EVALUATION OF PROTEINURIA IN AN AREA OF BRAZIL ENDEMIC FOR SCHISTOSOMIASIS USING A SINGLE URINE SAMPLE

A two-step protocol was designed to evaluate the frequency of proteinu ria related to Schistosoma mansoni infection in an endemic area, as me asured by the protein/creatinine ratio (P/C R). A pre-test on 32 in-pa tients with renal disease and 20 healthy individuals showed a high cor relation (r=0.948) between the classical measurement of protein excret ion per square metre of body surface during 24 h and the P/C R. The P/ C R was then used to evaluate the frequency of proteinuria in 189 indi viduals in an endemic area in the northeast of Minas Gerais state, Bra zil, with a schistosomiasis prevalence of 49.3% and 3.4% with the hepa tosplenic form. The low prevalence of proteinuria (1.06%) in the studi ed population can be attributed to the accuracy of the method used and to the low prevalence of the hepato-splenic form of schistosomiasis. The P/C R is a reliable and appropriate method for the measurement of proteinuria in field studies.