Alternative Names & Classifications:
Bilharziasis (CLINICAL)
Description
Infection occurs when larval forms of the parasite, released by freshwater snails, penetrate intact human skin during contact with infested water. The adult worms live in human blood vessels, where they mate and release thousands of eggs that become trapped in host tissues. The trapped eggs provoke severe granulomatous immune reactions, leading to progressive damage in the intestines or urinary tract.