RESUMEN
In a trial to assess the prevalence of symptomless proteinuria among healthy rural and urban school children, 3029 subjects of both sexes, aged from 6-12 years were screened using sulphosalicylic acid method. The prevalence rate of proteinuria was 14.5%. It was significantly higher [P < 0.001] in subjects in rural than those in urban areas [16% versus 9.7%]. Within the groups of males, females, those > 8-10 and > 10-12 years of age there was a significant increase in the prevalence rate among chidren from rural areas. In addition, the prevalence rate was significantly increased with increasing age in rural areas. The highest rate was found among children aged > 10-12 years [21.3%] in rural and among those aged 6-8 years [11.8%] in urban areas. However, no significant differences were observed between males and females of the two communities. The prevalence rates of microscopic haematuria and positive urine for schistosoma ova among proteinuric children were significantly higher among subjects in rural than in those in urban areas and within groups of males and females of rural than of urban but no significant differences between both sexes of the two communities. We recommend routine urine analysis annually for all school children and further investigating those with proteinuria