April 8-14, 2024 is the first "Schistosomiasis Control Awareness Week" in mainland China, with the theme of "Inheriting the Spirit of Blood Prevention and Accelerating the Process of Elimination".
Xiaobian will take you to find out!
Schistosomiasis is an endemic parasitic disease caused by schistosomiasis parasitizing the human body. The human body is generally infected through skin contact with infected water containing cercariae, and after entering the human body, it survives on human venous blood. Schistosomiasis is endemic in the Yangtze River basin and 13 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions south of the mainland, and the area around Dongting Lake is the main endemic area in Hunan Province.
Acute schistosomiasis is common in patients with primary infection or chronic patients who are re-infected in large quantities, and the incubation period varies, and most cases develop symptoms 5-8 weeks after infection, manifesting as fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, generalized rash, hepatic enlargement and tenderness, etc. In addition, some patients have symptoms such as cough, wheezing, and chest pain.
Chronic and advanced schistosomiasis is mostly caused by undetected in the acute stage, untreated or incomplete treatment, or multiple small amounts of repeated infection, chronic schistosomiasis can last for 10~20 years, because of its long course of disease, the severity of symptoms can vary greatly, mainly manifested as abdominal pain, diarrhea or pus and bloody stools. Most are accompanied by hepatomegaly predominantly in the left lobe, and a few are accompanied by splenomegaly. Advanced schistosomiasis presents with symptoms and signs of portal hypertension or granuloma or dwarfism of the colon.
The hiding place of schistosomes is the snail
At present, the most prevalent schistosomiasis species in mainland China are Schistosoma japonicum, and Snails are the only intermediate host of Schistosoma japonicum. What is the relationship between snails and schistosomes? After being infected with schistosomiasis, humans, cattle, pigs, etc., will excrete the eggs with feces, and the larvae in the eggs hatch in the water, and when encountering the snails, they will continue to develop in the snails for about 60 days, forming cercariae, which can infect humans. This is the "intermediate host" of the snail throughout the life of Schistosoma
Snails containing schistosomiasis cercariae are called infectious snails, and only infectious snails can infect people with schistosomiasis and pose a threat to human health. Fish, shrimp and other aquatic products are not the host of schistosomiasis, and eating or touching fish, shrimp and other aquatic products will not infect or transmit schistosomiasis. Snails in rivers that are not infected with schistosomiasis do not infect people with schistosomiasis.
Schistosomiasis is preventable and treatable, but not scary
How can I prevent myself from getting schistosomiasis? According to the transmission route of schistosomiasis, the most effective means of prevention is not to contact the infected water containing schistosomiasis cercariae, and it is often difficult to judge where there is infected water in real life。 If you suspect that you have schistosomiasis, you can go to the Ningxiang CDC for free consultation, examination, referral and other services.
(Duty leader: Yu Bo Review: Min Taotao Coordinator: Liu Shijiang Proofreader: Lu Yinglong Correspondent: Li Zhi Editor: Yu Jing)