Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of the National Medical Association logoLink to Journal of the National Medical Association
. 2007 May;99(5):570–574.

Surgical pathology of schistosomiasis.

Aminu Z Mohammed 1, Steven T Edino 1, Adamu A Samaila 1
PMCID: PMC2576076  PMID: 17534016

Abstract

Schistosomiasis remains an important health problem in many tropical countries and is being seen with increasing frequency in immigrant populations and tourists in developed countries. The pattern of organ involvement and clinical presentation of schistosomiasis in 80 patients (male: female, 9:1) during a five-year period (2001-2005) was examined from archival histopathology records. The urinary bladder was the most common organ affected [50 (62.5%)]. Gastrointestinal, male and female genital schistosomiasis were detected in 12 (15%), eight (10%) and five (6.1%) cases, respectively. Hematuria was the most common presenting symptom [34 (42.5%)], and bladder cancer was the only malignancy found to be associated with the infection. A high clinical index of suspicion usually allows for a preoperative diagnosis where indicated and avoidance of radical surgery. While research for the development of an effective vaccine continues, a plea is made for the expansion of multinational control programs in sub-Saharan Africa.

Full text

PDF
570

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Abdel-Wahab M. F., Strickland G. T., El-Sahly A., Ahmed L., Zakaria S., El Kady N., Mahmoud S. Schistosomiasis mansoni in an Egyptian village in the Nile Delta. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1980 Sep;29(5):868–874. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.1980.29.868. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Attah E. B., Nkposong E. O. Schistosomiasis and carcinoma of the bladder: a critical appraisal of causal relationship. Trop Geogr Med. 1976 Dec;28(4):268–272. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Betterton C., Ndifon G. T., Bassey S. E., Tan R. M., Oyeyi T. Schistosomiasis in Kano State, Nigeria. I. Human infections near dam sites and the distribution and habitat preferences of potential snail intermediate hosts. Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 1988 Dec;82(6):561–570. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Brindley P. J., Sher A. Anti-schistosomal drugs: observations on the mechanism of drug resistance to hycanthone, and on the involvement of host antibodies in the mode of action of praziquantel. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1987;82 (Suppl 4):157–161. doi: 10.1590/s0074-02761987000800027. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Capron André, Capron Monique, Riveau Gilles. Vaccine development against schistosomiasis from concepts to clinical trials. Br Med Bull. 2002;62:139–148. doi: 10.1093/bmb/62.1.139. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Chitsulo L., Engels D., Montresor A., Savioli L. The global status of schistosomiasis and its control. Acta Trop. 2000 Oct 23;77(1):41–51. doi: 10.1016/s0001-706x(00)00122-4. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Christie J. D., Crouse D., Smith J. H., Pineda J., Ishak E. A., Kamel I. A. Patterns of Schistosoma haematobium egg distribution in the human lower urinary tract. II. Obstructive uropathy. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1986 Jul;35(4):752–758. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.1986.35.752. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Corachan Manuel. Schistosomiasis and international travel. Clin Infect Dis. 2002 Jul 19;35(4):446–450. doi: 10.1086/341895. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Durand F., Brion J. P., Terrier N., Pinel C., Pelloux H. Funiculitis due to Schistosoma haematobium: uncommon diagnosis using parasitologic analysis of semen. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2004 Jan;70(1):46–47. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Edington G. M., von Lichtenberg F., Nwabuebo I., Taylor J. R., Smith J. H. Pathologic effects of schistosomiasis in Ibadan, Western State of Nigeria. I. Incidence and intensity of infection; distribution and severity of lesions. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1970 Nov;19(6):982–995. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.1970.19.982. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. El-Nahas Ahmed R., Shoma Ahmed M., El-Baz Mahmoud. Bilharzial pyelitis: a rare cause of secondary ureteropelvic junction obstruction. J Urol. 2003 Nov;170(5):1946–1947. doi: 10.1097/01.ju.0000084161.39457.93. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Feldmeier H., Daccal R. C., Martins M. J., Soares V., Martins R. Genital manifestations of schistosomiasis mansoni in women: important but neglected. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1998;93 (Suppl 1):127–133. doi: 10.1590/s0074-02761998000700018. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Feldmeier H., Krantz I., Poggensee G. Female genital schistosomiasis: a neglected risk factor for the transmission of HIV? Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1995 Mar-Apr;89(2):237–237. doi: 10.1016/0035-9203(95)90512-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Feldmeier H., Leutscher P., Poggensee G., Harms G. Male genital schistosomiasis and haemospermia. Trop Med Int Health. 1999 Dec;4(12):791–793. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3156.1999.00511.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Ghoneim M. A. Bilharziasis of the genitourinary tract. BJU Int. 2002 Mar;89 (Suppl 1):22–30. doi: 10.1046/j.1464-4096.2001.138.138.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Girgis S. M., Wassef N. F. Bilharziasis and azoospermia. Arch Androl. 1980 Dec;5(4):369–372. doi: 10.3109/01485018008987008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Githae G. M. Testicular schistosomiasis simulating a malignant tumour or tuberculosis. S Afr Med J. 1992 Mar 21;81(6):338–338. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Hagan P., Doenhoff M. J., Wilson R. A., Al-Sherbiny M., Bergquist R. Schistosomiasis vaccines: a response to a devils' advocate's view. Parasitol Today. 