snail fever

schis·to·so·mi·a·sis   (shĭs'tə-sə-mī'ə-sĭs)    n.   pl. schis·to·so·mi·a·ses (-sēz') Any of various generally tropical diseases caused by infestation with schistosomes, widespread in rural areas of Africa, Asia, and Latin America through use of contaminated water, and characterized by infection and gradual destruction of the tissues of the kidneys, liver, and other organs. Also called bilharziasis, snail fever.

Main Entry: schis·to·so·mi·a·sis
Pronunciation: "shis-t&-sO-'mI-&-s&s, "skis-
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural schis·to·so·mi·a·ses /-"sEz/
: infestation with or disease caused by schistosomes; specifically : asevere endemic disease of humans in much of Asia, Africa, and So. America that is caused by any of three trematode worms of the genus Schistosoma (S. haematobium, S. mansoni, and S.japonicum) which multiply in snail intermediate hosts and are disseminated into freshwaters as furcocercous cercariae that bore into the body when it is in contact with infested water, migratethrough the tissues to the visceral venous plexuses (as of the bladder or intestine) where they attain maturity, and cause much of their injury through hemorrhage and damage to tissues resulting fromthe passage of the usually spined eggs to the intestine and bladder whence they pass out to start a new cycle of infection in snail hosts called also bilharzia, bilharziasis, snailfever; —compare SWIMMER'S ITCH

schistosomiasis schis·to·so·mi·a·sis (shĭs'tə-sə-mī'ə-sĭs, skĭs'-)
n. pl. schis·to·so·mi·a·ses (-sēz')
Any of various generally tropical diseases that is caused by infestation with schistosomes, is widespread in rural areas of Africa, Asia, and Latin America through use of contaminated water, and is characterized by infection and gradual destruction of the tissues of the kidneys, liver, and other organs. Also called bilharziasis.

schistosomiasis   (shĭs'tə-sə-mī'ə-sĭs)  Pronunciation Key  Any of a group of diseases caused by flatworm parasites of the genus Schistosoma that infest the blood of humans and other mammals, characterized by severe diarrhea and damage to vital organs, including the intestine and bladder. Schistosomiasis is seen in rural areas of Africa, Latin America, and Asia, and it is transmitted through contact with contaminated water.