BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Chemotherapy with praziquantel remains the only control measure to Schistosoma mansoni infections to date. The neuropeptide hormone somatostatin gives relief from gastrointestinal disturbances, liverpathology, and reduces egg production in S. mansoni infected mice, suggesting an interaction of somatostatin with the parasite rather than with the host alone. Using antibodi...

BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease that affects over 200 million people, can lead to significant morbidity and mortality; distribution of single dose preventative chemotherapy significantly reduces disease burden. Implementation of control programs is dictated by disease prevalence rates, which are determined by costly and labor intensive screening of stool samples. Because ecologi...

Chronic Schistosoma mansoni infection leads to a type 2-immune response with increased production of interleukin (IL-10). Evidence indicates chronic exposure to S. mansoni down regulates the type 1 immune response and prevents the onset of Th1-mediated diseases such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes mellitus and Crohn's disease. Furthermore, our own studies have revealed that chronic exposure to ...

BACKGROUND Cerebral involvement in schistosomiasis is not rare, but it is underdiagnosed because of the lack of clinical suspicion and the frequency of asymptomatic forms. Neurologic complications are generally supported by granuloma formation around ectopic eggs which have migrated to the brain. Moreover, vascular lesions and cerebral arteritis have been well documented in histopathological st...

BACKGROUND Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) plays a critical role in airway inflammation through G protein-coupled LPA receptors (LPA1-3). We have demonstrated that LPA induced cytokine and lipid mediator release in human bronchial epithelial cells. Here we provide evidence for the role of LPA and LPA receptors in Th2-dominant airway inflammation. METHODS Wild type, LPA1 heterozygous knockout mice...

In murine models of Schistosoma mansoni infection, egg production is associated with a switch from T helper cell (Th)1- to Th2-type responses to both schistosome-specific and unrelated antigens. Polyparasitism is common in human populations within S. mansoni endemic areas. We have, therefore, examined whether coinfection with S. mansoni could affect the outcome of a second parasitic infection, ...

BACKGROUND Schistosoma mansoni was observed and reported in Kuluva hospital Arua District in north western Uganda as early as 1902. S. mansoni is widely distributed in Uganda along permanent water bodies. OBJECTIVE To review the litreture on scistosomiasis in Uganda, since 1902. METHOD The core literature for this short review was searched from reports and publications by the British coloni...

Schistosomiasis is an infectious disease affecting up to 300 million people worldwide [1]. Of the three main species of Schistosoma, S. mansoni has the broadest geographical distribution. It is endemic to portions of South America, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. S. haematobium is found mostly in North Africa, parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East; S. japonicu...

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence and intensity of schistosomiasis in urban and peri-urban Kariba. DESIGN A cross sectional schistosomiasis survey involving screening people for infection and searching for intermediate host snails. SETTING Lake Kariba Research Station, Zimbabwe. SUBJECTS One thousand and seventy three people living in four residential areas of Kariba were screened for...

BACKGROUND The Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation (SCORE) has launched several large-scale trials to determine the best strategies for gaining and sustaining control of schistosomiasis and transitioning toward elimination. In Côte d'Ivoire, a 5-year cluster-randomized trial is being implemented in 75 schools to sustain the control of schistosomiasis mansoni. We r...