-
Incidence Of Urinary Schistosomiasis And The Contributory Risk Factors Among School Children
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 3]
Page 1 of 3
-
-
-
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTROUDUTION
Schistosomiasis is
also known as bilharzia or “snail feverâ€. It is a parasitic disease
carried by fresh water snail infected with one of the five varities of
the parasite schistosoma. Found predominantly in tropics and
sub-tropical climates. (Chitsulo, 2000), schistosoma ranks second only
to malaria as the most occurring parasitic disease in the tropics
(chitsulo, 2000).
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The schistosomes or blood flukes belong to the class trematoda of the
phylum platyhelmintes. They are parasites of the blood stream of warm
blooded vertebrates. The species which infect man are schistosoma
haematobium, s mansoni, s intercalum and s japonicum. They cause the
disease known as schistosomiasis or bilharziasis (uyaeme, 2011).
Urinary schistosomiasis caused by fluke worm s haematobium is one of
the most common tropical olisease which poses serious health hazard due
to its associated morbidities. Globally, over 153 million people are
infected with this parasitic infection (WHO1999). In Nigeria, a good
number of foci infections have been documented in various parts of the
country (Egwunyenga et al, 1994).
In developing countries,
the true epidemiological picture appears difficult because of inadequate
researches in this direction despite its relevance in planning and
control in any locality. This problem is compounded by the poor habits
of people in developing countries in visiting hospital, for treatment.
Also, self medication is still practiced as manifested by anti-helmintic
abuse. This act is worsened by presence of inadequate health
facilities. One of the consequences of the self-medication of the
anti-helminthics abuse includes the suppression of the egg laying
capacity of the worms. The net effect is erroneous diagnosis using ova
in urine in any locality. This may also become evident in sub clinical
cases and period of immaturity of the worms when they are yet to
commence egg laying. Another obvious difficulty occurs during the early
stages of infections. Although the uses of serological diagnosis are
available, poverty poses a serious impediment to the applications of
serology in the epidemiological work in these countries.
The spined
eggs are laid in water, the eggs hatch into ciliated miracidia which
bore into the tissues of certain fresh water snails, the intermediate
host. Within the snail, each miracidium forms a sporocyst which
reproduces asexually to give rise to cercariae (Raven and Johnson, 1996
cercariae production may continue for several weeks, over 300 being
produced each day from a single sporocyst. The cercariae leaves the
snail and swim in the water. They gain entry into man, the final host,
by penetrating the skin. once in the body system, the cercariae develop
into the adult fluke where they cause schistosomiasis.
Characteristic /features
1. They are dioecions i.e sexes are separate and there is sexual dimorphism
2.
The male and female always occur together and the larger male carries
the slender female in it’s ventral groove or gynaecophoral canal.
3. They live in the blood stream of vertebrates.
4. The eggs are not operculate and are usually armed with a spine.
5. The furcocerous cercariae penetrates directly through the skin into the definitive host
6. It is a water-borne disease with water snails as the intermediate host.
7. There are two suckers, an oral and a ventral sucker (acetabulum).
8. The alimentary canal consists only of intestinal caeca without an anus. (Uyaeme, 2011).
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 3]
Page 1 of 3
-
-
ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]The purpose of this investigation was to determine the incidence and association of urinary Schistosomiasis among a cross section of two primary school (Agulu migrant and Umuowelle primary school) in Agulu,Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra state.A cross sectional study was done with a total of 60 participants that provided urine samples to be examined for urinary Schistosomiasis.The schools were Agulu migrant and Umuowelle primary school.The urine samples were examined usind the sedimen ... Continue reading---
