B65.2: Schistosomiasis due to Schistosoma japonicum

You have been infected by fluke worms that cause the disease called bilharzia.

Fluke worms live in fresh water, particularly in warm regions of Asia. Someone who goes into water like that can have the worm larvae get into their body via their skin. The skin may then turn red and itchy in those places for a short time.

A few weeks after being infected, the person can get a high temperature, diarrhea or a cough, for example. An itchy rash on the skin is also typical. The liver and some lymph nodes may become enlarged.

The worm larvae develop into worms in the body. If the worms lay eggs, the surrounding tissue becomes inflamed. The symptoms depend on which areas of the body the illness has affected. The symptoms caused by the eggs usually appear several months after becoming infected, and they may persist for a long time.

You have become infected by worms that particularly develop in the blood vessels of the bowel and the liver. When the bladder is inflamed, passing water can be painful. Urine may also contain blood and pus. When the bowel is inflamed, the person may have stomach pains or have blood in their stool, for example. The liver may scar and then stop working properly. Then fluid can accumulate in the stomach, for example.