Abstract
Twelve Israeli travelers acquired schistosomiasis in Laos during 2002–2008, and 7 of them had acute schistosomiasis. The patients were probably exposed to Schistosoma mekongi in southern Laos, an area known to be endemic for schistosomiasis. Four possibly were infected in northern Laos, where reports of schistosomiasis are rare.
Highlights
Twelve Israeli travelers acquired schistosomiasis in Laos during 2002–2008, and 7 of them had acute schistosomiasis
Acute schistosomiasis is a transient hypersensitivity reaction associated with tissue migration of Schistosoma spp. larvae in nonimmune persons
Acute schistosmiasis caused by S. japonicum was extensively studied long ago [4], we found no reports of acute schistosmiasis caused by S. mekongi
Summary
The area in which Schistosoma mekongi is known to be endemic is highlighted in light blue. The area highlighted in light yellow shows both the known area and the area predicted by Attwood’s paleogeographic models [1] to be inhabited by Neotricula aperta (freshwater snails), the known intermediary host for S. mekongi. Two foci of travel-related schistosomiasis are highlighted with red stars. The dark blue line shows the route of the Mekong River
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