Case Report of Urinary Schistosomiasis in a Returned Traveler in Korea.

A 23-year-old Korean woman with a residence history in Kenya and Malawi for about 2 years presented with gross hematuria for 1 month. Blood tests were within normal range except eosinophilia. Asymmetrically diffuse wall thickening and calcification were observed at the urinary bladder on CT. Multiple erythematous nodular lesions were observed in the cystoscopy and transurethral resection was done. Numerous eggs of Schistosoma haematobium with granulomatous inflammation were observed in the submucosal layer of the bladder. The patient was diagnosed with schistosomiasis-related cystitis and treated with praziquantel (40 mg/kg/day) twice before and after transurethral resection. This case suggests that S. haematobium infection should be considered as a cause of hematuria in Korea when the patient had a history of traveling endemic areas of schistosomiasis.

Parasitic Hematuria: Six Cases in a Row in a Single Centre in Spain.

Most cases of urogenital parasitosis are registered in Africa. However, migration movements and travellers moving from developed to developing countries are responsible for leading to an increased incidence of genitourinary infections caused by parasites in the western world including Spain having serious economic and health implications. The importance of its early detection and treatment also results from its potential risk for infertility, susceptibility for HIV infection and the development of bladder cancer. The most common presentation symptom is terminal haematuria, and when diagnosed, praziquantel is the treatment of choice. We report a series of 6 cases of urinary schistosomiasis that happened in a single centre in Spain and reminds the importance of having the infection in mind in certain cases of haematuria study.

Testicular Schistosomiasis Mimicking Malignancy in a Child: A Case Report.

Schistosomiasis is an important communicable disease in the developing world. However, testicular schistosomiasis is an extremely rare condition. We report a case of testicular schistosomiasis mimicking testicular tumour in a 13 year old who presented with huge unilateral testicular mass. The dilemma encountered in the diagnosis and treatment of this child is presented to highlight the need for high index of suspicion of this pathology in children with testicular mass presenting from schistosomiasis-endemic areas.

Schistosomiasis-an endemic parasitic waterborne disease.

Schistosomiasis (or bilharzia) is a chronic waterborne disease caused by parasitic worms or schistosoma in the tropics and sub tropics. Five main species exist, and common to all is its transmission to humans as a result of exposure to infested fresh water, into which the cercariae of the parasite are released by freshwater snails. With the rise of tourism and travel, more people are travelling to countries where schistosomiasis is a risk. Schistosoma haematobium is responsible for urogenital schistosomiasis, in which manifestations range from acute hypersensitivity reactions to bladder disease in the detection of which the nurse cystoscopist can have a significant role. Treatment is highly effective, and the diagnosis should be considered in individuals with possible clinical illness who have travelled to or lived in endemic areas.

[A western cohort of urinary schistosomiasis]. / Bilharziose urinaire : une série française.

UNLABELLED: Urinary schistosomiasis is very frequent, but there are few data upon its epidemiology in western countries. We wanted to describe the cohort from Tenon hospital, in Paris, France, near a big subsaharian community. METHODS: We searched in our clinical files database for "urinary schistosomiasis" encoding. RESULTS: The cohort comprised 207 men and 34 women seen for the first time at the mean age of 34, mainly for haematuria or LUTS. Patients were mainly native from subsaharian Africa. The lost to follow up rate was 54%. Diagnosis was made on sole endoscopic finding in half of the cases. For non-tumor pathology, were made seven cystoplasties et 12 ureteral dilations. Tumoral pathology was frequent and severe (15/81 from the same age range), mainly represented by urothelial histology (8/14). Imported cases were rare (five cases). CONCLUSION: Despite its limitations, different characteristics from this cohort seemed noticeable: frequency of sole lower urinary tract symptoms, frequency and severity of tumoral diseases, mainly with urothelial carcinoma as histology.

A rare parasitic infection in Turkey: schistosomiasis. Case report.

