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VIII.124 - Schistosomiasis

from Part VIII - Major Human Diseases Past and Present

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2008

Kenneth F. Kiple
Affiliation:
Bowling Green State University, Ohio
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Summary

Schistosomiasis (bilharzia), known also by many local names such as “red-water fever,” “snail fever,” “big-belly,”and “Katayama disease,”is an “mmunologic disease”induced by eggs of blood-vesselinhabiting worms of the class Trematoda, genus Schistosoma. These eggs induce an immunologic response after they become trapped in the body organs, especially the liver, gut wall, and urogenital tract.

There are three major human schistosome species: Schistosoma haematobium, which inhabit the veins of the bladder area and whose eggs are discharged in the urine; and Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma japonicum, which inhabit the mesenteric veins supplying the intestines and whose eggs are discharged in the feces. In every case, however, the worms may also be found in the liver and portal system. There are also a few other species that can parasitize humans. These include the japonicum-like Schistosoma mekongi from the lower Mekong River basin, and some African schistosomes, such as Schistosoma intercalatum, that normally parasitize cattle and wild animals.

Terminology

The terminology of this disease is very confusing. Theodor Bilharz, the discoverer of the trematode worm responsible for the disease, placed it in the genus Distoma, a broad genus that was soon abandoned as more trematode species were discovered. Numerous generic names were thereafter invented to label the worm, including Schistosoma in 1858 (the name that must stand according to the rules of zoological nomenclature), Gynaecophorus in 1858 Bilharzia in 1859, and Thecosoma in 1860. Before World War II, however, in an understandable desire to honor the name of Bilharz, the disease was commonly called bilharziasis.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1993

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References

Abdel–Wahab, M. F. 1982. Schistosomiasis in Egypt. Boca Raton, Fla..Google Scholar
Basch, P. 1986. Schistosomiasis in China: An update. American Journal of Chinese Medicine 14.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cerqueira Falcāo, E.. 1953. Novas achegas ao estudo da determinaĉāo da especificidade do S. mansoni. Rio de Janeiro.Google Scholar
Farley, John. 1988. Bilharzia: A problem of native health. In Imperial medicine and indigenous societies, ed. Arnold, D.. Manchester.Google Scholar
Farley, John. 1991. Bilharzia: A history of imperial tropical medicine. Cambridge.Google Scholar
Hartwig, G., and Patterson, K.. 1984. Schistosomiasis in twentieth century Africa: Historical studies on West Africa and Sudan. Los Angeles.Google Scholar
Hoffmann, D. B., and Warren, K. S.. 1978. Schistosomiasis IV. Condensation of the selected literature, 1963–75. Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
Jordan, Peter, and Webbe, Gerald. 1982. Schistosomiasis: Epidemiology, treatment and control. London.Google Scholar
Jordan, Peter. 1985. Schistosomiasis: The St. Lucia project. Cambridge.Google Scholar
Kean, B., et al., eds. 1978. Tropical medicine and parasitology. Classic investigations. Ithaca, N.Y.Google Scholar
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Nelson, G. 1977. A milestone on the road to the discovery of the life cycles of the human schistosomes. American Journal of Tropical Medicine Hygiene 26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
,Report of the American schistosomiasis delegation to the People’s Republic of China. 1977. American Journal of Tropical Medicine Hygiene 26.
Sandbach, F. R. 1976. A history of schistosomiasis research and policy for its control. Medical History 20.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sandbach, F. R. 1977. Farewell to the god of plague – the control of schistosomiasis in China. Social Science and Medicine 14.Google Scholar
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  • Schistosomiasis
  • Edited by Kenneth F. Kiple, Bowling Green State University, Ohio
  • Book: The Cambridge World History of Human Disease
  • Online publication: 28 March 2008
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CHOL9780521332866.186
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  • Schistosomiasis
  • Edited by Kenneth F. Kiple, Bowling Green State University, Ohio
  • Book: The Cambridge World History of Human Disease
  • Online publication: 28 March 2008
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CHOL9780521332866.186
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

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  • Schistosomiasis
  • Edited by Kenneth F. Kiple, Bowling Green State University, Ohio
  • Book: The Cambridge World History of Human Disease
  • Online publication: 28 March 2008
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CHOL9780521332866.186
Available formats
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