Nigerian children suffer a great burden of parasitic infections. Urinary schistosomiasis is associated with children's daily indulgence in uncontrolled water activities in unsafe water bodies. The study was aimed at assessing the level of urinary schistosomiasis among school children in Zaria-Nigeria, as well as the risk factors, signs/symptoms and effects associated with it. A total of 200 children from different primary schools in Zaria consented to this study through their parents and school managements. Urine sample (10mls) and anthropometric indices (weight in kilogram, height in meters, mid-arm circumference in centimeters) were obtained from each pupil, followed by administration of a structured questionnaire. The samples were analysed at the Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. The overall prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis among the pupils was 21(10.5%). The male pupils 16(14.8%) were significantly more infected than the female pupils 5(5.4%). Also children within the age of 13-14years and 9-10years had the most infections. Swimming and irrigation farming were found to be significant risk factors (P≤0.05). The infection was significantly associated with abdominal pain, painful urination, and frequent urination and visible haematuria. Pupils with mid-arm circumference of 21.0-22.9cm had the highest infections but there was not significant association with the disease. Pupils with normal BMI had more infections than the underweight pupils but the relationship was statistically insignificant. This study did not find harmful associations between urinary schistosomiasis and anthropometric indices considered. There is an urgent need of efforts to control schistosomiasis in Nigeria.

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Abstract. The use of untreated or inadequately treated water can cause gastroenteritis and other waterborne diseases like amoebic dysentery, and presents immediate effects on a large number of population. Wells serve as the most affordable source of water in the rural areas but they are prone to surface runoffs and seepages from septic systems/pit latrines. This research was aimed at assessing the incidence of Entamoeba histolytica in well water used for human consumption and other domestic activities in Samaru-Zaria, Nigeria. Associated risk factors of well water contamination were studied. Membrane filtration technique was employed in filtering 70 well water samples (of 20 liters each) at the flow rate of 3liters/min through Millipore filter paper of nominal porosity of 0.45µm. Retained particulates were eluted in distilled water and concentrated by centrifugation. Wet mounts of the sediments were examined under 10x and 40x objectives of the light microscope. The incidence of Entamoeba histolytica was 38.6%. There was 72.9% level of parasitic contamination (including other parasites). Other medically important parasites were found in the well water samples, which included Enterobius vermicularis (2.9%), larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis (7.1%). The ANOVA and Chi Square (x 2 ) were used in the analysis of risk factors of well contamination (p ≤ 0.05).

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