Prevelence of Shistosoma Heamatiobuim among Children Aged Between 4-14 Years in Angwan Ngas Community, Bauchi Local Government Area, Bauchi State

Abstract

Background: This study investigated the prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma haematobium infection among children aged 4-14 years in Angwan Ngas Community, Bauchi LGA. Methods: Urine samples from 886 school-age children were collected between January and December 2023 and processed using urine filtration to detect and quantify S. haematobium eggs. A subset of 556 samples was also tested for hematuria using a urine dipstick. Results: The overall prevalence of S. haematobium infection was 20.8% (95% CI: 18.1-23.5%), with significant variation across the community. The mean urine egg count (UEC) among infected children was 4.0 eggs/10 ml of urine (95% CI: 2.43-5.52), ranging from 0.4 to 7.7 eggs/10 ml in the community and 0 to 1.1 eggs/10 ml. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed no association between age, sex, and S. haematobium infection. Hematuria prevalence was 56.3% (95% CI: 52.2-60.4%) among the subset of participants, varying from 8.3% to 93.2%. Conclusion: The high prevalence of S. haematobium infection in the study area necessitates treatment with praziquantel to reduce morbidity and disrupt transmission among children in the community. Keywords: Schistosoma haematobium, Angwan Ngas, Bauchi.