Occurrence of urinary schistosomiasis in the greater Rustenburg area, North West province, an area not typical for endemic bilharzia

The prevalence of urinary schlstosomiasis, caused in humans by the helminth Schistosoma haematobium, was determined in children attending 12 schools in the Rustenburg area, which is generally regarded as atypical for the occurrence of this disease. Cases of schistosomiasis were detected in nine of the schools. No significant differences in the prevalence of infection were found between most of these schools. Where there were significant differences, no epidemiological explanation was evident. Haematuria, a phenomenon associated predominantly with high intensities of infection with S. haematobium, was detected in only a minority of the children.