title: Bilharzia: Pathology, Diagnosis, Management and Control.
abstract: More than one billion people travel internationally each year and approximately 100 million to the tropics. Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by trematode blood flukes of the genusSchistosoma. It currently infects over 250 million people worldwide and results in approximately 25 million disability adjusted life years lost. Clinical manifestations depend on the affected organ. Subtle morbidities have also been documented including: growth retardation, anaemia and poor cognitive function in children. While schistosomiasis has been eradicated from Japan and significantly reduced in parts of China and Egypt, transmission in many other regions remains ongoing due to the wide-spread distribution of the intermediate snail host, poor sanitation, lack of health education and decreasing compliance to mass drug administration. Integrated control has significantly reduced the burden of disease in China but considerable financial capital is needed if similar results are to be duplicated elsewhere. Human vaccination is in various stages of development, and once found, will become an integral part of future control. This comprehensive review examines the epidemiology, pathology, diagnosis, clinical management, prevention and control of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Australia.
authors.forename: David U
authors.initials: DU
authors.lastname: Olveda
authors.affiliation: Hunan Institute of Parasitic Diseases, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Control of Schistosomiasis on Lake Region, China and Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Australia.
authors.forename: Yuesheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Department of Health, Philippines.
authors.forename: Remigio M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Olveda
authors.affiliation: Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Australia.
authors.forename: Alfred K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Flinders University, Discipline of Public Health, Australia.
authors.forename: Thao N P
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: Donald A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Harn
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Gail M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Darren J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Australia.
authors.forename: Allen G P
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Ross
keywords: Bilharzia; Diagnosis; Management; Neglected tropical disease; Schistosomiasis; Treatment