Rapid diagnosis of schistosomiasis in Yemen using a simple questionnaire and urine reagent strips.

Abstract

Schistosomiasis ranks second to malaria in terms of socioeconomic and public health importance in Yemen. This study assessed the validity of a morbidity questionnaire and urine reagent strips as a rapid tool for screening schoolchildren for urinary schistosomiasis as compared with the presence of eggs in urine as the gold-standard parasitological diagnosis. The study examined urine samples and interviewed 696 children (mean age 12.5 years) attending a primary-preparatory school in south Yemen. Urinary schistosomiasis was confirmed in 126 (18.1%) children. Diagnostic performance was poor for 2 items in the morbidity questionnaire (self-reported history of previous infection and self-reported history of antischistosomal treatment). However, self-reported dysuria, self-reported haematuria in the questionnaire and microhaematuria by reagent strips (alone or with macrohaematuria) revealed good diagnostic performance. The results indicated that reagent strips are a valid method for detection of microhaematuria for identifying individuals and communities infected with Schistosoma haematobium.

• Authors: H K Bassiouny, A A Hasab, N A El-Nimr, L A Al-Shibani, A A Al-Waleedi
• Journal: Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de sante de la Mediterranee orientale = al-Majallah al-sihhiyah li-sharq al-mutawassit (East Mediterr Health J) Vol. 20 Issue 4 Pg. 242-9 (May 01 2014) ISSN: 1020-3397 [Print] Egypt
• PMID: 24952121 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Validation Study)

Chemical References

• Reagent Strips

Topics

• Adolescent
• Animals
• Child
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Reagent Strips
• Reproducibility of Results
• Schistosoma haematobium (isolation & purification)
• Schistosomiasis haematobia (diagnosis, urine)
• Self Report
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Yemen