Water demand and schistosomiasis among the Gumau people of Bauchi State, Nigeria

A helminthological study of stool and urine samples from 1037 people from 4 rural communities in Gumau District of Bauchi State, Nigeria, was carried out using formol-ether concentration and direct centrifugation methods respectively. 39·0% of persons examined were infected. Ova of Ascaris lumbricoides, Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni were the most common. Trichuris trichiura, hookworm, tape-worm and Strongyloides stercoralis were also encountered. 17·9% and 10·8% of examined persons had S. haematobium and S. mansoni infections respectively. A significant relationship was found between water demand index (number of persons per well) and infection with S. haematobium ( r = 0·95) and S. mansoni ( r = 0·88) ( P < 0·01). Such a relationship was not found with other helminth infections. A significant association was also found between distance from a river and prevalence of S. haematobium ( r = 0·94) and S. mansoni( r = 0·95) ( P < 0·01), but not with the other helminth infections. These findings suggest that the water demand index may be an important factor in the epidemiology of schistosome infections in rural communities.