ABSTRACT
Schistosomiasis is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases in the world. The disease is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa but is endemic in more than 70 countries includingmajor populated areas such as China, India, and Brazil. It is believed that 20% of the endemic area population is at risk of developing schistosomiasis (1). The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 200 million people are infected worldwide, 120 million of whom are symptomatic; about 20 million exhibit severe manifestations of the disease (1). Mortality from schistosomiasis is estimated at 11,000 deaths per year, and the burden of disease, at 1.7 million disability-adjusted life years lost per year (2).
