0000000001138662
AUTHOR
Takafira Mduluza
Female genital schistosomiasis--a differential diagnosis to sexually transmitted disease: genital itch and vaginal discharge as indicators of genital Schistosoma haematobium morbidity in a cross-sectional study in endemic rural Zimbabwe.
OBJECTIVE To examine the association between schistosomiasis and reproductive tract symptoms. METHOD A cross-sectional study was conducted in a Schistosoma haematobium-endemic area of rural Zimbabwe. A total of 483 permanently resident adult women of Mupfure Ward aged 20-49 were interviewed and examined clinically, each providing three consecutive urine samples. Logistic regression analysis was used to control for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). RESULTS Women with genital sandy patches had significantly more genital itch (P = 0.009) and perceived their discharge as abnormal (P = 0.003). Eighty percent of the women who had genital itch, yellow discharge, and childhood or current waterb…
The first community-based report on the effect of genital Schistosoma haematobium infection on female fertility.
A cross-sectional study in an Schistosoma haematobium endemic area of rural Zimbabwe examined 483 resident women between the ages of 20 and 49 years who were interviewed about fertility. S. haematobium ova in genital tissue was found to be significantly associated with infertility.