Urinary schistosomiasis in a Japanese man

A 29-year-old Japanese man with a history of travel to Africa visited the Department of Urology, Nara Medical University complaining of intermittent asymptomatic gross hematuria over a period of 30 months. As he was suspected of being infested with schistosomal parasites based on his past history of swimming in Malawi Lake during his stay in Egypt two years previously, we examined his urine microscopically for the presence of Schistosoma haematobium eggs and diagnosed him as having urinary schistosomiasis. Endoscopic examination revealed multiple small erythematous torose lesions on the right posterior wall of the urinary bladder. Since he was treated by oral administration of praziquantel every 6 h for 2 days (total daily dose of 2400 mg), a specific anthelmintic drug for schistosomiasis, the disease has been successfully kept under control without significant lesions in the bladder mucosa after the immediate disappearance of the eggs in his urine.