Weâ€™re all at Risk of Bladder Cancer

Posted on: Mon 16-11-2015

If you have ever swam, fetched and used water from lakes or slow-moving water, then you may already have Schistosomiasis, a deadly parasitic infection and leading cause of bladder cancer, living in your bladder or Kidney, a recent study reveals.

The study found about 29 million Nigerians currently living with this infection, with high prevalence discovered in school children.

The study is part of the research publication; ‘From Parasites to Parasites: A Parasitologist’s Expedition’, recently published by Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), and reviewed during the 6th Annual scientific conference of the institution. The study author, Head of Molecular Parasitology Research Laboratory, Public Health Division NIMR, Dr. Olaoluwa Akinwale, who revealed these findings, said everyone in Nigeria is at risk of contracting the disease. Unlike the previous notion that the infection is a disease of the poor, the study found the disease present in all States of the federation, with both the rich and poor at risk.

Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is a chronic disease caused by parasitic worms that stays in certain types of freshwater snails. United Nations report say that people who come into contact with water that contains these snails are at risk of the infection. The disease is said to cause renal and bladder dysfunction or liver and intestinal disease, it is said to contribute to anaemia and growth retardation in children and has been linked to bladder cancer.

The researchers carried out research on the prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis, caused by schistosoma haematobium, in various parts of Nigeria and found that children in some communities were urinating blood, an indication of the infection.

One of the researches was conducted in Apojula community situated around Oyan Dam in Ogun State. Urine and blood samples were collected from 63 participants, whose ages ranged between 7 and 63 years. Both samples were collected and screened using parasitological examination and a molecular examination known as-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), for schistosoma haematobium. From the parasitological examination, 33 out of the 63 participants (about 52.4%) tested positive for haematuria in their blood while 6 had the eggs in their urine. A repeat of the test using the PCR, showed 59 participants had the infection in their blood while 62 had it in their urine.

The researchers concluded that there was high prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium, in Apojula community.

Another similar research was conducted in Epe, an urban community in Lagos State. Urine samples were collected from 200 pulpils, aged 6-13 years, attending an anglican primary school- Ebute Afuye, and a community primary school-Eropoto. In both schools, 16% and 29% were found positive for hematuria in their blood, while 16% and 17% had the eggs in their urine, respectively. A PCR molecular test showed that 57% and 40% were positive for the infection in Ebute Afuye, and Eropoto, respectively. From the test, the researchers concluded that schistosomiasis, otherwise considered a rural disease, is actually present in an urban population and it has the risk of spreading.

“When people infected with schistosomiasis parasites urinate or defecate in freshwater, parasite eggs pass from the body. Once in freshwater, the eggs hatch and infect freshwater snails that serve as an intermediate host. The parasites develop and multiply inside the snails. During its larval stage, the parasite emerges from infected snails back into freshwater, where they can survive for about 48 hours. If in contact with a human, the free-swimming larva penetrates the person’s skin. Once in the body, the larvae develop into adult male and female parasites, which can live, mate, and multiply in blood vessels for as long as 7 years. Female parasites release thousands of eggs, some of which are passed out in the urine, in the case of urinary schistosomiasis, or feces in the case of intestinal schistosomiasis. Some eggs remain trapped in body tissues”, Lead researcher, Dr. Akinwale, explained.

Dr. Akinwale, who is also the Director of Research, Neglected Tropical Diseases, said lack of basic amenities increases transmission of disease. According to her, urgent interventions are necessary in order to save the people from the socio-economic effects of the disease.

“There should be simultaneous implementation of control measures in all the endemic communities. The states and local authorities should provide pipe borne water and safe waste disposal system to the communities and this should be accompanied with appropriate health education”, she said.

To control the spread of the disease, she called on government to formulate appropriate policies that will eliminate poverty and illiteracy from the communities, while unhealthy behavior such as eating with dirty hands, urinating in every place, enjoying uncooked meat should be eliminated.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has ranked Schistosomiasis second only to malaria, as the most devastating parasitic disease in sub-Saharan Africa, causing more than 200,000 deaths per year.

By: Franka Osakwe

The National Mirror News

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