PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF SCHISTOSOMIASIS AMONG HAUSA COMMUNITIES IN KANO STATE, NIGERIA

• Main Authors: Salwa DAWAKI, Hesham Mahyoub AL-MEKHLAFI, Init ITHOI, Jamaiah IBRAHIM, Awatif Mohammed ABDULSALAM, Abdulhamid AHMED, Hany SADY, Wahib Mohammed ATROOSH, Mona Abdullah AL-AREEQI, Fatin Nur ELYANA, Nabil Ahmed NASR, Johari SURIN
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo 2016-01-01
• Series: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Subjects: Schistosomiasis; Neglected tropical diseases; Prevalence; Risk factors; Nigeria
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0036-46652016005000241&lng=en&tlng=en

SUMMARY Schistosomiasis remains one of the most prevalent neglected tropical diseases especially in Nigeria which has the greatest number of infected people worldwide. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 551 participants from Kano State, North Central Nigeria. Fecal samples were examined for the presence of Schistosoma mansoni eggs using the formalin-ether sedimentation method while the urine samples were examined using the filtration technique for the presence of S. haematobium eggs. Demographic, socioeconomic and environmental information was collected using a pre-validated questionnaire. The overall prevalence of schistosomiasis was 17.8%, with 8.9% and 8.3% infected with S. mansoni and S. haematobium, respectively and 0.5% presenting co-infection with both species. The multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that age < 18 years (OR = 2.13; 95% CI; 1.34- 3.41), presence of infected family members (OR = 3.98; 95% CI; 2.13-7.46), and history of infection (OR = 2.87; 95% CI; 1.87- 4.56) were the significant risk factors associated with schistosomiasis in these communities. In conclusion, this study revealed that schistosomiasis is still prevalent among Hausa communities in Nigeria. Mass drug administration, health education and community mobilization are imperative strategies to significantly reduce the prevalence and morbidity of schistosomiasis in these communities.