Urinary Schistosomiasis and Associated Risk Factors Among Primary School Students in the Zaki Local Government Area, Bauchi State, Nigeria

Abstract

AbstractUrinary schistosomiasis, a water-based disease, is endemic to Nigeria. The infection is transmitted by trematodes known as Schistosoma haematobium. The goal of this study was to determine the occurrence of urinary schistosomiasis among primary school children in the Zaki Local Government Area, Bauchi State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study involving 300 school pupils from three primary schools in Zaki was conducted between June and November of 2021. The urine samples were examined with the sedimentation technique to detect S. haematobium eggs. Data on socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors were obtained through a well-structured questionnaire. In SPSS version 24, the associations between the dependent and independent variables were evaluated with Chi-square, bivariate, and multiple logistic regression analyses. The strength of associations was determined with the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval. Urinary schistosomiasis was found in 29.7% of school-aged children in the three primary schools. Significantly higher prevalence was observed in the Almajiri (informal) school (59.6%) and one public primary school (31.5%), P = 0.001. Boys were four times more likely than girls to have schistosomiasis [AOR (95% CI): 4.38 (2.23–8.60)]. Children who played in shallow water had a higher risk of contracting schistosomiasis infection and were five times more likely to be infected [AOR (95% CI): 5.14 (1.97–13.37)]. Children who had blood in their urine (hematuria) were nearly nine times more likely to be infected [AOR (95% CI): 9.64 (4.79–20.66)]. The present study indicated that urinary schistosomiasis is endemic to the study area in the Zaki Local Government Area, with a moderate infection rate.