Schistosoma haematobium infection in Egyptian schoolchildren: demonstration of both hepatic and urinary tract morbidity by ultrasonography

Abstract

Parasitological, clinical and ultrasonographical studies were performed upon 422 schoolchildren aged 12–16 years living in a village in the Fayoum where Schistosoma haematobium, but not S. Mansoni, was transmitted. Over half of the children gave a history of receiving praziquantel therapy during the preceding 2 years. Symptoms (e.g., haematuria, burning micturition), signs (e.g., hepatomegaly, splenomegaly) and urinary findings (e.g., haematuria, proteinuria) correlated better with the presence and intensity of S. haematobium infection after correcting for this variable. Renal obstructive lesions detected by ultrasound were 2 and 3 times as common in those with moderate and heavy infections as in those with no or light infections, and urinary bladder wall lesions were far more frequent in those with moderate and heavy infections. A mild grade of periportal fibrosis, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly were present in some children in all groups. However, the prevalence of splenomegaly correlated directly with the intensity of infection; liver lesions occurred much more frequently in children with infection or a history of treated infection than in non-infected children denying recent treatment; and no child had hepatomegaly or splenomegaly in the absence of periportal fibrosis.