Schistosoma: Difference between revisions

From IDWiki
Schistosoma
Content deleted Content added
No edit summary
No edit summary
 
(14 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
==Background==
* Infection with a species of the genus ''Schistosoma''


*Trematode (blood fluke)
== Species ==


===Microbiology===
* ''S. mansoni'': liver and gut
* ''S. haematobium'': GU/pelvis
* ''S. japonicum'': liver and gut
* ''S. mekongi'': Mekong basin


*Three main species affecting humans:
== Risk Factors ==
**[[Schistosoma mansoni]]: liver and gut
**[[Schistosoma haematobium]]: GU/pelvis
**[[Schistosoma japonicum]]: liver and gut
*Also: [[Schistosoma mekongi]], [[Schistosoma intercalatum]], [[Schistosoma guineensis]], and case reports of hybrid schistosomes of cattle origin that can infect humans
*Non-human-host schistosomes (of birds and mammals) can cause [[cercarial dermatitis]]


===Risk Factors===
* Fresh water exposure in endemic countries


*Fresh water exposure in endemic countries
== Clinical Presentation ==


== Investigations ==
=== Epidemiology ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Region
!Species
!Seroprevalence in Migrants[[CiteRef::asundi2019pr]]
|-
|Latin America and the Caribbean
|[[Schistosoma mansoni]] (Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, Caribbean)
|20%
|-
|Middle East and northern Africa
|[[Schistosoma haematobium]], [[Schistosoma mansoni]] (sporadic reports in Arabian Peninsula)
|6%
|-
|Sub-Saharan Africa
|[[Schistosoma mansoni]], [[Schistosoma haematobium]], [[Schistosoma intercalatum]] (DRC), [[Schistosoma guineensis]] (West Africa)
|24%
|-
|South Asia
|None
|0%
|-
|East Asia and the Pacific
|[[Schistosoma japonicum]] (China, Philippines, Sulawesi), [[Schistosoma mekongi]] (Cambodia, Laos)
|5%
|}


==Clinical Manifestations==
* Labs
** CBC, showing eosinophilia
** Schisto serology (only positive 6 weeks after infection)
** Egg detection in stool, urine, semen, or tissue biopsy
* Imaging
** Eggs can cause granulomatous disease in various organs
** Bladder polyps and obstruction may be seen on ultrasound


===Swimmer's Itch===
== Management ==


*Cercariae penetrate exposed skin and cause prickling sensation and occasionally urticaria, followed hours later by a macular rash
* Acute
*Caused by schistosomes that do not cause systemic illness
** Praziquantel 40mg/kg/d
*Common in Great Lakes region of North America, New England in the US, and other parts of North America and Europe
*** Can cause nausea, dizziness, and fever
* Chronic
** Prevention


== Prognosis ==
===Katayama Fever===


*Syndrome of acute schistosomiasis that follows 4 to 8 weeks (range 2 to 12 weeks), after the flukes have migrated, developed into adults, and have started producing eggs
* Increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma, which increase with young age at infection, duration of infection, high burden of infection, and bladder wall fibrosis
*The syndrome represents a hypersensitivity reaction to the eggs produced by adult worms
*More common with [[Schistosoma japonicum]] and [[Schistosoma mansoni]], and less common with [[Schistosoma haematobium]]
*Symptoms include abrypt onset of fever, chills, fatigue, headache, myalgias, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and occasionally bloody stool
*Most also develop cough, dyspnea, chest pain, and diffuse infiltrates on chest x-ray
**Lung nodules contain granulomas around eggs
*Hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and lymphadenopathy are common
*Eggs may not be seen in stool until later in the course of the disease
*Symptoms usually resolve within 2 to 10 weeks
*Can involve symptoms anywhere the worms migrate and deposit eggs: CNS, genital tract, and skin
**However, an induced small-vessel vasculitis can also cause neurological symptoms


===Chronic Schistosomiasis===
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Schistosoma'' species}}

*Can be asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic
*Chronic granulomatous inflammation causes weight loss, anemia, stunted growth
*[[Eosinophilia]] is common

=== Pulmonary Hypertension ===

* Primarily [[Schistosoma mansoni]][[CiteRef::knafl2020sc]]

==Investigations==

*Labs
**CBC, showing eosinophilia
**Schistosoma serology (only positive 6 weeks after infection)
**Egg detection in stool, urine, semen, or tissue biopsy
*Imaging
**Eggs can cause granulomatous disease in various organs
**Bladder polyps and obstruction may be seen on ultrasound

== Diagnosis ==

* Usually based on serology
** Can cross-react with other helminth co-infections, including [[trichinosis]] and [[filariasis]]
** Can remain positive and even fluctuate for years after cure[[CiteRef::yong2010lo]]

