Infection with Schistosoma haematobium

Malignant neoplasm of the bladder - Infection with Schistosoma haematobium Factor

Description and general information

Schistosoma haematobium is a type of parasitic worm that may infest the genito-urinary system in humans.  Eggs are deposited and are passed in the urine.  Symptoms of infestation include painful urination, frequency of urination and blood in the urine.  Diagnosis is usually by identification of eggs in the urine although eggs may also be detected in bladder or rectal biopsy materials.

There are 6 species of Schistosoma, each of which is endemic to specific areas of the world.  Therefore, a person could only have suffered Schistosoma haematobium infestation if he or she had been to one of the countries where Schistosoma haematobium is found.  Schistosoma haematobium is distributed in:

·   parts of Africa

·   the Eastern Mediterranean Region

·   Turkey

·   Portugal

·   India.

Further information about the world wide distribution of the different species of Schistosoma can be obtained from the RMA SOP dealing with Schistosomiasis which is contained in the CCPS Research Library.

Establishing a diagnosis of Schistosoma haematobium infestation

Many patients with Schistosomiasis never have symptoms or signs of disease, or only have mild ones.  A person can only be said to have suffered Schistosoma haematobium infestation of the bladder if such eggs were identified.  The detection of living Schistosoma haematobium eggs in a patient warrants initiation of treatment.  Such medical treatment would normally be recorded in doctors' notes and/or hospital records.  However, these records may have been destroyed or can no longer be obtained.  Therefore, if there is a reliable history of a diagnosis of Schistosoma haematobium at a particular time, this generally will be accepted, unless there is contradictory evidence.

WW2 service documents

Schistosoma was previously known as Bilharzia and service medical documents prior to discharge from WW2 service (eg AAF D2(a)) included a question about Bilharzia.

·   A negative answer to a history of Bilharzia indicates that a person has not suffered Schistosoma haematobium infestation (note however that the presence of Schistosoma species may not be suspected until disease manifests some years after initial infestation).

·   A positive answer to that question does not necessarily mean that the person has suffered Schistosoma haematobium infestation.  The species of Schistosoma would need to be identified.