[Peritoneal and tubal Schistosoma haematobium bilharziasis. Two case reports]

Abstract

It is now recognized that eggs of Schistosoma haematobium are most commonly found in the bladder because this parasitic infestation usually affects the urinary tract. However, numerous papers have been published on the occurrence of schistosomiasis of the female genital tract. The frequency of distribution of schistosomal disease of the genital tract has not been estimated because only cases with overt disease are usually considered. The involvement of Fallopian tubes is not rare in endemic areas and may predispose to ectopic pregnancy and infertility. In this paper, we report two cases of Schistosomiasis in black African women due to Schistosoma haematobium localized in the peritoneum and the Fallopian tubes. Our first patient had primary infertility associated with bilateral hydrosalpinx and peritoneal inflammatory reaction. Our second patient had an ectopic pregnancy associated with chronic salpingitis. In the both cases, histological examination showed the presence of schistosomal eggs in the peritoneum and the Fallopian tubes. These cases suggest that bilharziasis should now be considered as a urogenital disease and not only as an urinary tract disease.