==Management==

*Acute
**[[Is treated by::Praziquantel]] 40mg/kg given over one day split into 3 doses
*Chronic
**[[Is treated by::Praziquantel]] 20-40 mg/kg or 40-60 mg/kg (if at risk for ''S. japonica'')
**Given over one day split into 3 doses
**May be repeated 6 weeks later, though this practice is not universal
**No role for test-of-cure serology

==Prognosis==

*Increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma, which increase with young age at infection, duration of infection, high burden of infection, and bladder wall fibrosis

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Schistosoma''}}
[[Category:Protozoa]]
[[Category:Protozoa]]

Latest revision as of 13:50, 18 November 2025

Background

  • Trematode (blood fluke)

Microbiology

Risk Factors

  • Fresh water exposure in endemic countries

Epidemiology

Region Species Seroprevalence in Migrants1
Latin America and the Caribbean Schistosoma mansoni (Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, Caribbean) 20%
Middle East and northern Africa Schistosoma haematobium, Schistosoma mansoni (sporadic reports in Arabian Peninsula) 6%
Sub-Saharan Africa Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosoma haematobium, Schistosoma intercalatum (DRC), Schistosoma guineensis (West Africa) 24%
South Asia None 0%
East Asia and the Pacific Schistosoma japonicum (China, Philippines, Sulawesi), Schistosoma mekongi (Cambodia, Laos) 5%

Clinical Manifestations

Swimmer's Itch

  • Cercariae penetrate exposed skin and cause prickling sensation and occasionally urticaria, followed hours later by a macular rash
  • Caused by schistosomes that do not cause systemic illness
  • Common in Great Lakes region of North America, New England in the US, and other parts of North America and Europe

Katayama Fever

  • Syndrome of acute schistosomiasis that follows 4 to 8 weeks (range 2 to 12 weeks), after the flukes have migrated, developed into adults, and have started producing eggs
  • The syndrome represents a hypersensitivity reaction to the eggs produced by adult worms
  • More common with Schistosoma japonicum and Schistosoma mansoni, and less common with Schistosoma haematobium
  • Symptoms include abrypt onset of fever, chills, fatigue, headache, myalgias, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and occasionally bloody stool
  • Most also develop cough, dyspnea, chest pain, and diffuse infiltrates on chest x-ray
    • Lung nodules contain granulomas around eggs
  • Hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and lymphadenopathy are common
  • Eggs may not be seen in stool until later in the course of the disease
  • Symptoms usually resolve within 2 to 10 weeks
  • Can involve symptoms anywhere the worms migrate and deposit eggs: CNS, genital tract, and skin
    • However, an induced small-vessel vasculitis can also cause neurological symptoms

Chronic Schistosomiasis

  • Can be asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic
  • Chronic granulomatous inflammation causes weight loss, anemia, stunted growth
  • Eosinophilia is common

Pulmonary Hypertension

Investigations

  • Labs
    • CBC, showing eosinophilia
    • Schistosoma serology (only positive 6 weeks after infection)
    • Egg detection in stool, urine, semen, or tissue biopsy
  • Imaging
    • Eggs can cause granulomatous disease in various organs
    • Bladder polyps and obstruction may be seen on ultrasound

Diagnosis

  • Usually based on serology
    • Can cross-react with other helminth co-infections, including trichinosis and filariasis
    • Can remain positive and even fluctuate for years after cure3

Management

  • Acute
  • Chronic
    • Praziquantel 20-40 mg/kg or 40-60 mg/kg (if at risk for S. japonica)
    • Given over one day split into 3 doses
    • May be repeated 6 weeks later, though this practice is not universal
    • No role for test-of-cure serology

Prognosis

  • Increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma, which increase with young age at infection, duration of infection, high burden of infection, and bladder wall fibrosis

References

  1. ^  Archana Asundi, Alina Beliavsky, Xing Jian Liu, Arash Akaberi, Guido Schwarzer, Zeno Bisoffi, Ana Requena-Méndez, Ian Shrier, Christina Greenaway. Prevalence of strongyloidiasis and schistosomiasis among migrants: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Global Health. 2019;7(2):e236-e248. doi:10.1016/s2214-109x(18)30490-x.
  2. ^  Daniela Knafl, Christian Gerges, Charles H. King, Marc Humbert, Amaya L. Bustinduy. Schistosomiasis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension: a systematic review. European Respiratory Review. 2020;29(155):190089. doi:10.1183/16000617.0089-2019.
  3. ^  Michelle K. Yong, Carolyn L. Beckett, Karin Leder, Beverley A. Biggs, Joseph Torresi, Daniel P. O’Brien. Long‐Term Follow‐Up ofSchistosomiasisSerology Post‐Treatment in Australian Travelers and Immigrants. Journal of Travel Medicine. 2010;17(2):89-93. doi:10.1111/j.1708-8305.2009.00379.x.