Human water contact activities and urinary schistosomiasis around Erinle and Eko-ende dams

Hassan A.O¹, Amoo A. O. J² Akinwale, O.P.³, Deji-Agboola, A.M.², Adeleke, M.A.⁴, Gyang, P.V.³ and Oluwadun, A.²

¹Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology Lautech Teaching Hospital. Osogbo; Medical Mecrobiology and Parasitology Department, Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Science, Olabisi Onabanjo University Sagamu Ogun State.

²Medical Microbiology and Parasitology Department, Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Science, Olabisi Onabanjo University Sagamu Ogun State.

³Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Public Health Division, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos

⁴Public Health Entomology and Parasitology Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, Osun State University, Oshogbo.

*Corresponding author E-mail: hassan4ever2006@yahoo.com; Tel. +234-803-453-8409

Accepted 03 May, 2012

Abstract

There is much evidence that people’s behavior affects agents, hosts, and the environment, and that behaviour can also either increase or decrease the risk of a disease. Studying behaviour may advance medical knowledge and increase the effectiveness of health protection and medical care. The objective of this work was to gain greater insight into the pattern of water contact in relation to schistosomiasis among residents of five communities around Erinle and Eko-Ende dams by identifying the water contact activities that are more likely to produce infection and examine the socioeconomic factors associating water contact activities. Semi quantitative observations on human water contact patterns were made at each of water contact site in February (dry season), May (early rainy season), August (rainy season) and November (early dry season) for three years. Each observation lasted for a period of six hours. Records taken for every individual observation included sex, age, type of contact, length of exposure and degree of body exposure. Each cohort subject was asked to fill in a water contact activity diary every day during the transmission period. The frequency, duration and relative index of exposure of the observed contact activities in the five study communities varied according to individual community. Eko-Ajala had the least characteristics with 130, 826 and 385.1 contacts, duration and relative index of exposure respectively. However, there was no statistical difference (P<0.05) in the variables between the five communities. The main purpose of contact to the dams is for economic reasons with total contact of 565 closely followed by recreational with a value of 532 and personal reason had the least contact of 48. We concluded that an increase in economic water contact was associated with poor socioeconomic conditions. Our results suggest that in the subjects we studied, there was a socioeconomic determination for water contact. Our data emphasize the importance of a broad and integrated approach in studying water contact activities and in implementing behavioral interventions for schistosomiasis treatment, prevention and control in the study area and similar settings in Nigeria.

Keywords: Economic factors, urinary schistosomiasis, Erinle, Eko-Ende dam