Prevalence and correlates of urogenital schistosomiasis in school going children in Maramba compound of Livingstone District, Zambia

Background Schistosomiasis is an acute and chronic parasitic disease that is caused by trematode worms (blood flukes) of the genus Schistosoma. Schistosoma haematobium (S. haematobium) is known to cause urogenital schistosomiasis. The disease is the second most common socio-economically devastating tropical parasitic disease after malaria in Africa. In Zambia, it affects over a million school going children, mostly in rural communities due to unsafe water and inadequate sanitation facilities. This study aimed to determine the presence of S. haematobium in urine specimens of school going children in Maramba compound of Livingstone and establish factors associated with the acquisition and spread of the parasite. Methods A structured questionnaire was administered on all children with signed consent from their guardians/parents and afterward spot urine specimens were collected in sterile containers for macroscopically/microscopically examination by an independent laboratory technologist. Results A total of 173 school going children participated in the study. Parasitic eggs were detected in 6 specimens providing a prevalence of 3.47% (p<0.01) and this had a strong association with presence of microscopic red blood cells (p<0.01), dysuria (p=0.026), washing in a stream (p=0.01), and the perception on bilharzia acquisition (p<0.01). Conclusion The prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis among school going children in Maramba compound was 3.47%, and the correlates of the infection included washing in a stream, older age and poor knowledge on schistosomiasis. Participants that had schistosomiasis often presented with hematuria and lacked knowledge on disease acquisition, health effects and preventive measures. This calls for more robust sensitization of school going children and periodic screening to curb the disease.