Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is a disease caused by parasitic worms. Infection occurs when your skin comes in contact with contaminated fresh water in which certain types of snails that carry schistosomes are living. This infectious parasite can be found in 74 different tropical countries. As a healthcare practitioner my role is to help treat this dangerous disease after a patient has been infected. There are many different signs and symptoms that I will discuss as well as different treatments, such as medication and therapies, that patient should undergo when ailed by this parasitic disease. I will also go over the mechanism of action and side effects of the medication and therapies. Over 200 million people worldwide are affected …show more content…
These 2 phases have varying levels of symptoms. With acute schistosomiasis, symptoms would happen within the first 2 weeks of infection. Symptoms like, high temperatures, muscle aches, skin rashes, coughs and abdominal pains. In this stage symptoms can be so mild that they go unnoticed. Most infected people are asymptomatic until the chronic phase. After the initial infection, chronic schistosomiasis can take months or even years to show. By that time the disease could have caused sever damage. Chronic symptoms will be much more pervasive. The symptoms at this stage are blood in urine, blood in stool, chest pain, seizures, liver failure, enlarged stomachs (Hepatosplenomegaly), and up to bladder cancer. Repeated infection in children can lead to anemia, malnutrition and learning disabilities. Without treatment schistosomiasis can also lead to death. People who have recently traveled to a tropical country, and swam in or drank from freshwater sources, should take any of these symptoms as signs and see their physician …show more content…
The main treatment is a drug called praziquantel. Praziquantel are pills that are taken orally. This is a simple treatment according to the CDC, with dosage consisting of 40-60 mg/kg divided into two doses for only one day. Oxamniquine is another drug that can be used to treat schistosomiasis as well. Oxamniquine dosage is 15 mg/kg taken once for one day only. Both drugs target adult schistosome worms, which lay the eggs, and kill them. According to the National Library of Medicine, the recommended treatment is praziquantel. This medication has limited side effects and is safe for children. Side effects include headaches, dizziness, stomach pain, nausea, fever, and itching. For women who are pregnant or lactating, according to the World Health Organization, studies have shown little evidence of adverse effects on fetus or baby. Praziquantel is recommended for pregnant women infected by schistosomiasis as