title: Determination of the period for establishment of a liver network echogenic pattern in Schistosoma japonicum infection.
abstract: Schistosomiasis is caused by infection with Schistosoma haematobium, S. mansoni, S. japonicum, or S. mekongi. S. japonicum infection results in liver cirrhosis at the final stage. A "network" (NW) echogenic pattern on hepatic ultrasonography appears to be specific to S. japonicum infection. The principal aim of the present study was to determine the exact year(s) or even month(s) required for the establishment of the liver NW echogenic pattern from the initial infection in young patients with schistosomiasis japonica since there are few data on this important point. We conducted yearly ultrasonographic, serologic, coprologic, and physical examinations of schistosomiasis patients in the Philippines from 1996 up to the present. During that period, the total number of patients examined was approximately 2,000, among whom we selected 2 patients for determination of the duration required for NW establishment, when they were 10 years old. Although the exact time of initial exposure to schistosomes cannot be determined, the duration for the establishment of NW was definitively confirmed in patient no. 1 to be between 19-24 months based on the results of serologic and coprologic examinations. For patient no. 2, the circumstantial evidence suggested that the establishment of a NW might require 5 to 6 years at maximum. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence-based report on the determination of the period required for the establishment of a liver NW echogenic pattern in S. japonicum infection in the Philippines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan. ychigusa@dokkyomed.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chigusa
authors.forename: Hidehiro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Otake
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohmae
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kirinoki
authors.forename: Eunice J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Ilagan
authors.forename: Nina G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Barzaga
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawabata
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000469:parasitology; D008109:Liver Diseases, Parasitic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D011223:Praziquantel