ABSTRACT:A study was conducted between August 2001 and July 2002 to investigate the current pattern of prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma haematobium infection at Odau Community in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria.. Three hundred urine specimens were examined from randomly sampled individuals aged between 0 years and 73 years. More than 50% of the participants were under the age of 20 years, and the population sampled had a male to female ratio of 37:23. Quantitative microscopic counting of Schistosoma haematobium eggs was carried out. Two hundred and fifty participants out of the three hundred examined were positive for the infection, representing an overall estimated prevalence of 83.3%. The infection rate peaked (93.0%) in the 10-14 years age category. A significant negative correlation (r =0.306, P < 0.1) was found between age and intensity of infection. The age and sex pattern of Schistosoma haematobium infection as obtained from the study area showed a typical peak prevalence in early adolescence with males having a higher prevalence rate (84.9%) than females' (80.9%) (χ 2 = P > 0.01). The high rates of prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma haematobium observed in the present study clearly indicated that Odau Community is facing a great health burden especially the children and women who had severe infections. @JASEM

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study to determine the prevalence of intestinal helminth infections among primary schoolchildren in Nimo Community, Njikoka Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria was undertaken.Four Primary Schools, namely Ugwu-Oye Primary School, Unity Primary School, St. Joseph’s PrimarySchool and Egbengwu Primary School were involved in the study. 120 pupils were selected from theschools and enlisted into the study. Direct smear and zinc sulphate solution (Flotation method) were usedfor the isolation of the helminth eggs. Of the 120 stool samples examined, 26(21.7%) harboured intestinal helminths, Egbengwu Primary School had the highest number of infection 10(33.3%) and St. Joseph’sPrimary School had the lowest 3(10.0%). Intestinal helminth infections observed were hookworms13(10.8%), Ascaris lumbricoides 7(5.83%), Trichuris trichiura 2(1.66%), Schistosoma mansoni 2 (1.66%), Strongyloides stercoralis 1(0.83%) and Taenia spp 1(0.83%). More females 14(23.3%) than the males12(20.0%) were infected. The age specific prevalence in the four schools was highest in 13-16 years agegroup 3(60.0%) and least in 5-8 years age group 8(16.0%). Government schools had higher prevalence of infection 18(30.0%) than private schools 8(13.3%). Generally poor sanitation, socio-economic status andignorance of the epidemiology of infection were related to the prevalence of infection.

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