Efficacy of Praziquantel on Schistosoma Haematobium Infection After 12 Weeks of a Single Dose Intervention Among School-Age Children in Makurdi, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was conducted to ascertain the efficacy of praziquantel (PZQ) against urogenital schistosomiasis after 12 weeks post-treatment period. A total of 1600 school age children, 400 each from Agbo (GB), Agwan Jukun (AJ), Agwan Reke (AR) and Ijaha (JH) communities were enrolled at baseline. Urine samples were collected between the hours of 10am and 2 pm following standard procedures and analysed using the filtration technique to check for the presence of S. haematobium. 379 (23.69%) tested positive to S. haematobium infection and were treated with PZQ using appropriate dosages and screened for urogenital schistosomiasis at 12 weeks post-treatment. Data generated was analysed using chi-square and simple percentages. Infection prevalence declined from 379 (23.69%) to 40 (10.55%). Also cure rates was significantly associated with sex (P=0.020) and age (P=0.000) of study participants as well as sampled locations (P=0.000), respectively. The intensity of infection declined from 281 (74.14%) and 98(25.86%) for light and heavy infection at baseline to 31 (77.50%) and 9(22.50%) at 12 weeks post-treatment (P<0.05). the Arithmetic mean of S. haematobium eggs declined from 208.85 to 96.22 yielding a cumulative Egg Reduction rate (ERR) of 53.93%. ERR was highest in AR (76.13%), followed by JH (70.75%), GB (55.00%) then AJ (53.48%) (P=0.001). The study outcome shows that PZQ is not wholly effective against urogenital schistosomiasis at 12 weeks post-treatment. This calls for concerted efforts of public health sector as well as researchers to carry out expanded studies involving repeated doses of PZQ to ascertain the right dose and duration that connotes PZQ efficacy.