MALACOLOGICAL STUDY OF RICE FIELD AGRO- ECOSYSTEM AND URINARY SCHISTOSOMIASIS AMONG RICE FARMERS IN KACHIA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
MALACOLOGICAL STUDY OF RICE FIELD AGRO- ECOSYSTEM AND URINARY SCHISTOSOMIASIS AMONG RICE FARMERS IN KACHIA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2015-04
Authors
OGUIKE, Ugochukwu
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Abstract
Irrigated and rainfed wetland rice agriculture are important socioeconomic activities with
direct potential bearing on the health of stakeholder rice farmers in Kachia Local
Government Area of Kaduna State Nigeria. This study investigated the Malacology of rice
field agro-ecosystem and urinary schistosomiasis among rice farmers across eight districts
within Kachia Local Government Area. Two rice farms were randomly selected in each
district and within an estimated area of 20𝑚2 of rice plot per farm, available mollusc were
collected, identified to species and exposed to artificial light to determine their individual
infectivity with trematode cercariae. A total of 464 consenting rice farmers were recruited
from the eight districts, sensitized and administered structured questionnaireto obtain
demographic and schistosomiasis risk factors data. Urine samples were collected from the
464 rice farmers and analysed by centrifugation and microscopy for the presence and
intensity of Schistosomahaematobiumova. 490 molluscconsisting of six species were
encountered in rice fields which included14(2.86%) Anodonta marginata, 17(3.46%)Bellamya crawshayi, 81(16.53%)Biomphalaria pfeifferi, 80(16.33%) Bulinus
globosus, 128 (26.12%) lymnaea natalensis and170 (34.69%) Melanoides maculata.
Melanoides maculataand lymnaeanatalensiswere dorminant on the rice fields. Three of the
mollusc species Bulinus globosus, Biomphalaria pfeifferi, and lymnaea natalensis have
been implicated as the snail intermediate host of medically important trematode parasite.
None of the mollusc shed cercariae of parasitic trematode. Temperature, electrical
conductivity and total dissolved solids correlated positively with mollusc abundance but
only temperature was significantly correlated.Water pH correlated negatively with snail
abundance throughout the districts. An overall urinary schistosomiasis prevalence of 60.99% and mean intensity of 41.56% eggs/10ml urine were obtained for rice farmers in
the Local Government Area. Prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis differed significantly
(P<0.01;𝑋2= 50.414; df=7) amongst the districts and ranged from 28.21% in Doka to
79.55% in Ankwa district. Prevalence (80.33%) and intensity (45.96% eggs per 10ml
urine) of urinary schistosomiasis amongst female rice farmers were significantly higher
(P<0.01;𝑋2 = 70.512; df=1) than prevalence (40.44%) and mean intensity (32.29
eggs/10ml urine) amongst male farmers. Rice farmers lack of awareness on the importance
of snail or their perception of snail as safe were significantly correlated to prevalence of
urinary schistosomiasis with OR of 2.6 and 2.0 respectivelly. Farmers who felt otherwise to
the presence of snails were also correlated to prevalence with OR of 1.5.The use of stream
water as source of domestic water, swimming and lack of protective wears were also
associated with the disease with respective ORs of 5.5,1.7 and 20.1. The study revealed
very high prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis among rice farmers in Kachia Local
Government Area.It is therefore recommended that mass chemotherapy be embarked upon
in the area to reduce the prevalence of the disease in the population
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN
BIOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
NIGERIA.
Keywords
MALACOLOGICAL STUDY,, RICE FIELD AGRO- ECOSYSTEM,, URINARY SCHISTOSOMIASIS,, RICE FARMERS,, KACHIA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA,, KADUNA STATE,, NIGERIA