Schistosoma haematobium Egg Isolation

Schistosoma haematobiumis the etiologic agent for urogenital schistosomiasis, a major source of morbidity and mortality for more than 112 million people worldwide. Infection with S. haematobium results in a variety of immunopathologic sequelae caused by parasite oviposition within the urinary tract, which drives inflammation, hematuria, fibrosis, bladder dysfunction, and increased susceptibility to urothelial carcinoma. Since most of the pathology in schistosomasis is directly attributable to the host reaction to eggs and egg-associated antigens, their isolation and study are important experimental techniques. S. haematobium eggs can be collected from infected tissues for injection into other animals or preparation of crude egg extracts. This protocol describes a simple way to isolate eggs. Schistosomes are a biohazard. Workers should wear latex gloves at all times when handling schistosomal materials or any tissues from infected animals.