DOT-ELISA and parasitological examination for diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni infection in Nigeria

Schistosoma mansoni infection constitutes significant economic and public health consequences. Accurate diagnosis of the infection is imperative in order to identify subjects needing care in the broadest sense. In this study the dot-ELISA and direct parasitological method were compared in the diagnosis of S. mansoni infection in Jos, Nigeria. Of the 106 subjects studied 64.2 % were S. mansoni positive serologically while only 10.4 % of them were found to have the parasite’s egg in their stools. Individuals aged 20–29 years of both sexes had highest prevalence of 73.9 % and 21.7% by serological and parasitological diagnosis respectively. Prevalence of infection among males was 13.5 % and 7.4 % among females by parasitology. By serology the corresponding figures were 59.6 % and 68.5 % respectively. No significant difference was observed by parasitology (χ2=4.534, P ≤ 0.05) and by serology (χ2=2.00, P ≤ 0.05). Results advocate for serodiagnostic technique over parasitological method in S. mansoni surveillance and epidemiological studies.