Rapid diagnosis of schistosomiasis in Yemen using a simple questionnaire and urine reagent strips

ABSTRACT

Schistosomiasis ranks second to malaria in terms of socioeconomic and public health importance in Yemen. This study assessed the validity of a morbidity questionnaire and urine reagent strips as a rapid tool for screening schoolchildren for urinary schistosomiasis as compared with the presence of eggs in urine as the gold-standard parasitological diagnosis. The study examined urine samples and interviewed 696 children [mean age 12.5 years] attending a primary-preparatory school in south Yemen. Urinary schistosomiasis was confirmed in 126 [18.1%] children. Diagnostic performance was poor for 2 items in the morbidity questionnaire [self-reported history of previous infection and self-reported history of antischistosomal treatment]. However, self-reported dysuria, self-reported haematuria in the questionnaire and microhaematuria by reagent strips [alone or with macrohaematuria] revealed good diagnostic performance. The results indicated that reagent strips are a valid method for detection of microhaematuria for identifying individuals and communities infected with Schistosoma haematobium