Murine schistosomiasis as a model for human schistosomiasis mansoni: similarities and discrepancies

Human schistosomiasis has been studied extensively since its discovery by Theodore Bilharz in 1851. Because of its medical importance as a chronic debilitating disease in the tropics and subtropics, continuing research efforts are still going on. The use of animal models still represents a major cornerstone in this field, with murine hosts, especially mice, as the most preferable experimental units. Murine schistosomiasis has been employed as a model for studying various aspects of human schistosomiasis, including biology, pathogenesis, immunology, chemotherapy screening, and vaccine development. However, there may be differences between murine and human schistosomiasis. The present article tries to explore some of these aspects that may help researchers in the field of schistosomiasis.