article · International Journal of Modern Developments in Engineering and Science
A cross-sectional investigation of urinary schistosomiasis across three riverine communities in Makurdi examined localised transmission drivers and seasonal risk factors among 1,032 participants. Testing showed substantial spatial variation, with an overall infection prevalence of 56.69 per cent. While the Katungu community recorded a prevalence of 10.76 per cent, the Jibata community reached a saturation prevalence of 100 per cent, reflecting a complete breakdown of local sanitation barriers. Females had a significantly higher infection rate of 62.73 per cent compared to 48.26 per cent in males, pointing to domestic water contact rather than recreational swimming as a major exposure route. Infection peaked at 91.67 per cent among individuals aged 16 to 19 years. Dependence on river water was the primary risk factor, yielding an 88.84 per cent prevalence, with year-round activity posing the greatest exposure risk.
Urinary schistosomiasis remains a persistent public health challenge in riverine regions where basic water infrastructure is lacking. Standard control programmes typically focus on school-aged children and assume transmission occurs via recreational swimming. By demonstrating that domestic and occupational exposure drives high infection rates among women and older adolescents, this research highlights the urgent need to expand interventions to community-wide sanitation and broader demographics.
The findings inform operational strategies for public health planning, targeted diagnostics, and water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure development. Municipal planners, water authorities, and health development organisations can use this micro-epidemiological data to direct sanitation investments toward identified transmission hotspots. As an observational field study, the work provides early-stage baseline evidence to guide policy design and infrastructure deployment rather than offering an immediate commercial product.
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Despite national control efforts, urinary schistosomiasis remains a recalcitrant public health challenge in Nigeria’s Benue Trough. Current surveillance often overlooks the extreme micro-epidemiology of riverine "hotspots" where transmission dynamics defy general trends. This study investigated the hyper-endemicity of Schistosoma haematobium in Makurdi, aiming to unmask localized transmission drivers and seasonal risk factors. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,032 participants across three riverine communities: Katungu, Agwan Jukun, and Jibata. Terminal urine samples were analyzed via filtration for S. haematobium eggs, and infection intensity was correlated with data from structured questionnaires regarding water contact behavior, sanitation, and seasonality. The study revealed a startling spatial heterogeneity. While the overall prevalence was 56.69%, the Jibata community recorded a "saturation prevalence" of 100.00% (344/344), marking it as a critical hyper-endemic focus compared to Katungu (10.76%). Challenging classical epidemiological models, females exhibited a significantly higher infection rate (62.73%) than males (48.26%) (P < 0.001), suggesting a shift in risk from recreational to domestic water contact. Infection peaked at 91.67% in the 16–19 age group. Risk analysis identified reliance on river water as the primary driver (88.84% prevalence), exacerbated by perennial transmission; participants active in both rainy and dry seasons faced the highest risk (66.07%). The absolute infection rate in Jibata indicates a total breakdown of sanitation barriers, identifying the community as a priority zone for emergency intervention. The study confirms that transmission in this axis is driven by occupational exposure and failed water infrastructure rather than mere recreation. Effective control must move beyond school-based treatment to include community-wide WASH implementation and targeted support for women and older adolescents.
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DOI: 10.65138/ijmdes.2025.v4i12.290
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