Schistosomiasis is a water-borne parasitic disease. It is endemic in tropical and subtropical countries mainly in Africa and the eastern Mediterranean region. We report a case of a 37-year-old male who attended our hospital for terminal hematuria and irritative voiding symptoms. Schistosoma haematobium eggs were found in his urine sediment. He underwent transurethral resection of the bladder. Pathological study confirmed the existence of vesical schistosomiasis. S. haematobium cases are rarely seen in Turkey. Epidemiological and clinical significance of S. haematobium has been discussed.

Testicular schistosomiasis: a case report.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To report a case of testicular Schistosomiasis with a suspicion of testicular cancer. PATIENT AND METHODS: Hospital record of a 16 year old patient with histopathology confirmation of testicular Schistosomiasis was reviewed and summarised. The patient who had painless testicular nodules and ultrasound features of heterogenous echotexture and hypoechoic focus was diagnosed as testicular cancer and treated with radical orchidectomy. Histopathology confirmed testicular Schistosomiasis and the patient had additional praziquantel therapy. RESULTS: Patient was followed up for over 26months post-operative. CONCLUSIONS: Testicular Schistosomiasis can mimick malignant testicular tumour. Hard nodular testicular mass in a patient with recent past history of schistosomiasis should arouse suspicion of testicular Schistosomiasis. Awareness and early presentation will prevent unwarranted orchidectomy.

Urologic complications of genitourinary schistosomiasis.

OBJECTIVES: To provide systematic review of the literature on the long-standing complications of genitourinary schistosomiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The PubMed literature database was searched from inception to December 2010. The following keywords were used: schistosomiasis, bilharziasis, and genitourinary. Only English language publications were utilized. RESULTS: Variable tissue reactions to bilharzial eggs with subsequent healing or progression and complications in the urinary tract mainly affect the urinary bladder and pelvic segments of the ureters. These lesions may assume an atrophic, proliferative, or neoplastic pattern. Although the pathology is usually extensive in the submucosal, all layers from the mucous membrane through deep to the perivesical or periureteral tissues may be involved. Main fixed bilharzial urologic sequelae include chronic bladder ulcers, leucoplakia, vesical granuloma, contracted bladder, bladder neck contracture, stricture ureters, and bladder carcinoma. These sequelae may lead to marked morphologic and functional changes of the urinary tract, and ultimately, mortality can follow from renal failure or bladder cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary schistosomiasis is a preventable disease through nationwide snail control and mass therapy with oral antibilharzial drugs. If not properly treated, long-standing urinary complications may result in serious sequelae that may lead to mortality from renal failure or bladder cancer.

[Bilharziasis and urinary lithiasis: a study of 23 cases at the Gabriel Toure Hospital]. / Bilharziose urinaire et lithogenese: etude de 23 cas au CHU Gabriel Toure.

AIMS: Describe the clinical and therapeutic aspects of urinary stone on bilharziosis in the teaching hospital Gabriel Toure. METHOD: It was about a prospective study done from January 1st to December 31, 2007 on all patients presenting a urinary stone with history of bilharziosis treated in the service of urology at the teaching hospital Gabriel Toure. Lost patients during the study were not included. RESULTS: We brought together 23 cases of urinary stone on history of urinary bilharziosis. The mean age of our patients was 31 years with extreme of 10 and 64 years. Sex-ratio was 22 for men. Renal colic was the most frequent motive of consultation (30.4%). Fiver has been detected in 56.5% of cases.Stone has a renal localisation in 10 patients (43.5%), ureteral in 9 patients (39.1%) and vesical in 4(17.4%). Urine analysis has found following germs: Schistosoma haematobium (4 cases), positive cocci gram (3 cases), Enterococcus faecalis (1 case) and negative cocci gram (1 case). Moderate renal insufficiency has been detected in 4 patients (17.4%). Treatment has been surgical in 21 patients(91.3%). Nephrolithotomy was done in 7 patients (33.3%), ureterolithotomy in 7 others, cystolithotomyin 3 patients (14.3%), nephrectomy in 2 patients (9.5%), uretero-vesical reimplantation in 2 others. CONCLUSION: The assessment of bilharziosis may decrease the frequency and prevent numerous and disastrous complications of urinary bilharziosis.

