Schistosomiasis and Inflammatory Polyarthritis: A Clinical, Radiological and Laboratory Study of 96 Patients Infected by <italic>S. mansoni</italic> with Particular Reference to the Diarthrodial Joint

Abstract

Patients with active Schistosoma mansoni infection attending a medical clinic in an endemic area, 100 miles from Cairo, were asked to participate in this study. Ninety-six patients are reported, 72 of whom presented with musculoskeletal complaints. Nine of these presented with an enthesitis alone; 16 had an inflammatory peripheral polyarthritis alone; the remaining 47 were suffering from the combination of both an arthritis and an enthesitis. Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein was significantly lowered in those patients with musculoskeletal manifestations.