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Ency. home > Disease > S > Schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Bilharzia; Katayama fever; Swimmer's itch; Blood fluke

Symptoms

  • Symptoms vary with the species of worm and the phase of infection.
  • Initial invasion of the skin may cause itching and a rash (swimmer's itch).
  • Heavy infestation may cause fever, chills, lymph node enlargement, and liver and spleen enlargement.
  • Urinary symptoms may include frequency, painful urination (dysuria), and blood in urine (hematuria).
  • Intestinal symptoms include abdominal pain and diarrhea (which may be bloody).

Signs and Tests

  • Test for schistosome eggs in urine
  • Test for schistosome eggs in stool
  • Biopsy of tissue suspected of having infection
  • Anemia
  • High eosinophil count in blood
  • Low platelets
  • Urinalysis
  • Antibody test

Ency. home > Disease > S > Schistosomiasis

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