Cardiopulmonary involvement rare in severe Schistosoma japonicum infection

In a prospective study, 65 consecutive patients hospitalized with Schistosoma japonicum infection were evaluated for evidence of cardiopulmonary involvement. Thirty-two patients had evidence of severe liver dysfunction while 11 patients had portal hypertension only. Of these 43 patients with hepatosplenic disease, only one patient had pulmonary hypertension. Cardiopulmonary involvement is relatively uncommon in severe S. japonicum infections.