Schistosoma Japonicum

Schistosoma Japonicum 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: Schistosoma 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 Japonicum is a common clinical term that defines a common parasite that is considered to be one of the most important infectious agents that are responsible for the development of an infectious medical disorder widely referred to as Schistosomiasis. This type of pathogen can infect at least 31 species of wild animals (mammals, to be more precise), including 16 rodents, one primate, three artiodactyls, 9 carnivores, two insectivores, and so on. Some scientists consider this type of parasite a true zoonosis. The worms that are known to cause S. Japonicum are of yellow brown or of yellow color. The male pathogens are larger than the other types of parasites that cause Schistosomiasis. The female parasite is known to measure 2 cm. The dorsale surface of the male parasite is ridged and it presents a spongy appearance. The female’s integument is pitted and rigged. The parasite’s eggs are released in the feces. If they come in direct contact with water, they become miracidia (free swimming larvae). The larva has to infect a snail that belongs to the Oncomelaria hupensis family within the following couple of days.

Schistosoma Japonicum Symptoms

Autopsies are known to generally show the presence of a histopathological image of an old condition of this kind – a Schistosomiasis. This is suggested by the deposition of calcified eggs in the patient’s colonic submucosa. The most common way of diagnosing the presence of this medical condition (Schistosoma Japonicum) is through the presence of eggs of the parasite in the patient’s urine and / or stool. If the presence of this infectious medical disorder is suspected, the individual ought to undergo immediate stool examination. This type of clinical evaluation may be performed on a common smear (it requires 1 to 2 mg of the patient’s fecal waste). As the eggs may be passed in small amounts, intermittently, and so on, the detection of their presence may only appear after several clinical evaluations of this kind. In some cases, the patient was diagnosed with the presence of this infectious medical condition (Schistosoma Japonicum) with the help of a concentration procedure (including the technique that employs formalin - ethyl acetate). Another way to identify the presence of egg output may be performed through the Kato-Katz technique (that requires the presence of 20 to 50 g of fecal waste).

Parasite eggs can also be found in the individual’s urine. The detection of their presence will be enhanced through examination of the sediment that has remained after the sample has undergone centrifugation. With the help of a filtration membrane (called a nucleopore membrane) the quantification of the eggs may be acquired. Another clinical evaluation that is widely employed in the diagnosis of Schistosoma Japonicum is the tissue biopsy (in such cases, the most common biopsy is the rectal one). Although the urine or stool sample testing may not provide accurate results, this diagnosing procedure may prove more effective.

Schistosoma Japonicum Treatment

A patient who is following a therapy with this medical product (in order to treat his or her condition of Schistosoma Japonicum or any other clinical disorders) should employ extra caution while driving or performing any dangerous activities, as the intake of this medical remedy is known to trigger dizziness. Each dose of this medicine should be accompanied with a glass of liquid. You should try to take your doses of this drug with food. It is strictly forbidden for any individual who is using this drug on a regular basis to chew and / or crush the tablets of Praziquantel. It is important to try and swallow them whole, as they have been especially designed to gradually release their ingredients in the patient’s organism. For this reason, any damage that is done to the capsule of Praziquantel will affect the medicine’s effectiveness against Schistosoma Japonicum.

This medication is known to be a category B FDA pregnancy medication. In other words, a therapy with this medicine should not cause any harm to the growing fetus if it is taken in by a pregnant female. However, we recommend all pregnant females to seek professional assistance if they want to benefit from the effects of a therapy with this drug. The use of this medical product has not been approved for children who are younger than 4 years of age. A patient who is following a prolonged therapy with Praziquantel for his or her Schistosoma Japonicum may experience some of the side effects of this medicine. The most common of them include: abdominal discomfort, abdominal upset, dizziness, headaches, weakness, fever, hives or other symptoms that are commonly associated with the presence of an allergic reaction to one or more of this medicine’s ingredients.