Journal of Applied Sciences Research, 4(11): 1610-1617, 2008 © 2008, INSInet Publication Prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis and Infections withTrematode larval stages in Bulinus truncatus Snails from Qena Upper Egypt 1.2Abdel-Nasser A. Hussein and 2Saad M. Bin-Dajem 1Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, South Valley University. Qena, Egypt. 2Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University. Abha, Saudi Arabia. Abstract: To detect the prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis and Bulinus truncatus snail, 150 urine samples and 837 B. truncatus snails were collected from Qena Governorate in Upper Egypt. Infection rates were 15.7% (age-period 8-17 years) among males and 20.7% among females (age-period 9-14 years). The highest collected snails number was found in January and seasonally in autumn, but November and winter have the highest infection- peak. Generally, 1.9% of B. truncatus had been harboured one or more trematode larvae. Schistosome infection was found in 8 (0.96%) and 6 (0.72%) as single and double infection. Echinostome cercariae and xiphidiocercariae have represented as other trematodes infection. Key words: INTRODUCTION Africa, the Middle East, South America and South East Asia, and in addition to more than 600 million people Schistosomiasis: is the most important helminth- are at risk[6,31,27]. About six million Egyptians of the parasitic disease of human and domestic livestock. rural population have the infection[8]. Among humans Schistosomiasis is in focus of WHO because of its S. mansoni infections are 21.5% and 13.8% of males socioeconomic and public health importance in tropical and females, respectively[17]. Thus it remains one of the and subtropical areas, morbidity and mortality and most serious public health problems in rural Egypt. The cercariae are agents of swimmer's itch. Also, it has an excretion of eggs of S. haematobium in 1,400 boys especially detrimental effect on the growth and living in three villages in Upper Egypt had been development of school-age children. It is easily studied[21]. Two large villages were chosen in Menoufia transmit into developed countries from developing Governorate (El-Garda village & Salamoniya). As a countries, in which it is an endemic disease. Bulinus whole, schistosomiasis (S. mansoni) infection rates species snails are well-known intermediate hosts of were much higher in Salamoniya village (27.9%) and urinary tract. schistosomiasis: in Egypt. The 8.1% in El-Garda[20]. epidemiology of schistosomiasis in Egypt over a 5000 A survey for S. haematobium in the village of year period. Evidence from mummies demonstrates the El-Gezira El-Shakra and pupils enrolled in the El- presence of this disease in ancient Egypt[4,7,23]. Gezira El-Shakra village primary school, El-Saf district Schistosomiasis has been shown to be a major social in the Upper Egypt Giza Governorate. Urine was and medical problem in women (Genital screened by a polycarbonate filtration method. The schistosomiasis), possibly enhancing the transmission of prevalence of S. haematobium infection in the HIV. Other organs (such as lungs, spinal cord, and population sample and the school children was 7.4% brain can also be involved. The similarities of and 10.6%, respectively. The prevalence of infection symptoms are problematic because of the sensitivity in was highest in the younger age groups, and males sexually transmitted diseases[12,2]. Also those eight cases (10.6%) were infected more than females (4.3%)[29]. of spinal cord schistosomiasis reported in Egypt. Health questionnaires and parasitologic examinations of Diagnosis was established by identification of ova in urine and stool samples were evaluated from a histopathologic studies[28]. Up to 75% of women with stratified random sample of 89, 180 individuals in 9 urinary tract schistosomiasis have S. haematobium ova governorates of Egypt to investigate the prevalence of in the genitals[22]. infection with Schistosoma sp. in Egypt. Prevalence of Human infection, an estimated 200 million people S. haematobium in 4 governorates in Upper Egypt in actually infected with bilharzias in 74 countries in which it is endemic ranged from 4.8% to 13.7% and Corresponding Author: Abdel-Nasser A. Hussein, Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University. 