Prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis amongst school-age children in Abuja, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: urogenital schistosomiasis affects an estimated 240 million people globally, with ~90% of cases occurring in Africa. Nigeria bears a substantial burden, with ~29 million people affected. This study assessed the community-level prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis among school-aged children in Abuja. METHODS: a descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in April 2025. School-aged children provided urine samples, which were examined using urine filtration. RESULTS: of 400 participants, 174 (43.5%) were aged 5-9 years, 196 (49.0%) 10-14 years, and 30 (7.5%) 15-19 years. Microscopy identified 124 (31.0%) positive cases; males and females accounted for 58.1% and 41.9% of infections, respectively. Children aged 10-14 years were most affected. CONCLUSION: urinary schistosomiasis remains endemic in Abuja. Sustained public health interventions are required to curb transmission and mitigate long-term complications in children.