The performance of haematuria reagent strips for the rapid mapping of urinary schistosomiasis: field experience from Southern Sudan.

Abstract

The implementation of programmes to control neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) requires up-to-date information on the prevalence and distribution of each NTD. This study evaluated the performance of reagent strip testing for haematuria to diagnose Schistosoma haematobium infection among school-aged children in the context of a rapid mapping survey in Southern Sudan. The reagent strips were highly sensitive (97.8%) but only moderately specific (58.8%). The proportion of false positive diagnoses was significantly higher among girls than boys, especially among girls aged 5-10 years. These findings suggest that reagent strips alone are not sufficient for rapid mapping surveys. A two-step approach is thus recommended whereby haematuria-positive urine samples are subsequently examined using urine filtration.

• Authors: Emily Robinson, Diana Picon, Hugh J Sturrock, Anthony Sabasio, Mounir Lado, Jan Kolaczinski, Simon Brooker
• Journal: Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH (Trop Med Int Health) Vol. 14 Issue 12 Pg. 1484-7 (Dec 2009) ISSN: 1365-3156 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19818057 (Publication Type: Evaluation Study, Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Reagent Strips

Topics

• Adolescent
• Age Factors
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Community Health Services (organization & administration)
• False Positive Reactions
• Female
• Hematuria (diagnosis, epidemiology, urine)
• Humans
• Male
• Parasite Egg Count
• Population Surveillance
• Prevalence
• Reagent Strips
• Schistosomiasis haematobia (diagnosis, epidemiology, urine)
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Sudan (epidemiology)