9004 Abha, Saudi Arabia. Mobile: +966/555835233, Fax +966/7/2290165, E-mail: [email protected] 1610 J. Appl. Sci. Res., 4(11): 1610-1617, 2008 averaged 7.8%. Age stratified prevalence of infection in the Cameroon Western highland crater lakes. These peaked at 15.7% in the 10-14-year-old age-group and observations justify the absence of transmission foci decreased to 3.5-5.5% in all groups more than 25 years (for urinary tract schistosomiasis) in this area[26]. A of age. Males had higher infection rates than females total of 2802 molluscs of different species from two in all age groups. The prevalence and intensity of fishponds and one swamp in Czech Republic were infection with S. haematobium was low in endemic examined, 951 (33.9%) were found to be infected with Upper Egypt governorates[9]. One of the most important larval trematodes of 28 species[11]. In a study carried study has strongly mentioned the situation of out on Biomphalaria alexandrina snails about infections schistosomiasis (S. mansoni), in Nile Delta of Egypt, with S. mansoni in Qena, Egypt, 0.48% was the but no work was done about S. haematobium during infection percentage out of 2070 snail examined[17]. the mentioned study[10]. Very few research papers have been done Qena Governorate is one of the included areas in concerning infections of fresh-water snails in a big research-project study of epidemiology of Egypt,[16,18] in Qena;[30] in Giza, Egypt. schistosomiasis, 34 ezba (small hamlet) and ten To the best of our knowledge, no information are villages. Parasitologic examination of urine and stool found in the literature on the infection of B. truncatus were made for S. haematobium and S. mansoni, snails especially in Qena Governorate, Upper Egypt, respectively. The overall estimated prevalence of S. and also study of schistosomiasis that covers nearly all haematobium was 4.8 ± 0.7%. Considerable variation districts of Qena are absent. Inaddition to the social in prevalence was observed between the villages and and medical problem of genital schistosomiasis, the ezbas, ranging from 0.0% to 20%, with the smaller present study is aims to accurately predict age/gender ezbas having a slightly higher overall prevalence. The specific intensity profiles of endemic urinary tract age- and sex-specific patterns of S. haematobium schistosomiasis infections, and to determine the showed -in early adolescence- males have a higher infection rate and kinds of snail-emerged ceracriae from prevalence than females[15]. A study of S. mansoni different localities in Qena Governorate. infections among humans and prevalence between Biomphalaria alexandrina snails revealed 0.48% MATERIALS AND METHODS infection among snails and 21.5% and 13.8% among males and females, respectively[17]. Study Site: The governorate of Qena is located in Fresh-water snails are the intermediate hosts of Upper Egypt, about 608 km at the South of Cairo. It schistosomiasis, studies deal with the infection are very extends over a distance of 240 km (Fig. 1a), and is rear; B. truncatus (Audouin) were infected with bordered on the north by the Sohag Governorate, on schistosome parasites. Infected B. truncatus occurred in the south by Asswan, on the east by Red sea and on 2 (4.8%) of the 42 sites surveyed. Snail infection was west El-Wadi El-Gadied. According to estimation 2004, highest (6.2%) from May to July and lowest (3.0%) about 2,800 milion people (inhabitants) are living in from February to April. The number of infected snails Qena governorate. Also This Governorate is still nearly increased with density. The snail population peaked in virgin of such studies. June while the smallest number was collected in March. The seasonality of the snail population was Collection and Examination of Urine Samples: Urine attributed to changes in the rainfall pattern[1]. In the samples were collected from seven different localities western Cameroon crater lakes, a study to assess the belongs to four districts as follows: Nag Ahmed role of snails belonging to the Bulinus sp. that Bekheet, Nag El-Rebba, Abu-Tesht city (Abu-Tesht), identified as B. natalensis or B. tropicus in the Gezeret Armant El-Hate (Armant) and El-Shaghab transmission of urinary tract schistosomiasis in (Isna). In all districts, the main activities are agriculture Cameroon. The percentage infection of snails and pastoralism, but Qena district (El-Tramsa, Qena challenged ranged from 03.33 to 06.00% for Nchout city) is more urbanized (Fig. 1b). A total of 150 urine Monoun population and from 01.85 to 04.76% for samples were collected, including 29 females and 121 Monoun Ngouondam population. No progeny from males and 10 to 15 year-old subjects in females and 8 Petponoun-East and Petponoun-West were to 17 years-old males. A urine sample per subject was experimentally successfully infected with S. collected and personal data (name, sex, and age) were haematobium. All the 351 snails dissected were noted on delivery of the container. Urinary tract euphallic. Previous malacological surveys revealed the specimens were transported to the laboratory within 1-3 absence of Bulinus sp. naturally infected with human hours of collection. In the laboratory, each urine schistosomes. These results suggested that Bulinus sp. sample was concentrated by the sedimentation into was not susceptible to infection with S. haematobium sedimentation glass[19]. 1611 J. Appl. Sci. Res., 4(11): 1610-1617, 2008 Numbers indicate the localities in which human stools have been sampled (N = sample size M\F) 1: Nag. Ahmed Bekheet (N=18\8); 2: Nag.