Comorbidities with Urinary Schistosomiasis and Malaria in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria

Background and Objective: Malaria and urinary schistosomiasis-individually or as co-infections-remain major public health concerns across Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite their overlapping transmission patterns, data on their co-occurrence in many Nigerian communities remain limited. This study assessed the prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium (S.h) and Plasmodium falciparum (P.f) infections and their coinfections in selected communities of Makurdi, Benue State. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 600 consenting participants from Angwan-Jukun, Agboughul, and Ijaha. Demographic information was obtained through structured questionnaires. Urine and blood samples were collected following standard protocols. P.f infection was detected using the CareStart rapid diagnostic test, while S.h ova were identified using the polycarbonate membrane filtration technique. All samples were analyzed at the Benue State University Zoology Laboratory. Data were processed using Chi-square statistics to determine associations between infection prevalence and demographic variables, with the level of statistical significance set at p<0.05. Results: Overall infection prevalence was 250/600 (41.6%), comprising S.h 129/600 (21.5%), P.f 75/600 (12.5%), and coinfections 46/600 (7.7%). Prevalence varied significantly across the three communities (p<0.05). No significant association was found between sex and infection status (p>0.05), although males showed slightly higher infection frequencies (S.h 49.6%; P.f 30.2%; coinfections 20.2%) than females (S.h 53.7%; P.f 29.8%; coinfections 16.5%). The highest S.h prevalence occurred in participants aged >65 years (4/5; 80.0%), while those aged 55-64 years recorded the highest P.f prevalence (4/5; 80.0%), with no coinfections in these groups. Educational status was significantly associated with infection prevalence (p<0.05). Conclusion: The study reveals a substantial burden of S.h, P.f, and their coinfections in Makurdi, influenced by demographic and educational factors. The findings highlight ongoing risks of overlapping parasitic infections in endemic communities and underscore the need for integrated control strategies and strengthened community health education.