Perceptions and assessment of risk factors in Schistosoma haematobium infection in Buruku and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State-Nigeria

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is one of the neglected diseases in tropical Africa that continues to plague inhabitants of sub-urban and rural areas where there are little or no safe water outlets. This study investigated urinary schistosomiasis infection in relation to knowledge, attitudes and practices of people in Buruku and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State, Nigeria. Using standard parasitological method (Filtration technique) to examine the urine, 335 (44.66%) were infected with Schistosoma haematobium eggs out of the 750 urine samples examined from school children and communities. Questionnaires were administered to each participant to collect information on socio-demographic data, knowledge on the causes of urinary schistosomiasis and risk factors in Schistosoma haematobium infection. Children of farmers recorded the peak of infection with 159 (24.37%). Inhabitants of the area mostly linked the disease to other causes like drinking dirty water 195(29.63%) among whose 115 (17.47%) were infected, playing in water 118 (17.93%) among whose 67 (10.18%) were infected, eating unripe fruits 72 (10.98%) among whose 30 (4.00%) were infected. Subjects’ knowledge about the role that fresh water snails play in transmission was low 38 (5.77%). 116 (25.22%) were recorded not having any idea of the cause of the disease and 70 (9.33%) were found infected. Activities like swimming, bathing/playing in water, washing and collection of edible snails from stream, ponds or river significantly correlated with the prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium infection (P < 0.01) and could be identified as risk factors in the area. There is an urgent need for the launching of a schistosomiasis control programme and development of human resources and materials for health education to decrease the frequency of water contact activities.