Incidence of Urinary Schistosomiasis and the Contributory Risk Factors Among School Children in Agulu
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the study
- Determining the incidence of urinary schistosomiasis among the inhabitants of Agulu.
- Determining the socio-economic and environmental factors that can lead to urinary schistomiasis among the inhabitants of Agulu.
- Developing strategies to control the disease in the town.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Records indicates that bloody urine was a well recognized disease symptom in Northern Africa in ancient times.
In about 1950 BC, an Egyptian Pharoah wrote of urinary bladder disturbances that were probably Schistosoma haematobium
The criteria used to denote the disease was a dripping penis. At least 50 reference to this condition have been found in surviving Egyptian papyri and calcified eggs of Schitosoma haematobium have been found in Egyptian mummies dated back to 1200bC (Roberts et al, 2010).
The first Europeans to record contact with S. haematobium was a surgeon with Napolean’s army in Egypt (1799-1801). They reported that haematuria was prevalent among the troops, although this was unknown. Over 50 years later precisely 1851, a young German pathologist Theodor Bilharz discovered the parasite that caused it while working at Kasr El-Eini hospital in Cairo. It was discovered some years later that 30% to 40% of the population in Egypt have infection of Schistosoma haematobium.
In 1858, Weinland proposed the name Schistosoma but it was named Bilharzia by cobbold after the discovery by Theodor Bilharz. This name later became widely accepted throughout the world. However, the strict rules of zoological nomenclature decree prefers Schistosoma and is this an apt name, referring to the “split body” (gynecophoral canal) of the male.
While information was accumulating on the biology of S. haemotobium, some people began to doubt whether it was a single specie or two or even more. This problem was more complicated by the observation in some patients of eggs with lateral spines and others with terminal spine in both urine and faeces.
In 1905, Sir Patrick Manson decided that intestinal and vesicular (urinary bladder) Schistosomaisis were different disease caused by different species of worms. He derived his conclusion after examining a man from West Indies who had never been to Africa, and who passed laterally spined eggs in his urine (Robert et al, 2010).
Human contact with the infection arise from four basic needs: Occupational, recreational, domestic and socio-cultural activities. The demands of occupation, life fishing and rice farming in which many in the rural areas are engaged, bring them into close contact with water. Obviously, such people are constantly exposed to infection (Ukoli, 1990). Ritual ablutions by muslims before prayer and their custom of washing the anus after defecation, which ordinarily should deserve commendation as an act of cleanliness are ironically act which tends to increase the risk of infection. This is because the water used for this purpose may be infected, infact some of the ablution basins at the mosques happens to be good habitat for snail (Ukoli, 1990).
CHAPTER THREE
MATERIALS AND METHODS
DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREAS
This research was carried out in two primary schools in Agulu, Aniocha local government area, Anambra state, Nigeria. Agulu is located in the south Eastern part of the federal republic of Nigeria. Latitude 6o 07’N and longitude 7o 04’E with an Altitude of 193m and a total population of about 79, 027 people. The town is surrounded by a lake popularly known as Agulu-lake.
SAMPLE COLLECTION
Two primary schools, Umuowelle primay school and Agulu migrant primary school was chosen for the research. A letter of introduction was issued to the headmaster of each school to seek their permission for the sample collection from their pupils.
Clean, sterile universal bottle was issued randomly to five pupils per class irrespective of the sex and age. The pupils were educated on how to fill the universal bottle with the sample. The essential data such as age, sex, name of the school, sample number and time of collection was noted on the containers. All the urine sample was collected between 10.00 am and 2.00pm and taken to the laboratory for microscopic examination.
MATERIALS/APPARATUS
250ml conical flask, drop pipette, glass slides, universal bottle, compound light microscope, centrifuge, test tubes, weighing balance, masking tape, hand gloves. Reagents/chemicals: saturated solution of 5% ZnS04 tap water.
METHODODLOGY
Macroscopic examination of the urine samples were carried out immediately at the point of collection to determine haematuria and the colour of the urine samples.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULT/OBSERVATION
The result of this investigation have shown that out of 60, the total number of population of pupils examined from two primary schools in Agulu, the overall number of infection incidence of urinary schistosomiasis was 25 (41.6%)
Table I shows the incidence of S. haematobium in urine samples from, Umuowelle primary school of the 30 samples collected, 12 (40%) was positive with S. haematobium.
Table II shows the incidence of S. haematobium in urine samples from Agulu lake migrant school. Out of the 30 sample collected, 13 (43.3%) was positive with S. haematobium.
Table III shows the incidence of urinary schistosomiasis with respect to age and sex. Out of the 30 male samples collected, 14(46.6%) tested positive with S. haematobium, and out of the 30 female samples collected, 1(36.6%) tested positive with S. haematobium, regarding to age, out of the 20 samples collected from the pupils within the age range of 5-7 years, 7(35%) tested positive with S. haematobium, out of 20 samples collected from the pupils within the age range of 8-10, 11(55%) tested positive with S. haematobium, and out of 20 samples collected from pupils within the age range of 11-13, 7(35%) tested positive with S. haematobium.
Figure I and II shows the incidence of urinary schistosomiasis by age group and sex.
Appendices I and II shows the result of the macroscopic examination carried out at the point of collection of the samples.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION
The incidence of urinary schistosomiasis in Agulu, Anaocha local government, Anambra state was investigated of the 60 urine samples examined, only 25 pupils were found to be positive with S. haematobium. The incidence occurred in the age brackets 8-10 years more compared to other age brackets examined.
However, most infected experience few, if any signs and symptoms and only a small majority develop significant disease(Harrison et al, 1998).
The problem of lack of portable water supply in schools and homes in Agulu puts the children are high risk of exposure to schistosomiasis and the implications of these disease on life (social, moral, and academic reasoning and efficiency of learning in school) in the children as it affects socio-economic development of the country.
PREVENTION AND CONTROL
According to Roberts et al, (2010), the control of schistosomiasis as with many infection diseases involves a multifold approach which includes;
- Education of public health awareness of the populace to prevent transmission.
- Massive chemotherapy or curing of infected persons.
- Control of vectors/intermediate host propagation.
- Protective vaccination.
- Biological control through the use of snail-eating fish or birds or even competing species of snails as has been done with some success in Puerto Rico and Brazil (Giboda et al, 1997).
- Proper disposal of urine and feces keeps eggs from hatching to initiate the cycle.
Niclosamide, achloronitrosali-cylianilide, applied as 1% lotion to the skin before contact with snail infested waters seem to have some value in preventing penetration of cercariea. (Abu-Elyazeed et al, 1993).
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