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Control and prevention
Schistosomiasis is a water-borne disease, and the infestation only spreads through the water reservoirs such as lakes, ponds, rivers, canals, and stagnant or slow-speed running waters. First of all, hygienic measures are very important to prevent all kinds of infections and infestations. The more cleanliness measures are taken, the better is the control of tropical diseases.
When you are in a country where Schistosomiasis is prevalent, swimming and wading in the waters should be avoided as much as possible. The only way of diving safely into the waters is that the pools are chlorinated properly. Always make sure you are consuming safe drinking water. The water bottles used for drinking should be sealed, and the water should be purified. Suppose your mouth or lips touch contaminated water. In that case, there are chances of the consumption of larval eggs of Schistosome, so drinking directly from any freshwater reservoir should never be considered. One way of avoiding infestation from freshwater is to treat the water by boiling it for at least one minute, but it cannot guarantee prevention. Rigorous towel drying after accidental exposure to the larval eggs is one of the ways of preventing acute infestation. Still, it is not a completely reliable method.
References
NHS website. (2022, January 19). Schistosomiasis (bilharzia). Nhs. Uk.
Schistosomiasis (Bilharzia). (2020, February 28). WHO.
Medscape: Toward the elimination of Schistosomiasis. (2009). Medline Abstract.
Schistosomiasis (Bilharzia) Symptoms & Treatments. (2020). SCI Foundation.
Soentjens, P. (2021, December). Schistosomiasis: Treatment and prevention. Up To Date.
CDC – Schistosomiasis – Prevention & Control. (2019, August 14). CDC.
