Prevalence and Risk Factors of Urinary Schistosomiasis among Primary School Pupils in Ndokwa-East LGA of Delta State, Nigeria

Background: Schistosomiasis is a water-borne tropical parasitic disease that is of a major public health problem. It is a neglected tropical disease that has over two-third of its worldwide infection, occurring in Africa. It is a disease that is associated with many complications.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of urinary schistosomiasis among primary school children in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria.

Methods: This study was a cross sectional descriptive study of primary school children aged 5-16 years in Ndokwa-East Local Government Area (NELGA) of Delta State. Information on the socio-demographic characteristics of the pupils and their caregivers, and water contact activities of the pupils were obtained using questionnaire administered to the pupils. Urine microscopy (centrifugation method) was done for the pupils and the schistosoma eggs were counted and graded according to WHO standards. Relationship between the risk factors of schistosomiasis and the infection prevalence were tested using chi-square analysis and Fisher’s exact test where indicated.

Results: A total of 374 pupils were studied. Twenty-eight (7.5%) of them had urinary schistosomiasis; location of primary school (FET, p-value = <0.001), Age (χ2 = 9.730, df = 3, p-value =0.023), exposure to water body (χ2 = 7.920, df = 1, p-value = 0.005), frequency of contact with water body (FET, df = 4, p-value = 0.006), time spent inside water bodies (χ2 = 16.377, df = 3, p-value = 0.001), activities that require long stay inside water bodies (FET, df = 6, p = <0.001) and bush dumping as method of sewage disposal (χ2 = 6.718, df = 2, p-value = 0.034) were risk factors for the schistosomiasis infection.

Conclusion: The prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis among primary school pupils in NELGA is low. It is highest among the sub-community primary school in an island within the river, and lowest in a primary school in a relatively upland area.