Evaluation of the Efficacy of Microscopy and PCR in the Diagnosis of Urinary Schistosomiasis among Primary School Children in Wamakko Local Government Area of Sokoto State – Nigeria

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of microscopy and PCR in the diagnosis of urinary schistosomiasis among primary school children in Wamakko Local Government Area. Sokoto, North-western, Nigeria.

Study Design: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study designed to evaluate the efficacy of microscopy and Polymerase Chain Reaction in the diagnosis of urinary schistosomiasis among primary school children in Wamakko Local Government Area. Sokoto, North-western, Nigeria.

Place and Duration of Study: This research was conducted at the centre for advance research and training Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Sokoto State, from May to July, 2016.

Methodology: Study was carried out on randomly selected 50 urine samples of Primary school children in Wamakko. The DNA extraction was carried out using the phenol-chloroform method and the extracted DNA was amplified by PCR using a set of primers to detect Dra 1 repeat gene fragment at 121bp. The PCR products were detected using Agarose gel electrophoresis.

Results: Among the study population, S. haematobium eggs were detected in 5 subjects while S. haematobium DNA was detected in 3 subjects. One of the subject was positive with PCR but negative with microscopy. The sensitivity and specificity for PCR were 60.0% and 95.92%, respectively.

Conclusion: From the result presented, even-though there are only five samples (5) positive for Schistosoma haematobium but conclusion cannot be made that microscopy is the gold standard but that, it is suitable for diagnosis of acute urinary schistosomiasis in children Due to high cost, PCR should be reserved for clinically susceptible cases, areas of low endemicity and light infection.