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Review
. 2022 May 27:2:100093.
doi: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2022.100093. eCollection 2022.

The parasitology of female genital schistosomiasis

Verner N Orish  1 , Emmanuel Komla Senanu Morhe  2 , Wisdom Azanu  2 , Robert K Alhassan  3 , Margaret Gyapong  3
Affiliations
Review

The parasitology of female genital schistosomiasis

Verner N Orish et al. Curr Res Parasitol Vector Borne Dis. .

Abstract

Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) is the gynaecological presentation of Schistosoma haematobium infection, resulting from egg deposition in the female genital tract. Despite the fact that this condition has been reported in the early days of the discovery of S. haematobium in Egypt, its existence has been grossly neglected, causing many women in schistosomiasis-endemic areas to go through a preventable, debilitating, and stigmatizing presentation of FGS. To prevent this, increasing awareness of FGS is necessary for all, especially healthcare providers, to improve the diagnosis, management, and treatment. As proposed by the FAST package project, several healthcare professionals with different specializations are expected to be involved in the management of FGS. It is therefore important that basic updated knowledge on the parasitology of the disease be acquired by healthcare professionals. This review provides basic information necessary to improve the knowledge of FGS among healthcare professionals in areas endemic to schistosomiasis. Armed with these basic details, healthcare professionals can improve their confidence in the management and treatment of FGS, contributing significantly to the control and prevention of FGS in endemic areas.

Keywords: Female genital schistosomiasis; Genital lesions; Praziquantel; Schistosoma haematobium; Urogenital schistosomiasis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Image 1
Graphical abstract
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Life-cycle and migration of schistosomula, adult worms, and eggs of Schistosoma haematobium.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Pathogenesis and clinical features of female genital schistosomiasis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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