DIANOSIS AND TREATMENT OF

SCHISTOSOMA JAPONICUM
INTRODUCTION
S. japonicum is one of the major parasite for the disease schistosomiasis alongside with
schistosoma mansoni and S.haematobium .
The disease is still remain significant especially in lake and marshland region .
Infection by S.japonicum will cause an acute katayama fever which if left untreated,may
develop into chronic condition characterized by hepatosplenic disease and impaired physical n
cognitive development .
The severity of S.japonicum arise 60% of neurological disease of schistosomiasis due to
migration of eggs to the brain.
S.japonicum usually infected the intestine of humans such it is one of the cause of intestinal
schistosomiasis.

DIAGNOSIS
DIRECT
1. Kato-Katz : It is prepared by almost the same method as normal H&E slide, except it uses
glycerol-malachite green solution as stain.

2. Hatching-Test : more sensitive than Kato-Katz and can differentiate between dead eggs and living
eggs.

3. Endoscopy and Tissue Biopsy

4. Rectal Biopsy

INDIRECT IMMUNODIAGNOSIS

1. ELISA : Most widely used method to detect soluble egg antigen of helminthes
2. Immunoabsorbant haemoagglutination test (IHAT)
3. Gel precipitation test
4. Circumoval precipitin test
5. Immunofluorescence

OTHER INVESTIGATION

1. Blood : Anemia, thrombocytopenia and eosinophilia

2. Imaging : Ultrasound, Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT) and Magnetic Resonance

Imaging (MRI)
3. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) : Most sensitive diagnosis but highly expensive which

make it unavailable for field uses

TREATMENT
1. Praziquantel : Most effective against adult schistosome
2. Artemether : Most effective against juvenile schistosome
3. Combined treatment : Praziquantel + Artemether shows very high worm reduction rates
4. Metrifonate (INN) : Mainly used in urinary schistosoma