Schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis, also known as snail fever and bilharzia,[1] is a disease caused by parasitic flatworms called schistosomes.[2] The urinary tract or the intestines may be infected.[2] Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stool, or blood in the urine.[2] Those who have been infected for a long time may experience liver damage, kidney failure, infertility, or bladder cancer.[2] In children, it may cause poor growth and learning difficulty.[2]
The disease is caused by contact with fresh water containing the parasites.[2] These parasites are from infected freshwater snails.[2] The disease is very common among children in developing countries, as they are more likely to play in water.[2] Other high-risk groups include farmers, fishermen, and people using unclean water.[2] It is a helminth infections.[3] Eggs of the parasite may be found in urine or stool.[2] Antibodies may also be found in the blood.[2]
To prevent the disease use clean water and reduce snails.[2] The medicine praziquantel may be given once a year to everybody.[2] This will decrease the number of people infected.[2] Praziquantel is also the treatment recommended by the World Health Organization for those who are known to be infected.[2]
Schistosomiasis affected about 252 million people in 2015.[4] An estimated 4,400 to 200,000 people die from it each year.[5][6] The disease is mainly found in Africa, Asia, and South America.[2] About 700 million people, in more than 70 countries, live where the disease is common.[5][7] In tropical countries, schistosomiasis causes a great economic problem.[8] Schistosomiasis is listed as a neglected tropical disease.[9]
Schistosomiasis Media
- Schistosomiasis life cycle.png
Life cycle of Schistosoma spp.
- Trematode lifecycle stages.png
Lifecycle stages of a typical trematode, Schistosoma japonicum.
- Schistosome20043-300.jpg
High-powered detailed micrograph of Schistosoma parasite eggs in human bladder tissue
- Schistosoma japonicum (3) histopathology.JPG
S. japonicum eggs in hepatic portal tract
- Medical Civic Action Program in Shinile Woreda, Ethiopia, 2010 (5119873865).jpg
Ethiopian children treated for Schistosoma mansoni
References
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers at line 630: attempt to index field 'known_free_doi_registrants_t' (a nil value).
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 "Schistosomiasis Fact sheet N°115". World Health Organization. 3 February 2014. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
- ↑ "Chapter 3 Infectious Diseases Related To Travel". cdc.gov. 1 August 2013. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers at line 630: attempt to index field 'known_free_doi_registrants_t' (a nil value).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers at line 630: attempt to index field 'known_free_doi_registrants_t' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers at line 630: attempt to index field 'known_free_doi_registrants_t' (a nil value).
- ↑ "Schistosomiasis A major public health problem". World Health Organization. Archived from the original on 5 April 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
- ↑ The Carter Center. "Schistosomiasis Control Program". Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 17 July 2008.
- ↑ "Neglected Tropical Diseases". cdc.gov. 6 June 2011. Archived from the original on 4 December 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2014.