Welcome to Blogs

SCHISTOSOMIASIS

Schistosomiasis is an infectious disease generally caused due to parasitic worms that live in certain varieties of freshwater snails. These parasites are also known as cercariae. The disease is highly fatal and directly affects the internal organs. However, it is preventable. Skin exposure to infected water can cause schistosomiasis. Another name of schistosomiasis is bilharzia or the snail fever.

Research of WHO says that the diseases affected more than 240 million people all over the world in 2012, especially in sultry and subtropical areas. Schistosomiasis disease is generally found in Egypt and different parts of Africa. It is also common in some areas of Asia and the Caribbean. However, in these areas, the risk factors of the disease are relatively low.

Causes of Schistosomiasis

Skin exposure to freshwater infected with parasitic worms is one of the main cause of schistosomiasis. The disease is not infected by drinking the water, but if the infected water touches the skin, the disease can occur. The main cause of introducing schistosomiasis in clean freshwater is urining or defecating in the water. Another cause of schistosomiasis is a snail.

If certain species of snail are present in that water, it can be affected. When these parasites leave the snails, they infect the water around them. If this water makes any contact with the skin, schistosomiasis can occur. After this all, development of worms occurs inside the body. However, this process may take several weeks. The disease is spread when the egg makes it to the bladder or intestines. Furthermore, the disease only occurs in fresh water such as the lakes, canals, streams, and ponds.

Symptoms of Schistosomiasis

Some signs and symptoms of schistosomiasis may get developed within some days while some may take much time. Some people don’t even experience any symptom or sign in the early stages. Within days of infections, you may feel a rash or itchy skin. While after a month or two, the following symptoms may occur:

• Fever
• Chills
• Muscle aches
• Cough
• Diarrhea
• Bloody urine or feces
• Abdominal pain
• Painful urination
• Enlarged liver or spleen

With the span of time, the disease may affect and cause some serious damage to the liver, bladder, lungs, and intestines. Some other symptoms are inflammation and scarring in the liver, bladder, and intestines. It may also cause anemia or malnutrition. In addition to all these, the disease can also result in learning difficulties. If the disease is not treated, it can also result in seizures or inflammation in the spinal cord. Reaching of parasite eggs to the brain can result in paralysis too.

Diagnosing and Treating Schistosomiasis

If you feel any of the symptom mentioned above, you must seek a doctor. Global Patient Transfer has a list of hospitals, doctors and gastroenterologist who will evaluate you and help you get recovered from this fatal disease. The doctor or healthcare provider will ask that where did you to traveled and take your history. In order to diagnose schistosomiasis, your urine or stool sample will be used to detect the parasite.

Some blood samples might also be taken to determine whether you have a disease or not. But for the result of blood samples, you will have to wait about at least 8 weeks because the process of conversion of egg to the worm is slow. To treat schistosomiasis, different medications such as Praziquantel are used. If you don’t want to take a risk with your health, then get in touch with us to start your treatment as soon as possible.