Bilharzia
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by infection with schistosomiasis, a type of flatworms.
There are two types of human schistosomiasis:
- Intestinal schistosomiasis
- Urinary schistosomiasis
Oocytes come out of the infected human (urine and feces) looking for the appropriate Intermediary host, and then complete the cycle to with the sercaria (infectious phase) going out to swim in the water until it finds a human to penetrate the skin - thereby completing its life cycle and causing disease to humans.
Bilharzia epidemiology:
- There is a number of shells specialized as an intermediary host in the transmission of bilharzia.
- The epidemiology of bilharzia relies on three elements: schistosomiasis parasite, human as a final host and shells as an intermediate host of the parasite.
- Human-to-human transmission depends on social, economic and educational status and unhealthy habits and behaviors.
For further information: