August 29, 2018.
A worm, the schisostoma, responsible for a serious tropical disease, is said to be migrating to Europe. A migration that worries the health authorities.
A worm responsible for a deadly disease
We do not suffer from the same diseases whether we live in a hot country or a cold country. Microbes are not the same, and neither are parasites. Now it seems that a worm, the schisostoma, very present in the southern hemisphere, is migrating to our continent. This parasite is the cause of a disease called schistosomiasis or snail fever.. A potentially fatal disease.
These worms can indeed cause infections and severe disabilities. Bilharzia is not well known in France, but yet it kills between 20,000 and 200,000 people each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It is the second parasitic endemic in the world, behind malaria. One can be contaminated by bathing in fresh water. The larvae enter the human body through the skin.
A parasite spotted in Corsica
What worries the health authorities is that this parasite has been identified on numerous occasions in Europe and in particular in Corsica. The disease is manifested by diarrhea, blood in the stool and abdominal pain. A treatment exists against this parasite and it is effective from the first symptoms. If you have bathed in the Cavu river in Corsica, pay particular attention to these different symptoms.
It remains to be seen how this parasite arrived on the island. According to the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Corsica, it could be that an infected person has urinated in the water, thus contaminating the molluscs in the river. Other area of concern: these parasites evolved into hybrid forms. They could now contaminate cattle but also new species. To be continued…
Marine Rondot
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