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Schistosomiasis, also known as snail fever, bilharzia, and Katayama fever, is a disease caused by parasitic flatworms called schistosomes. The urinary tract or the intestines may be infected. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stool, or blood in the urine. Those who have been infected for a long time may experience liver damage, kidney failure, infertility, or bladder cancer. In children, it may cause poor growth and learning difficulty.
Schistosoma is a genus of trematodes, commonly known as blood flukes. They are parasitic flatworms responsible for a highly significant group of infections in humans termed schistosomiasis, which is considered by the World Health Organization as the second-most socioeconomically devastating parasitic disease, with hundreds of millions infected worldwide.
Trypanosomiasis or trypanosomosis is the name of several diseases in vertebrates caused by parasitic protozoan trypanosomes of the genus Trypanosoma. In humans this includes African trypanosomiasis and Chagas disease. A number of other diseases occur in other animals.
Praziquantel (PZQ), sold under the brandname Biltricide among others, is a medication used to treat a number of types of parasitic worm infections in mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish. In humans specifically, it is used to treat schistosomiasis, clonorchiasis, opisthorchiasis, tapeworm infections, cysticercosis, echinococcosis, paragonimiasis, fasciolopsiasis, and fasciolosis. It should not be used for worm infections of the eye. It is taken by mouth.
Trypanosoma is a genus of kinetoplastids, a monophyletic group of unicellular parasitic flagellate protozoa. Trypanosoma is part of the phylum Euglenozoa. The name is derived from the Greek trypano- (borer) and soma (body) because of their corkscrew-like motion. Most trypanosomes are heteroxenous and most are transmitted via a vector. The majority of species are transmitted by blood-feeding invertebrates, but there are different mechanisms among the varying species. Trypanosoma equiperdum is spread between horses and other equine species by sexual contact. They are generally found in the intestine of their invertebrate host, but normally occupy the bloodstream or an intracellular environment in the vertebrate host.
Schistosoma japonicum is an important parasite and one of the major infectious agents of schistosomiasis. This parasite has a very wide host range, infecting at least 31 species of wild mammals, including nine carnivores, 16 rodents, one primate (human), two insectivores and three artiodactyls and therefore it can be considered a true zoonosis. Travelers should be well-aware of where this parasite might be a problem and how to prevent the infection. S. japonicum occurs in the Far East, such as China, the Philippines, Indonesia and Southeast Asia.
Schistosoma mansoni is a water-borne parasite of humans, and belongs to the group of blood flukes (Schistosoma). The adult lives in the blood vessels near the human intestine. It causes intestinal schistosomiasis. Clinical symptoms are caused by the eggs. As the leading cause of schistosomiasis in the world, it is the most prevalent parasite in humans. It is classified as a neglected tropical disease. As of 2021, the World Health Organization reports that 251.4 million people have schistosomiasis and most of it is due to S. mansoni. It is found in Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname.
Schistosoma intercalatum is a parasitic worm found in parts of western and central Africa. There are two strains: the Lower Guinea strain and the Zaire strain. S. intercalatum is one of the major agents of the rectal form of schistosomiasis, also called bilharzia. It is a trematode, and being part of the genus Schistosoma, it is commonly referred to as a blood-fluke since the adult resides in blood vessels.
Schistosoma haematobium is a species of digenetic trematode, belonging to a group (genus) of blood flukes (Schistosoma). It is found in Africa and the Middle East. It is the major agent of schistosomiasis, the most prevalent parasitic infection in humans. It is the only blood fluke that infects the urinary tract, causing urinary schistosomiasis, and is the leading cause of bladder cancer. The diseases are caused by the eggs.
Trypanosoma brucei is a species of parasitic kinetoplastid belonging to the genus Trypanosoma that is present in sub-Saharan Africa. Unlike other protozoan parasites that normally infect blood and tissue cells, it is exclusively extracellular and inhabits the blood plasma and body fluids. It causes deadly vector-borne diseases: African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness in humans, and animal trypanosomiasis or nagana in cattle and horses. It is a species complex grouped into three subspecies: T. b. brucei, T. b. gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense. The first is a parasite of non-human mammals and causes nagana, while the latter two are zoonotic infecting both humans and animals and cause African trypanosomiasis.
Oxamniquine, sold under the brand name Vansil among others, is a medication used to treat schistosomiasis due to Schistosoma mansoni. Praziquantel, however, is often the preferred treatment. It is given by mouth and used as a single dose.
Kyambogo University (KYU) is a public university in Uganda. It is one of the eight public universities and degree-awarding institutions in the country with the motto, "Knowledge and Skills for Service."
A Schistosomiasis vaccine is a vaccine against Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease caused by several species of fluke of the genus Schistosoma. No effective vaccine for the disease exists yet. Schistosomiasis affects over 200 million people worldwide, mainly in rural agricultural and peri-urban areas of the third world, and approximately 10% suffer severe health complications from the infection. While chemotherapeutic drugs, such as praziquantel, oxamniquine and metrifonate both no longer on the market, are currently considered safe and effective for the treatment of schistosomiasis, reinfection occurs frequently following drug treatment, thus a vaccine is sought to provide long-term treatment. Additionally, experimental vaccination efforts have been successful in animal models of schistosomiasis.
