Schistosomiasis, Schistosomiasis

The World Health Organization is promoting these efforts. In some cases, urbanization, pollution, and/or consequent destruction of snail habitat has reduced exposure, with a subsequent decrease in new infections. The most common way of getting schistosomiasis in developing countries is by wading or swimming in lakes, ponds and other bodies of water that are infested with the snails (usually of the Biomphalaria , Bulinus , or Oncomelania genus) that are the natural reservoirs of the Schistosoma pathogen.

Russell Stothard who heads the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative at the Natural History Museum, London. His report abstract may be found here: [1] Tissue biopsy (rectal biopsy for all species and biopsy of the bladder for S. haematobium ) may demonstrate eggs when stool or urine examinations are negative.

The efficacy of Praziquantel was proven to be about 8 times that of Mirazid and therefore it was not recommeded as a suitable agent to control schistosomiasis. http://www.ajtmh.org/cgi/content/full/72/2/119 Experiments have shown medicinal castor oil as an oral anti-penetration agent to prevent schistosomiasis and that Praziquantel's effectiveness depended upon the vehicle used to administer the drug (e.g., Cremophor / Castor oil).

From the late 1950s through the early 1980s, infected villagers were treated with repeated shots of tartar emetic. It has been hypothesized that this campaign unintentionally spread the Hepatitis C virus via unclean needles. Egypt has the world's highest Hepatitis C infection rate, and the infection rates in various regions of the country closely track the intensity of the Schistosomiasis campaign. Arthur Allen.

Source: Wikipedia > Schistosomiasis