Urinary schistosomiasis in a rural community in Edo state, Nigeria: Eosinophiluria as a diagnostic marker

The prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis in Ikpeshi, a rural community of Edo State, Nigeria showed that 195(65%) out of 300 volunteers harboured Schistosoma haematobium ova in their urine. Eosinophiluria was markedly significant > 5 eosinophilic leucocyturia/hpf and reported among 250 (83.3%) inhabitants. Of these, ova were absent in 55 (22.0%) of urine samples but had other associated urinary symptoms namely; proteinuria or haematuria or both. Eosinophiluria among the inhabitants with light infections as described by < 50 ova/10ml was 15.83 plus or minus 15.98 x 10 super(9)/L while heavy infections ( greater than or equal to 50 ova/10ml of urine) was 107 plus or minus 76.20 x 10 super(9)/L. In all, the eosinophiluria showed a positive correlation with the S. haematobium ova excreted in their urine (r = 0.40046, p < 0.05). The sensitivities of the urinary symptoms are eosinophiluria (100%), proteinuria (56.0%), haematuria (80.0%), specific gravity (84.0%) and turbidity (76.0%). The eosinophiluria with the a relatively highest sensitivity can complement the use of ova in urine as a diagnostic marker especially in sub clinical cases and other periods when egg laying capacity of this fluke are suppressed or absent.