Schistosomiasis in travellers returning from sub-Saharan Africa

Comment The increase in the number of travellers infected with S haematobium may reflect an increase in travel to Malawi; more than twice as many British residents visited Malawi in 1993 as in 1987 (R Behrens, personal communication). [...]recently, Lake Malawi was believed to be the only lake in the Rift Valley free from schistosomiasis. 1 Patients with S haematobium present with haematuria, dysuria, or urinary frequency, whereas abdominal pain, diarrhoea, or rectal bleeding are associated with S mansoni. Most of our patients had light infections, causing minor symptoms or none at all. 2 Serious complications such as neurological deficit can arise, 3 so it is important that those at risk are identified by a detailed travel history and offered appropriate screening tests.