Prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis in Abini Community, Biase Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria

A survey of urinary schistosomiasis was conducted among primary school children in Abini Community, Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State. Centrifuge concentration technique was employed in the analysis of the urine samples. Of the 200 urine samples examined, an overall prevalence of 35% with mean egg count of 58.8 egg/10 ml of urine was recorded. Peak prevalence was observed in children between 12-13 years old. There was no significant difference in the prevalence rate between males and females (t-test, p > 0.05). There was also no significant difference in intensity of infection between males and females (t-test, p > 0.05). Because of lack of pipe-borne water, the children were involved in various activities in cercarial-infected water thus predisposing them to urinary schistosomiasis infection . Keywords : prevalence, intensity, urinary schistosomiasis, school children. Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 28 (1) 2007: pp. 28-31