Akihiro Toyoda (University of Tsukuba School of Medicine)
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![[schitosoma japonicum adult]](./pics/sj00.gif)
Schistosomes, or blood flukes are known as parasites that inhabit the animal blood flow. Their infection brings lots of harmful effects to human body: Schistosomiasis or Katayama fever, these are the names of disease that is caused by the infection of schistosomes.
Main symptoms of this disease are usually affected by the eggs of schistosomes; Damages by them to the gut and the liver are most seen in the schistosomiasis patients. The amount of patients are large; It is estimated to be about two million, and six million is said to have a risk of infection. Therefore, schistosomiasis is also regarded as one of the three worst parasite diseases of the world (another ones are Malariasis and Filariasis).
There are mainly four schistosoma species that parasitize human, that is,
To our great relieve, there is no reported schistosomiasis in Japan since 1976, though we must not decay our knowledge of schistosomes and related schistosomiasis. Indeed, there are still lots of victims are suffered from schistosomiasis, as described above.
In this review, I shall spot on Schistosoma
japonicum, because of the name "japonicum (Japan;
my country)", and because the schistosomiasis caused by schistosoma
japonicum is the most severe one.
If you are slightly interested in schistosomes or schistosomiasis
at least, it is my BEST pleasure.
Current Research about Schistosomes
Information about Shistosomiasis from WHO (World Health Organization)
Information from Sichuan Project at UC Berkeley
Acknowledgements;
I want to show my bosom gratitude to Dr. Y. Irie (Institute of Basic Medical
Sciences, University of Tsukuba) and Ms. S. Nara for their lectures and
technical assistance. The encouragement of Drs. K. Yasuraoka (Institute
of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Tsukuba) and K. Mott (Division
of Control of Tropical Diseases, WHO) are also appreciated.
Please E-mail to: akky@mx2.ttcn.ne.jp