Schistosomiasis
When to seek medical advice
Visityour GP if you develop the symptoms above and you've travelled in parts of the world where schistosomiasis is found, or if you're concerned that you may have been exposedto the parasites while travelling.
Tell yourGP about your travel history and whether you think you may have been exposed to potentiallycontaminated water.
If your GP suspects schistosomiasis, they may refer you to an expert in tropical diseases. The diagnosis is usually made by testing a sample of your blood. In some cases, eggs may be seen in a sample or your urine or poo.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Read about schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is a type of infection caused by a parasitic worm that live in fresh water in subtropical and tropical regions.
How you get schistosomiasis
The worms that cause schistosomiasis live in fresh water, such as: ponds lakes rivers reservoirs canals Showers that take unfiltered water directly from lakes or rivers may also spread the inf
Symptoms of schistosomiasis
Many people with schistosomiasis don't have any symptoms, or don't experience any for several months or even years. You probably won't notice that you've been infected, although occasionally people g
Long-term problems caused by schistosomiasis
Some people with schistosomiasis, regardless of whether they had any initial symptoms or not, eventually develop more serious problems in parts of the body the eggs have travelled to. This is known a
When to seek medical advice
Visityour GP if you develop the symptoms above and you've travelled in parts of the world where schistosomiasis is found, or if you're concerned that you may have been exposedto the parasites while tr
Treatments for schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis can usually be treatedsuccessfullywith a short course of a medication called praziquantel, that kills the worms. Praziquantel is most effective once the worms have grown a bit, so tre
Preventing schistosomiasis
There's no vaccine for schistosomiasis, so it's important to be aware of the risks andtake precautions to avoid exposure to contaminated water. You can check whether thearea you're visiting is known
Subscribe
Ask the doctor
Rate this article
Find products