BACKGROUND: Reagent strip testing for microhaematuria has long been used for community diagnosis of @entity4114 . Sensitivities and specificities are reasonable, and hence, microhaematuria can serve as a proxy for @entity4114 @entity281 . However, assessment of test performance in the context of the underlying @entity4114 prevalence is rare and test parameters other than sensitivity and specificity have been neglected. METHODS: Data about the association between microhaematuria and urine filtration results from three studies were compared and put into context with findings from a recent Cochrane review. Data were stratified by @entity4114 prevalence to identify prevalence-related differences in test performance. Kappa agreement and regression models were employed to compare data for different @entity4114 prevalence categories. RESULTS: We found a "background" prevalence of microhaematuria (13  %, on average) which does not seem to be associated with @entity2040 in most settings, irrespective of the prevalence of @entity4114 . This background level of microhaematuria might be due to cases missed with urine filtration, or alternative causes apart from @entity4114 . Especially in very-low prevalence settings, positive results for microhaematuria likely give an inaccurate picture of the extent of @entity4114 , whereas negative results are a sound indicator for the absence of @entity281 . CONCLUSIONS: Reagent strip testing for microhaematuria remains a good proxy for @entity14454 , but implications of test results and scope of application differ depending on the setting in which reagent strips are employed. In very-low prevalence settings, microhaematuria is an unstable proxy for @entity14454 and treatment decision should not be based on reagent strip test results alone. Our findings underscore the need for highly accurate diagnostic tools for settings targeted for elimination of @entity14454 .

All that is blood is not @entity2040 : experiences with reagent strip testing for XXXX with special consideration to very-low prevalence settings.

@entity281 :: ('MESH:D007239', 'Disease') :: ['infection'] @entity4114 :: ('6185', 'Species') :: ['Schistosoma haematobium', 'S. haematobium'] @entity14454 :: ('MESH:D012553', 'Disease') :: ['urogenital schistosomiasis'] @entity2040 :: ('MESH:D012552', 'Disease') :: ['schistosomiasis']
@entity14454 :: (MESH:D012553,Disease) :: ['urogenital schistosomiasis']
