosomiasis with microscopy while examination of the urine samples with rapid diagnostic test kits for micro-haematuria and proteinuria indicated that out of 530 persons examined, 6 (1.1%) and 57(10.9%) positive cases were recorded for haematuria and proteinuria respectively. Out of the 6 positive cases of haematuria, 3(50%) and 350%) positive cases were found among pregnant women and primary school pupils respectively. Among the pregnant women, the age range of 21-25yrs, 31-35yrs and 36-40yrs had 1(1. 7%) positive case of haematuria each while the age range of 26-30yrs, 31-35yrs, 36-40yrs had 4(2.0%), 2(1.4%) and 1(0.7%) positive cases of proteinuria respectively. Among the primary school pupils, the only age group that was positive for haematuria was 10-15yrs with 3(0.78%) cases while the age groups of 5-9yrs and 10-15yrs had 10(2.6%) and 40(10.4%) cases of proteinuria respectively. Out of the 12 communities investigated, Ihuaha, Okporowo, Ochigba, Odiabidi, Ihuowo, Edeoha, Ula-upata, Ikata and Ahoada had 2.8%, 15.6%, 15.4%, 13.1%, 12.1%, 10.4%, 4.4%, 2.8% and 2.4% cases of proteinuria respectively. while Edeoha, Okporowo, Ihuaba, Ula-upata and Ikata recorded 1.3%, 5.7%, 2.0%, 4.4% and 2.8% of micro-haematuria respectively. The results suggest the presence of symptoms of urinary schistosomiasis, however, further investigation is required for confirmation since the eggs of the parasites were not detected in urine.