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]