Bilharzia, also known as schistosomiasis or snail fever, is caused by parasites known as schistosomes. The parasite is carried by freshwater snails.
In otherwords, bilharzia is an acute and chronic disease caused by parasitic flatworms.
Bilharzia is caused by some species of blood trematodes in the genus Schistosoma. The disease affects over 240million people globally and causes an estimated 200,000 deaths a year.
Bilharzia can usually be treated successfully with a short course of a medication called praziquantel, which kills the worms. Praziquantel is most effective once the worms have grown a bit, so treatment may need to be repeated a few weeks after your first dose.
Symptoms of schistosomiasis include rash or itchy skin, fever, chills, cough, small worms in poo, extreme itching around the anus and muscle aches.
People who live in places with poor sanitation are mostly at risk because they may spend time to swim or bath in water containing infectious cercariae.
Bilharzia may affect people’s ability to work and in some cases can result in death.
Complications of bilharzia include malnutrition, renal failure, hematuria, hemospermia, schistosomal nephropathy and GI obstruction.
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