I-Bilharzia, evame ukubizwa ngokuthi i-schistosomiasis, isifo esihlasela izindawo ezishisayo nezindawo ezishisayo, ikakhulukazi e-Afrika. Kubangelwa izikelemu eziyizimpungushe futhi kungabangela izifo ezinzima nokukhubazeka okukhulu. Kuyinkinga yezempilo yomphakathi emhlabeni wonke, njengoba iwubhubhane lwesibili lwezinambuzane ngemuva kukamalaleveva.

I-Bilharzia ibulala abantu abaphakathi kuka-20 no-000 unyaka ngamunye, ngokusho kweNhlangano Yezempilo Yomhlaba, eyelapha abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-200 ngo-000. I-WHO yabe isilinganisela inani labantu abadinga ukwelashwa kokuvimbela lingaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-60. I-Bilharzia ikhona eLatin America, Middle East kanye nase-Asia, kodwa izwekazi lase-Afrika ligxile ku-2014-250% wamacala. 80 Izifo Ezinganakwa ZaseTropical). Lokhu kungashintsha ngoba amacala amaningana enzekile eYurophu kusukela ngo-2011, ikakhulukazi eCorsica, okuphakamisa ukwesaba ukuvela kwalesi parasitosis eYurophu. (2)

Izimpawu zokuqala zokutheleleka ukuqubuka, okulandelwa emasontweni ambalwa kamuva umkhuhlane, ukukhwehlela, nobuhlungu bemisipha. Kunezinhlobo ezimbili eziyinhloko ze-schistosomiasis:

• I-schistosomiasis yamathumbu: isifo sohudo, igazi esinqeni kanye nobuhlungu besisu yizimpawu ezivamile. Ngendlela yayo engapheli, izinkinga ziwukwanda kobukhulu besibindi kanye ne-spleen (i-hepatomegaly ne-splenomegaly).
• I-Urogenital schistosomiasis: Ukuba khona kwegazi emchameni ngokuvamile kubonisa i-urogenital schistosomiasis, engabangela ukulimala kwesinye, urethra nezinso.

Ukukhula nokubambezeleka kokuthuthukiswa kwengqondo kubonakala ezinganeni ezithintekayo nezingelashwa.

I-Bilharzia ibangelwa izikelemu ze-parasitic zohlobo I-Schistosoma. Izinhlobo ezintathu zezikelemu ziyimbangela enkulu yokutheleleka nge-bilharzia kubantu: I-Schistosoma haematobium (i-bilharziose urogeÌ ?? nitale), Schistosoma mansoni et I-Schistosoma japonicum (amabhiliyade emathunjini).

I-Bilharzia igcwele abantu ezindaweni ezishisayo nasezindaweni ezishisayo ezihlala eduze namanzi amile. Abadobi, abesifazane abawasha izingubo kanye nezingane ezidlalayo zivezwa ikakhulukazi.

Izibungu ze-parasite zikhula emanzini ahlanzekile futhi zingena emzimbeni womuntu ngesikhumba. Zikhishwa ngegazi emathunjini nasesinyeni lapho zikhiqiza khona amaqanda azolimaza izicubu futhi avuse ukusabela kokuvuvukala komzimba. Amanzi angcoliswa indle yabantu abathwele i-parasite.

I-Praziquantel iyisidakamizwa esisebenza ngempumelelo ngokumelene nazo zonke izinhlobo ze-schistosomiasis, ephephile futhi engabizi. Ukwelashwa okuphindaphindiwe kwenani elikhulu labantu abasengcupheni kungaqeda izigaba zokuqala zesifo futhi kunciphise isibalo sabantu abangenwe yilesi sifo. Ukulwa nezifo eziwumqedazwe kuhlanganisa nokukhuculula amanzi amile, ukulwa nama-gastropods athwala amagciwane, kanye nokuvimbela phakathi kwabantu abahlala ezindaweni eziwugwadule. Ngokuqondene nabahambi ezindaweni ezishisayo nasezindaweni ezishisayo, kufanele bagweme ukubhukuda emachibini, emachibini nasemifuleni.