Medical & Surgical Urology
Open Access

Abstract

Urogenital Schistosomiasis: No Longer a Diagnosis of the Developing World

Mahesha Weerakoon, Darren Ow, David Wetherell, Bhawanie Koonj Beharry, David Williams, Ania Sliwinski, Kiran Manya, Damien Bolton and Nathan Lawrentschuk

 Schistosomiasis is a chronic, parasitic disease caused by the blood flukes (trematode worms) of the genus Schistosoma. There are two major forms of schistosomiasis, intestinal and urogenital. The blood fluke Schistosoma haematobium causes urogenital schistosomiasis, with its highest prevalence in Africa and the Middle East. Given the emerging migrant populations in Australia, from the Africa and Middle East, urogenital schistosomiasis needs to be given consideration in differential diagnosis of patients with renal colic, cystitis, haematuria and urinary tract stricture/obstruction. Travel history is also pertinent to diagnosis. The burden of schistosomiasis in the developing world is remarkably high, with 243 million people requiring treatment in 2011. With the increase of migrant populations to Australia, the burden of disease and its implications need to be acknowledged in the developed world.