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The Curious Bag
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Bilharzia, more commonly known as schistosomiasis, is a condition caused by infection with a type of parasitic worm known as Schistosoma. Species causing this disease include Schistosoma mansoni, S. haematobium and S. japonicum, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Water
Bilharzia is contracted in water contaminated by the fecal matter or urine of infected people, according to the CDC.
Snails
When the worms in the feces or urine of infected people enter water, they live and grow in some snails and re-enter the water, according to the CDC.
Human Infection
People in water infected with Schistosoma worms come in contact with them and the worms burrow through the skin, according to Medline Plus.
Features
Worms mature in the lungs of an infected person and travel to another part of the body, such as the bladder, rectum, spleen, intestines, liver or the veins between the liver and intestines, according to Medline Plus. This may lead to itching rash, fever and chills, coughing and muscle aches, as well as potential organ damage.
Geograpy
The Schistosoma worms are not found in the United Stes, although 200 million people in other parts of the world are infected, according to both Medline Plus and the CDC.
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