Schistosoma Haematobium

Schistosoma Haematobium General Information

Bilharzia is a more common term for a widely spread parasitic clinical illness known as Schistosomiasis. The presence of this medical disorder is known to be caused by some types of trematodes that belong to the Schistosoma genus. Humans are known to be prone to developing infections due to 4 of the most common species of Schistoma trematodes. They are: S. japonicum, S. mekongi S. mansoni (these three are known to affect the patient’s intestines, causing an intestinal form of Schistomiasis), and also S. Haematobium (which causes the urinary form of Schistomiasis).

Schistosoma Haematobium is often a chronic medical disorder that can easily lead to cancer, kidney damage, secondary infections, pain, and so on. Humans have been suffering from this medical disorder for over 4000 years. Ancient Egyptians had a specific hieroglyph to define this disorder. The transmission of this medical disorder is known to generally occur in slow moving or stagnant fresh water. Here is where the infected bulinus snails are expected to live. Populations that are widely exposed to water (women who fetch water from home, farmers who work in irrigation canals, fishermen, and so on) are very prone to developing this medical disorder. Through the building of irrigation canals or dams, humans are creating new, anthropogenic habitats for the infected snails. In this way, the rate of transmission to the nearby populations is a high risk.

The adult male pathogen that is responsible for the developing of this medical disorder (commonly known as Schistosoma Haematobium) is about 1.25 cm long. They present deep grooves in which the adult female pathogen lays its eggs. The female pathogen is a bit longer than the male one (as it measures almost 2 cm); its body is also more slender.

Schistosoma Haematobium Symptoms

In the early stages of this medical disorder the infected patient generally complains of the presence of hives or that of swimmer’s itch (an itchy popular skin rash). Another common symptom for Schistosoma Haematobium is the presence of swelling, which generally lasts for 3 days. A couple of months (or weeks) after the individual has become infected with the pathogen that is responsible for this medical disorder he or she will present eosinophilia, enlarged spleen, enlarged liver, hepatitis, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, and so on. In some cases, the patients presented pulmonary symptoms – however, these were only rare clinical cases. The symptoms of Schistosoma Haematobium are known to generally last for a couple of weeks (however, they should not exceed 21 days). Not every patient who has become infected with this clinical disorder will present the initial symptoms of this disease (the ones that are present in the disorder’s early stages).

After years or months since the patient has been infected, he or she will experience difficult or painful urination, hematuria (blood in the urine), kidney damage, urethral obstruction, and sometimes even elephantiasis of penis. About 60% of all individuals who present the long term form of this infectious medical disorder present a certain type of urinary tract abnormality when examined. Among the most common complications of Schistosoma Haematobium is the presence of chronic urinary tract infections of a bacterial cause. The patient’s bladder may also develop polyps, tubercles, sandy patches, ulcers, leukoplakia, cystitis cystica (these are visible during the endoscopic clinical evaluation). The presence of squamous cell carcinoma (bladder cancer) is also a complication of this medical disorder. For further information regarding this matter, alert your personal health care provider.

Schistosoma Haematobium Treatment

While the medication therapy is effective and it is able to kill the pathogens that are already in the human organism, it is unable to prevent the individual from experiencing further infections of this kind. For this reason, all patients who have been diagnosed with Schistosoma Haematobium should start developing prevention strategies in order to avoid a reoccurrence of this disorder. Repeated therapy trials may be required for the same purpose.

The presence of a long term form of this infectious medical disorder (generally known as Schistosoma Haematobium) may result in irreversible damage to the individual’s urinary tract system (due to prolonged inflammation, calcification, chronic fibrosis, tissue damage, and so on). In cases of obstruction, or if the individual presents formed strictures, he or she may have to undergo corrective surgery. Some individuals who had been diagnosed with the presence of this inflammatory medical disorder had to undergo kidney transplants (especially in the case of patients whose disorder was associated with renal failure). Bladder cancer (a complication of this infectious medical disorder) may be treated with surgery, radiation therapy and / or chemotherapy.

It is very important to teach patients who are living in endemic regions how they should avoid becoming infected with this medical condition (Schistosoma Haematobium). This is more important for individuals who frequently come in direct contact with water). The presence of a safe water supply is imperative. The use of molluscides may be employed in order to effectively kill the infected snails. However, the health of the humans and the damage that this will do to the surrounding ecosystem should be taken in consideration before this poison is applied. Another way of diminishing the number of infected snails is the “planting” of snail predators and / or snail pathogens. This is generally effective in reducing the risks of developing this medical disorder. The use of a topical medical product (Niclosamide) – its cream / lotion form, that should be applied all over the patient’s skin before he or she goes into the water is known to reduce his or her chances of becoming infected with the pathogen that causes Schistosoma Haematobium.