Skip to main content
USAID

USAID's NTD Program
USAID's NTD Program

Schistosomiasis

Symptoms

Photo of a health care professional at a clinic asks a young boy questions.  
   

Once infected, the symptoms associated with urinary and intestinal schistosomiasis are caused by the eggs that remain trapped in body tissues. Sickness due to Schistosoma infection differs between the acute stages of infection and the later disease caused by chronic infection. In the case of urinary schistosomiasis, the trapped eggs tear and scar the tissues of the bladder, ureters, and kidneys. Bladder cancer is also common in advanced cases of the disease. Death resulting from the disease is mostly due to bladder cancer associated with urinary schistosomiasis.

In intestinal schistosomiasis, the disease develops more slowly. Symptoms include progressive enlargement of the liver, lungs, and spleen; intestinal damage due to fibrotic lesions around lodged eggs; and hypertension of the abdominal blood vessels. Bleeding from these vessels leads to blood in stools. The disease seriously weakens its victims and, in some cases, impairs the function of organs such as the spleen and kidneys. Death due to intestinal schistosomiasis is caused by bleeding from varicose veins in the esophagus.1-2

Learn more about schistosomiasis:


References

  1. Chitsulo L, Engels D, Montresor A, Savioli L. The global status of schistosomiasis and its control. Acta Trop 2000; 77: 41-51
  2. WHO. Prevention and control of schistosomiasis and soiltransmitted helminthiasis: report of a WHO expert committee. WHO Tech Rep Ser 2002; 912: 1-57