Prevalence, Intensity, and Associated Morbidity of Urogenital Schistosomiasis in School-Age Children in Niger State, North Central Nigeria: Filling the Epidemiological Gap

Despite Niger State's well-documented schistosomiasis endemicity, recent high-resolution epidemiological data on infection intensity and associated morbidity including haematuria, anaemia, and bladder pathology in school-age children remain sparse, limiting programme planning accuracy. This study determines the prevalence, intensity, and associated morbidity of urogenital schistosomiasis in school-age children in Niger State, North Central Nigeria. An analytical cross-sectional design was employed, enrolling 450 children aged 6 to 16 years from 20 schools across Lavun, Mokwa, and Gbako Local Government Areas, which border the Kaduna River system. Mid-day urine samples were examined by membrane filtration for S. haematobium egg counts. Dipstick haematuria testing, haematocrit measurement, and renal ultrasound assessment of bladder wall irregularity were performed. Multivariate regression modelling identified independent predictors of heavy infection intensity and bladder pathology. Evidence from 2020 to 2024 indicates that children in Niger State riverine communities carry disproportionately heavy schistosome burdens, with obstructive uropathy affecting an estimated 15 to 20 percent of heavily infected children. This study produces local intensity-morbidity data essential for refining treatment coverage thresholds in Niger State's preventive chemotherapy programme. Findings will be submitted to the Niger State Ministry of Health NTD Unit and the SCORE Consortium database. Keywords: urogenital schistosomiasis, morbidity, bladder pathology, Niger State, infection intensity.