Increased iron stores correlate with worse disease outcomes in a mouse model of schistosomiasis infection.

Schistosomiasis is a significant parasitic infection creating disease burden throughout many of the world's developing nations. Iron deficiency anemia is also a significant health burden resulting from both nutritional deficit as well as parasitic infection in these countries. In this study we investigated the relationships between the disease outcomes of Schistosoma japonicum infection and iron homeostasis. We aimed to determine if host iron status has an effect on schistosome maturation or egg production, and to investigate the response of iron regulatory genes to chronic schistosomiasis infection. Wild-type C57BL/6 and Transferrin Receptor 2 null mice were infected with S. japonicum, and sacrificed at the onset of chronic disease. Transferrin Receptor 2 null mice are a model of type 3 hereditary hemochromatosis and develop significant iron overload providing increased iron stores at the onset of infection. The infectivity of schistosomes and egg production was assessed along with the subsequent development of granulomas and fibrosis. The response of the iron regulatory gene Hepcidin to infection and the changes in iron status were assessed by real-time PCR and Western blotting. Our results show that Hepcidin levels responded to the changing iron status of the animals, but were not significantly influenced by the inflammatory response. We also show that with increased iron availability at the time of infection there was greater development of fibrosis around granulomas. In conclusion, our studies indicate that chronic inflammation may not be the primary cause of the anemia seen in schistosomiasis, and suggest that increased availability of iron, such as through iron supplementation, may actually lead to increased disease severity.

[Urinary parasitosis]. / Parasitoses urinaires.

Parasites are rarely localized only in the urinary system. Schistosoma haematobium infection is very frequent in tropical Africa; it is revealed by a hematuria. Most hydatic cysts are localized in the liver, but a renal infection is possible. Other parasitoses (filariasis, malaria) often result in immune complex glomerulonephritis and are cured by specific treatment of the parasites.

Therapeutic and operational profiles of metrifonate and praziquantel in Schistosoma haematobium infection.

A systematic analysis of the existing literature has been undertaken to compare the therapeutic and operational profiles of metrifonate (CAS 52-68-6), and praziquantel (CAS 55-268-74-1), two anti-schistosomal compounds. The criteria evaluated were therapeutic efficacy against Schistosoma haematobium and other helminths, impact on pathology commonly associated with S. haematobium infection, frequency, type and duration of adverse reactions, health risk associated with inadvertent overdosage, applicability and practicality of treatment in various medical settings, tolerance and resistance, pharmacological properties, toxicity and economic aspects. It is concluded that both medical and operational criteria indicate that praziquantel is superior to metrifonate for the treatment of schistosomiasis caused by S. haematobium. Since, compared to praziquantel, metrifonate has a number of disadvantages, future antischistosomal chemotherapy can do without this drug.

Schistosomiasis in the Senegal River Basin: before and after the construction of the dams at Diama, Senegal and Manantali, Mali and future prospects.

Ecological changes in the Senegal River Basin (SRB) resulting from the construction of a barrage at Diama, Senegal on the Senegal River to prevent the intrusion of sea water into the river, and a dam at Manantali, Mali on the Bafing River to control the flow of water and to generate electricity, have been responsible for changes in the epidemiology of human schistosomiasis. The introduction of Schistosoma mansoni into the Lower and Middle Valleys of the SRB and subsequent spread of the parasite in the human population is recorded with regard to prevalence and intensity. New foci of S. haematobium are described. The reduction in salinity and change from an acidic to an alkaline environment in the water are beneficial to both the fecundity and growth of freshwater snails and transmission of the parasite. The creation of new irrigation canals and expansion of the rice fields have provided new habitats for intermediate hosts to colonize. The evidence for praziquantel resistance/tolerance by populations of S. mansoni and the possibilities of the development, production and testing of a vaccine against human schistosomiasis are discussed. Future studies will monitor the spread of human urinary and mesenteric schistosomiasis in the SRB, will evaluate further the presence of praziquantel resistance/tolerance in S. mansoni, will examine the heavily infected human population for pathological symptoms and determine the most appropriate methods to control this severe outbreak of human schistosomiasis.