Epidemiology of schistosomiasis in school aged children in some riverine areas of Sokoto, Nigeria

Prevalence of Schistosomiasis in primary school pupils in riverine areas of Sokoto, where most of the population is dependent on river and well water for their everyday activities, was surveyed using stool and urine samples. The stool samples were analysed using kato-katz thick faecal smear technique while the urine samples were processed by filtration technique. The overall prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis (Schistosoma haematobium Leiper) was 60.8% (228 positive cases in 375 samples), and for intestinal schistosomiasis (Schistosoma mansoni Leiper) was 2.92% (11 positive in 375 samples). Prevalence of disease vary among age and sex of pupils. Pupils of age group 9 to 12 years are highly prevalent (71.42% for urinary and 4.2% for intestinal schistosomiasis). Prevalence of disease was high among males 79.57% (187 positive in 235 samples) urinary and 3.80% (7 positive out of 189 samples) intestinal schistosomiasis in comparision to females with a prevalence rate of 29.28% (41 positive in 140 samples) and 2.15% (4 positive out of 186 samples), respectively. Prevalence in the studied area is therefore very high and of family status, sex and age dependent. Key words: Helminth parasites, schistosomiasis, Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosoma haematobium, snails.