Schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis, also known as snail fever, bilharzia, and Katayama fever is a tropical disease, specifically a helminthiasis caused by the parasitic flatworm of the genus Schistosoma. Schistosomiasis affects humans as well as other animals. It affects the urinary tract or the intestines. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stool, or blood in the urine. Those who have had a schistosomiasis infection for a long time may experience liver damage, kidney failure, infertility, or bladder cancer. In children, schistosomiasis may cause failure to thrive, poor growth, and learning difficulties. Schistosomiasis is classified as a helminth infection. Schistosomiasis is spread by contact with fresh water contaminated with parasites released from infected freshwater snails. Medical diagnosis is made by finding the parasite's eggs in a person's urine or stool. Diagnosis can also be confirmed by finding antibodies against the disease in the blood. Methods of preventing the disease include improving access to clean water and reducing the number of snails. In areas where the disease is common, the medication praziquantel may be given once a year to the entire at-risk group. This is done to decrease the number of people infected, and consequently, the spread of the disease. Praziquantel is also the treatment recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for those who are known to be infected. The disease is especially common among children in developing countries, as children there are more likely to play in contaminated water. Schistosomiasis is also common among women, as they generally have greater exposure through daily chores that involve water, such as washing clothes and fetching water. Other high-risk groups include farmers, fishermen, and people using unclean water during daily living. In 2019, schistosomiasis impacted approximately 236.6 million individuals across the globe. Each year, it is estimated that between 4,400 and 200,000 individuals succumb to it....