[Value of macroscopic urine examination and reagent strips for the detection of hematuria and proteinuria in the mass diagnosis of urinary schistosomiasis, before and after treatment]

Abstract

In this study, dip-stick examination for the detection of hematuria and proteinuria, and macroscopic examination of the urine as diagnostic methods for mass screening for urinary schistosomiasis, were compared with the technique of urinary filtration for Schistosoma haematobium eggs. Dip-sticks and macroscopic examination were proved to be simple and rapid. Before treatment, the revealing of hematuria by dip-stick was shown to be a sensitive method by comparison with filtration, but it is not specific. The tests for proteinuria, and macroscopic examination are more specific, but less sensitive. Nevertheless, all these methods give similar prevalences as distributed by age groups. Dip-sticks and macroscopic exams could therefore be duly considered for the detection of new high endemic regions. After treatment, these methods result in less valid prevalences than those obtained by filtration, but their specificity increases; they become good indicators of clinical improvement.