Schistosomiasis

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Antibodies

Swimmer's itch

Bilharzia; Katayama fever; Swimmer's itch; Blood fluke

This infection is usually treated with the drug praziquantel. If the infection is severe or involves the brain, corticosteroids may be given.

Treatment before significant damage or severe complications occur usually produces good results.

• Bladder cancer
• Chronic kidney failure
• Chronic liver damage and an enlarged spleen
• Colon (large intestine) inflammation with bloody diarrhea
• Kidney and bladder obstruction
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Repeated blood infections can occur, because bacteria can enter the bloodstream through an irritated colon
• Right-sided heart failure
• Seizures

Call your health care provider if you develop symptoms of schistosomiasis, especially if you have traveled to a tropical or sub-tropical area where the disease is known to exist or if you have been exposed to contaminated or suspect bodies of water.

Review Date: 09/15/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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