Bilharzia Symptoms

Bilharzia is a parasite that survives on human blood. The blood flukes, or schistosoma, are between 1 and 2 cm in length and live in the veins. Their main target is the person's stomach or bladder. These parasites reproduce rapidly and cause infections such as Schistosoma haematobium.

Swimmers Itch

• The first symptoms are a "swimmer's itch" or red bumps on the skin. This is caused by larvae that burrow into the skin and migrate into the body tissue. They leave red marks on the skin that itch.

Katayama Fever

• As the larvae begin to migrate through the body tissue, a fever may occur within the person. This may go along with enlargement of the spleen, lymph nodes and liver. This illness is known as Katayama fever and generally occurs between weeks 2 and 4 of infection.

Bowel Symptoms

• Between 1 and 2 months into the infection, the person may begin to experience bowel issues. This bowel problems are caused by the parasite eggs that are trapped inside of the bowel. The symptoms during this period include diarrhea and weight loss.

Causes

• Bilharzia happens when a person's skin comes in contact with fresh water, most commonly in areas of Africa and South America. Many people will use the water to bathe or wash items. Tourists can be infected while swimming in the water. The parasites live in the water.

Treatment

• Treatment of Bilharzia includes using the drug Praziquantel. This pill can be taken orally to rid the body of the infection. Research is currently being conducted to create a vaccine for the disease. However, none is available at the moment.