Schistosomiasis haematobia is among the most prevalent parasitosis in Angola. The pathology is characterized by serious and irreversible lesions in the urogenital tract induced by chronic infection with the parasite that can eventually lead to squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder. Considering the frequency and severe morbidity observed, even in younger ages, the purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and morbidity of S. haematobium infection in Angola. A baseline survey was conducted between November 2007 and February 2008. A randomly sample of 300 inhabitants aged 15 to 75 years old participated in this study. Prevalence of S. haematobium infection was 71.7 % (215/300). Infection was higher in females (56.3 %) but no significant difference was found in prevalence and intensity between gender and age groups. The predominant selfreported symptoms were dysuria (91.2 %), hypogastralgia (88.7 %) and haematuria (87.1%) and these symptoms were strongly associated with S. haematobium infection (p<0.05). Ultrasound and cystoscopy examinations performed in a sub-sample of 29 individuals revealed pathological conditions at the urinary tract in all examined. Considering the high prevalence of S. haematobium infections in Angola and schistosomiasis-associated bladder cancer, our results indicate that this population should be targeted for follow up and implementation of measures for treatment and control of schistosomiasis.
Obstructive uropathy is a common urological problem, with a variety of etiologies, ranging from benign to malignant processes, extrinsic to intrinsic conditions. Its presentation depends largely on the location of the obstructive lesion and the acuity of the obstruction. Lower versus upper urinary tract obstruction present differently. A wide variety of imaging tools can aid in diagnosing the obstructive process and help delineate the etiology and the location of the obstruction. Treatment is geared towards alleviating the obstruction, either by restoring the normal urinary flow within the urinary tract by utilizing a ureteral stent for upper urinary tract obstruction or urethral catheters for lower urinary tract obstruction, or by diverting the urine by placing a percutaneous nephrostomy tube or suprapubic catheters. Pelvic malignancies are a subset of the many causes of obstructive uropathy and have unique considerations in treatment. Future directions in the realm of management of obstructive uropathy should focus on maximizing urinary drainage while minimizing the morbidities associated with the current available treatment options.