2000 Aug;16(8):322–323. doi: 10.1016/s0169-4758(00)01711-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Kameh Darian, Smith Allison, Brock Mitzi Scott, Ndubisi Boniface, Masood Shahla. Female genital schistosomiasis: case report and review of the literature. South Med J. 2004 May;97(5):525–527. doi: 10.1097/00007611-200405000-00022. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Kjetland E. F., Poggensee G., Helling-Giese G., Richter J., Sjaastad A., Chitsulo L., Kumwenda N., Gundersen S. G., Krantz I., Feldmeier H. Female genital schistosomiasis due to Schistosoma haematobium. Clinical and parasitological findings in women in rural Malawi. Acta Trop. 1996 Dec 30;62(4):239–255. doi: 10.1016/s0001-706x(96)00026-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Leutscher P., Raharisolo C., Pecarrere J. L., Ravaoalimalala V. E., Serieye J., Rasendramino M., Vennervald B., Feldmeier H., Esterre P. Schistosoma haematobium induced lesions in the female genital tract in a village in Madagascar. Acta Trop. 1997 Jun 24;66(1):27–33. doi: 10.1016/s0001-706x(97)00673-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Mandong Barnabas M., Madaki Aboi J. K. Missed diagnosis of schistosomiasis leading to unnecessary surgical procedures in Jos University Teaching Hospital. Trop Doct. 2005 Apr;35(2):96–97. doi: 10.1258/0049475054037011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Mohammed A. Z., Alhassan S. U., Edino S. T., Ochicha O. Histopathological review of prostatic diseases in Kano, Nigeria. Niger Postgrad Med J. 2003 Mar;10(1):1–5. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Mohammed A. Z., Uzoho C. C., Galadanci H. S., Ashimi A. Ruptured tubal gestation: an unusual presentation of Schistosoma haematobium infection of the fallopian tube. Trop Doct. 2004 Jan;34(1):48–49. doi: 10.1177/004947550403400125. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Neal Peter M. Schistosomiasis--an unusual cause of ureteral obstruction: a case history and perspective. Clin Med Res. 2004 Nov;2(4):216–227. doi: 10.3121/cmr.2.4.216. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Ojo O. S., Odesanmi W. O., Akinola O. O. The surgical pathology of colorectal carcinomas in Nigerians. Trop Gastroenterol. 1992 Apr-Jun;13(2):64–69. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Patil P. S., Elem B. Schistosomiasis of the prostate and the seminal vesicles: observations in Zambia. J Trop Med Hyg. 1988 Oct;91(5):245–248. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Patz J. A., Graczyk T. K., Geller N., Vittor A. Y. Effects of environmental change on emerging parasitic diseases. Int J Parasitol. 2000 Nov;30(12-13):1395–1405. doi: 10.1016/s0020-7519(00)00141-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Picquet M., Vercruysse J., Shaw D. J., Diop M., Ly A. Efficacy of praziquantel against Schistosoma mansoni in northern Senegal. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1998 Jan-Feb;92(1):90–93. doi: 10.1016/s0035-9203(98)90971-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Poggensee G., Feldmeier H. Female genital schistosomiasis: facts and hypotheses. Acta Trop. 2001 Jun 22;79(3):193–210. doi: 10.1016/s0001-706x(01)00086-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Poggensee G., Kiwelu I., Saria M., Richter J., Krantz I., Feldmeier H. Schistosomiasis of the lower reproductive tract without egg excretion in urine. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1998 Nov;59(5):782–783. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.1998.59.782. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Poon R. T., Chu K. W. Inflammatory cecal masses in patients presenting with appendicitis. World J Surg. 1999 Jul;23(7):713–716. doi: 10.1007/pl00012374. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Prendergast Bernard D. Prehospital thrombolysis. BMJ. 2003 Jul 5;327(7405):1–2. doi: 10.1136/bmj.327.7405.1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Pugh R. N., Bell D. R., Gilles H. M. Malumfashi Endemic Diseases Research Project, XV. The potential medical importance of bilharzia in northern Nigeria: a suggested rapid, cheap and effective solution for control of Schistosoma haematobium infection. Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 1980 Dec;74(6):597–613. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Rabello Ana, Pontes Luís André, Dias-Neto Emmanuel. Recent advances in the diagnosis of Schistosoma infection: the detection of parasite DNA. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2002;97 (Suppl 1):171–172. doi: 10.1590/s0074-02762002000900033. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Richens J. Genital manifestations of tropical diseases. Sex Transm Infect. 2004 Feb;80(1):12–17. doi: 10.1136/sti.2003.004093. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Richter J., Poggensee G., Kjetland E. F., Helling-Giese G., Chitsulo L., Kumwenda N., Gundersen S. G., Deelder A. M., Reimert C. M., Haas H. Reversibility of lower reproductive tract abnormalities in women with Schistosoma haematobium infection after treatment with praziquantel--an interim report. Acta Trop. 1996 Dec 30;62(4):289–301. doi: 10.1016/s0001-706x(96)00030-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Spira Alan. Setting the standard. J Travel Med. 2003 Jan-Feb;10(1):1–3. doi: 10.2310/7060.2003.30654. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Steinberger R. M., Lindsay K. G., Alassandri R., Wise G. J. Infarction of testicle and Schistosoma mansoni. Urology. 1975 Apr;5(4):567–569. doi: 10.1016/0090-4295(75)90094-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Vizcaino A. P., Parkin D. M., Boffetta P., Skinner M. E. Bladder cancer: epidemiology and risk factors in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Cancer Causes Control. 1994 Nov;5(6):517–522. doi: 10.1007/BF01831379. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. Wu George Y., Halim Mohab H. Schistosomiasis: progress and problems. World J Gastroenterol. 2000 Feb;6(1):12–19. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v6.i1.12. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of the National Medical Association are provided here courtesy of National Medical Association

RESOURCES