Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 23, 2026
12:05
Mass Isolation and In Vitro Cultivation of Intramolluscan Stages of the Human Blood Fluke Schistosoma Mansoni
Published on: January 14, 2018
8.6K
The chronic enteropathogenic disease schistosomiasis.
David U Olveda1, Remigio M Olveda2, Donald P McManus3
1Department of Medical Sciences, Griffith Health Institute, Gold Coast, Australia.
Summary
Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease, causes significant global health issues. This review updates on advances in diagnosing gastrointestinal disease and liver fibrosis linked to chronic schistosomiasis.
Area of Science:
- Medical Parasitology
- Tropical Medicine
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Schistosomiasis affects 240 million globally, causing substantial disability and mortality.
- Chronic infections lead to granuloma formation in the intestine, liver, or bladder, resulting in severe morbidity.
- Current diagnostic methods for liver fibrosis include invasive liver biopsy and imaging with field limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an update on recent advancements in diagnosing gastrointestinal disease associated with chronic schistosomiasis.
- To review current and emerging diagnostic strategies for hepatic morbidity in schistosomiasis.
- To highlight the potential of non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosing liver fibrosis.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent scientific literature on schistosomiasis diagnosis.
- Evaluation of diagnostic imaging techniques for hepatic morbidity.
- Assessment of non-invasive biological markers, including serum antibodies, cytokines, and microRNAs.
Main Results:
- Liver biopsy remains the gold standard but is invasive.
- Diagnostic imaging is valuable in clinical settings but faces field challenges.
- Non-invasive biomarkers show promise for diagnosing hepatic fibrosis in schistosomiasis.
Conclusions:
- Accurate diagnosis of gastrointestinal schistosomiasis and its hepatic complications is crucial.
- Non-invasive diagnostic methods are under active investigation and development.
- Advances in biomarker research offer potential for improved field diagnostics and patient management.
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