A Survey of Urinary Schistosomiasis among Secondary School Students in Jalingo Town, Jalingo Local Government Area, Taraba State

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of urinary Schistosomiasis among secondary school students in Jalingo town, Jalingo local government area, Nigeria. Ordinary centrifugal sedimentation technique was used and the deposits were examined microscopically. Data collected were analyzed using chi square. Out of the 200 samples examined, 37 (18.5%) had infection, with no significant difference (p>0.05) in infection rates between males (21.1%) and females (15.1%). Among the two schools sampled School A had the highest prevalence (22.0%) followed by School B (15.0%) with no significant difference (p>0.05). Children aged 9-12 years (60.0%) were more infected than those aged 19-21 (13.0%) (p<0.05).There was a close relationship between haematuria and positive urine samples as 72.7% of the students tested positive excreted blood in their urine (p<0.05). Major risk factors were poor hygiene, ignorance and poverty. The results of this study show that secondary school students harbor infection and are a source of transmission of Schistosomiasis in the study area. Planning and provision of drugs for treatment should be considered in disease prevention and control programmes. Community participatory health education should be encouraged as the first step in reducing infection and transmission of the disease.