Cutaneous-Urinary Schistosomiasis in a Child: A Case Report at the Dermatology Hospital of Bamako

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease of human origin caused by flatworms. This condition affects millions of people in developing countries where it is endemic. In 2017, the WHO classified schistosomiasis as a neglected tropical disease (NTD), deserving particular attention due to its potential complications, including infertility. Several initiatives have been undertaken to eradicate this condition, among which regular administration of praziquantel (PZQ), an anthelminthic medication, to school-age children (and other high-risk groups) is the cornerstone of schistosomiasis control. Although the efficacy of PZQ against infections of a single schistosome species is well known, its efficacy against mixed-species infections is less understood, as are the reinfection patterns after treatment. We report a case in a child in Bamako. Patient was a 9-year-old student who presented with pruritic solid lesions on the abdomen that had been continuously evolving, gradually increasing in number and size. The child used water from the marigot for group amusements. Since schistosomes can survive for decades in the host’s bloodstream, they are clearly capable of evading host immune responses, and their ability depends on the properties of the tegument surface. This hypothesis is plausible in our child due to his previous baths in the marigot. This highlights the need for proper management of stagnant water in endemic countries. This observation serves as a warning to clinicians that any hematuria warrants a systematic dermatological examination to search for skin lesions.