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Description
Urinary schistosomiasis is a disease of great public health concern and remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality among children globally. The disease, which is often characterized by painful urination and haematuria is common among children and people living in communities near streams and rivers. Weija remains one of the communities in Accra with several streams and rivers largely depended on by the local communities for domestic and commercial purposes with reported incidence of schistosomiasis on regular basis. However, the prevalence of schistosomiasis among school children who are mostly affected in the said community has not been well elucidated. This study determined the prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis among school children living in Weija community, Accra, Ghana. Wet mount preparations from urine samples collected from the school children were examined microscopically to detect the presence of Schistosoma ova and or larvae. The sociodemographic determinant factors were assessed using close-end questionnaires and the data obtained were tabulated in percentages. A total of 398 pupils in upper primary were screened for schistosomiasis at which 1.5% prevalence was recorded. Behavioural habits such as bathing and fishing in the river were found as predisposing factors of the diseases. Participants whose parents where non-civil servants stood at high chance of being infected with the disease. Although the study did not assess coinfection, about 17.8% prevalence of candidiasis was also reported among the study population. None of the respondents who tested positive to schistosomiasis was positive to candidiasis.