Thesis Abstract

Urinary schistosomiasis and Salmonella bacteraemia are increasing health burdens among African children. This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of urinary schistosomiasisand its co-infection with Salmonella species amongst pupils in Jaba LGA, Kaduna State, Nigeria. A total of 505 pupils voluntarily participated in the study.Ten (10) ml urine and 2ml blood samples were collected from each pupil. The urine samples were examined microscopically for Schistosoma haematobium egg(s) while count/10ml of urine was recorded. Packed cell volume was determined. Blood and urine samples were pre-enriched in Selenite-F broth and Brilliant Green Bile broth and culturedon Salmonella ShigellaAgar and Xylose-Lysine-Desoxycholate.Results were subjected statisticalanalyses at P=0.05.Overall prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis was 12.3%. There was absence ofSalmonellaspecies from all the samples, hence no co-infection of Schistosoma haematobium and Salmonella spp. All the blood cultures had no bacterial growth but seven different Gram-negative bacteria were isolated from the urine samples. Urinary schistosomiasis was most prevalent in villages Bitaro (23.2%),Ankun (22.2%) and Kwoi (20.3%). There was higher occurrence of urinary schistosomiasis among the female (15.5%) than in the male pupils (9.1%).Mean intensity in the female pupils (4.18±1.202eggs/10ml) was significantly higher (P≤0.05) compared to 1.22±0.500eggs/10ml in the male. Pupils within 4-6 years were not infected,but those within 13-15 years had the highest prevalence of 27.9% withmean intensity of 9.97±3.915eggs/10ml of urine. Prevalence of anaemia was 8.1%. Painful micturition, red-colouredurine, ‗Fadama‘ farming and anaemia were statistically associated with urinary schistosomiasis(P ≤ 0.05, OR >1).There was no awareness of schistosomiasisamong the study population. From this study, the female pupils weremore infected with urinary schistosomiasis in Jaba LGA of Kaduna State, Nigeria.

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