Schistosomiasis Flashcards
What is Schistosomiasis?
Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is a disease caused by parasitic worms. Schistosomiasis ranks second to malaria as the most common parasitic disease in Africa.
Two forms of Schistosomiasis:
There are two forms of the disease namely:
I) intestinal schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma mansoni and S. japonicum, and
II) urinary schistosomiasis caused by S. haematobium.
- Infection with Schistosomes may present as an acute infection or as a chronic disease.
Alternate names for Schistosomiasis.
Bilharziasis, bilharzia, bilharziosis, and snailfeveror, in the acute form, Katayamafeverare alternate names for schistosomiasis.
A parasitic disease caused by flukes (trematodes) of the genusSchistosoma.
Schistosomiasis
The 5 main species of Schistosomiasis
- Schistosoma Mansoni [lateral spine]
- Schistosoma Japonicum
- Schistosoma Mekongi
- Schistosoma Intercalatum
- Schistosoma Haematobium [terminal spine]
What are the RISK FACTORS for Schistosomiasis?
- Wading or swimming in lakes, ponds, and other bodies of water that are infested with snails.
- Finishing [both men and women]
- Women washing clothes in infested water are at risk
- People with STIs
The life cycle of Schistosomiasis
- Parasite eggs are released by way of urine or defecation into the environment from infected individuals.
- The eggs hatch on contact with fresh water to release the free-swimming miracidium
- Miracidium penetrates a water snail tissue where it develops into cercaria
- Cercaria is release into the water from the snail
- Cercaria penetrates the skin of human (definitive host), circulates to organs (GIT, urinary tract)
Migratory phase
- Occurs when cercariae penetrate the skin
- Often asymptomatic
Acute Schistosomiasis
- Mild, maculopapular skin lesions may develop in acute infection within hours after exposure to cercariae.
- Significant dermatitis is rare with the major human schistosomal pathogens, probably because the invading and developing cercariae are minimally immunogenic.
Acute Schistosomiasis (Katayama syndrome)
- Systemic, serum sickness-like illness that develops after several weeks in some, but not most, individuals with new schistosomal infections.
- Associated with marked peripheral eosinophilia and circulating immune complexes.
- It is most common withS japonicumandS mansoni infections and is most likely to occur in heavily infected individuals after primary infection.
- Symptoms usually resolve over several weeks, but the syndrome can be fatal.
Chronic Schistosomiasis
- Results primarily from host responses to eggs retained in tissues.
- Early on, intestinal mucosal ulcerations caused byS. mansoniorS. japonicummay bleed and result in bloody diarrhea.
- As lesions progress, focal fibrosis, strictures, fistulas, and papillomatous growths may develop in the intestine.
- Granulomatous reactions to eggs ofS. mansoniandS. japonicumin the liver usually do not compromise liver function, but they may cause fibrosis and cirrhosis, which can lead toportal hypertension, resulting insplenomegaly, and esophageal varices. Esophageal varices may bleed, causing hematemesis.
> Chronic schistosomiasis is far more common than the acute form of the infection.
It results from:
Eggs in the lungs may produce granulomas and focal obliterative arteritis, which may ultimately result inpulmonary hypertensionandcor pulmonale.
- Egg-induced immune response
- Granuloma formation
- Associated fibrotic changes
> Chronic intestinal Schistosomiasis can present with: BAP
- Bleeding
- Acute complications of appendicitis
- Perforation
Schistosoma Haematobium
S. haematobium infection also associated with an increased rate of bladder cancer, usually squamous cell rather than transitional cell.
- Egg retention and granuloma formation in the urinary tract (S. haemobium) can lead to:
- Hematuria
- Dysuria
- Bladder polyps and ulcers
- Obstructive uropathies
Ectopic egg deposition can lead to additional clinical syndromes, including involvement: SLAB GEM
- Skin
- Lungs
- Adrenal glands
- Brain
- Genitalia
- Muscles