Schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by infection with flatworms called schistosomes, transmitted when a person swims, bathes, or wades in freshwater containing the free-swimming larval form of the parasite, which penetrates the skin. Depending on the species and site of infection, it can cause abdominal pain, blood in the urine or stool, and, over years of repeated infection, chronic damage to the liver, intestines, bladder, or kidneys. It is one of the most widespread parasitic diseases in the world, concentrated in tropical and subtropical regions with inadequate access to safe water and sanitation.