Biomphalaria glabrata is a species of air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Planorbidae, the ram's horn snails.
Schistosoma mekongi is a species of trematodes, also known as flukes. It is one of the five major schistosomes that account for all human infections, the other four being S. haematobium, S. mansoni, S. japonicum, and S. intercalatum. This trematode causes schistosomiasis in humans.
Biomphalaria sudanica is a species of air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod belonging to the family Planorbidae, the ram's horn snails. Biomphalaria sudanica has a discoidal, brown shell with an approximate shell diameter of 9–11mm. Biomphalaria sudanica is a medically important pest, due to it being an intermediate host of the intravascular trematode genus, Schistosoma.
Variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) is a ~60kDa protein which densely packs the cell surface of protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Trypanosoma. This genus is notable for their cell surface proteins. They were first isolated from Trypanosoma brucei in 1975 by George Cross. VSG allows the trypanosomatid parasites to evade the mammalian host's immune system by extensive antigenic variation. They form a 12–15 nm surface coat. VSG dimers make up ~90% of all cell surface protein and ~10% of total cell protein. For this reason, these proteins are highly immunogenic and an immune response raised against a specific VSG coat will rapidly kill trypanosomes expressing this variant. However, with each cell division there is a possibility that the progeny will switch expression to change the VSG that is being expressed. VSG has no prescribed biochemical activity.
The Uganda National Council for Higher Education (UNCHE) is a semi-autonomous government regulatory agency, responsible for the regulation of higher education in Uganda, the third-largest economy in the East African Community. UNCHE is also responsible for provision of guidance in the establishment of institutions of higher education and the provision of assurance that quality and relevant education is delivered, by the licensed institutions.
Joseph Y.T. Mugisha is a Ugandan mathematician, academician and academic administrator. Currently he is a Professor of Mathematics and Principal of the College of Natural Sciences, a constituent college of Makerere University. Makerere University is the Oldest University in Uganda.
Schistosoma bovis is a two-host blood fluke, that causes intestinal schistosomiasis in ruminants in North Africa, Mediterranean Europe and the Middle East. S. bovis is mostly transmitted by Bulinus freshwater snail species. It is one of nine haematobium group species and exists in the same geographical areas as Schistosoma haematobium, with which it can hybridise. S. bovis-haematobium hybrids can infect humans, and have been reported in Senegal since 2009, and a 2013 outbreak in Corsica.
References
- ↑ Anguyo, Innocent (13 February 2014). "Kyambogo University Gets New Acting Vice Chancellor". New Vision . Kampala. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- 1 2 3 Administrator (2 April 2012). "Dr. Elly Katunguka, Man On A Mission". The Observer (Uganda) . Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ↑ Mujuni, Raymond (19 June 2014). "Kyambogo Vice Chancellor Office Smooth: Professor Katunguka". Kampala: Uganda Radio Network . Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ↑ Uganda Radio Network (27 March 2019). "Museveni appoints Prof Eli Katunguka as NCHE chairperson". Daily Monitor Quoting Uganda Radio Network . Kampala. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- ↑ Biryomumaisho, Savino; Katunguka-Rwakishaya, Eli; Rubaire-Akiiki, C. M. (22 June 2003). "Serum biochemical changes in experimental Trypanosoma congolense and Trypanosoma brucei infection in Small East Africa goats". Veterinarski Arhiv. 73 (3): 167–180. ISSN 0372-5480.
- ↑ Biryomumaisho, Savino; Rwakishaya, Eli-Katunguka; Melville, Sara Elizabeth; Cailleau, Aurélie; Lubega, George William (1 April 2013). "Livestock trypanosomosis in Uganda: parasite heterogeneity and anaemia status of naturally infected cattle, goats and pigs". Parasitology Research. 112 (4): 1443–1450. doi:10.1007/s00436-013-3275-9. ISSN 1432-1955. PMID 23344247. S2CID 253975235.
- ↑ Tweyongyere, Robert; Mawa, Patrice A.; Emojong, Nicholas O.; Mpairwe, Harriet; Jones, Frances M.; Duong, Trinh; Dunne, David W.; Vennervald, Birgitte J.; Katunguka-Rwakishaya, Eli; Elliott, Alison M. (18 March 2009). "Effect of praziquantel treatment of Schistosoma mansoni during pregnancy on intensity of infection and antibody responses to schistosome antigens: results of a randomised, placebo-controlled trial". BMC Infectious Diseases. 9 (1): 32. doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-9-32 . ISSN 1471-2334. PMC 2666740 . PMID 19296834.
- ↑ Katunguka-Rwakishaya, Eli; Ndikuwera, Jason; Musoke, Rose Azuba (2008). "handbook on livestock nutrition".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ↑ Tweyongyere, R.; Mawa, P. A.; Namujju, P. B.; Jones, F. M.; Ndibazza, J.; Omoding, N.; Muhangi, L.; Kabatereine, N. B.; Vennervald, B. J.; Dunne, D. W.; Katunguka-Rwakishaya, E.; Elliott, A. M. (2006). "The effect of praziquantel treatment on immune responses against Schistosomiasis mansoni during pregnancy: Cytokine and antibody responses in pregnant women and their infants". The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 75: 8.