As people travel and move in and out of different countries, people under the age of 25 need to be aware of schistosomiasis (a disease caused by parasitic worms also known as Bilharzia).
The CDC says infections happen when skin comes into contaminated freshwater (where infected people have urinated or defecated in the water). “The eggs hatch, and if the appropriate species of snails are present in the water, the parasites infect, develop and multiply inside the snails. The parasite leaves the snail and enters the water where it can survive for about 48 hours.”
If you have any of the following symptoms, you will need to get tested:
- Fever
- Chills
- Cough
- Muscle aches
If left untreated, schistosomiasis can develop into a chronic condition causing abdominal pain, enlarged liver, blood in the stool or blood in the urine, and problems passing urine.
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