schistosomiasis

noun

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schis·to·so·mi·a·sis | \ ˌshi-stə-sō-ˈmī-ə-səs

How to pronounce schistosomiasis (audio)

plural schistosomiases\ ˌshi-stə-sō-ˈmī-ə-ˌsēz

Definition of schistosomiasis

: infestation with or disease caused by schistosomes specifically : a severe endemic disease of humans in Africa and parts of Asia and South America that is contracted when cercariae released into fresh waters (such as rivers) by a snail intermediate host penetrate the skin and that is marked especially by blood loss and tissue damage

— called also snail fever

Examples of schistosomiasis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The island of Corsica has experienced its first-ever cases of schistosomiasis. — Jerome Groopman, The New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2021 Certain species that pose a threat to human health, such as the trematodes that cause schistosomiasis, have narrowed down their life cycle to just two hosts. — Sabrina Imbler, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2021 This is also a problem for vaccines under development for parasitic illnesses such as malaria, schistosomiasis, and hookworm infection, Bethony says. — Kate Baggaley, Popular Science, 28 Dec. 2020 About 250 million people a year are infected with schistosomiasis. — Bill Heavey, Field & Stream, 5 Aug. 2020 The problem is not only yellow fever: Deforestation in the Amazon also creates breeding sites for the hosts and vectors of afflictions like malaria and schistosomiasis. — National Geographic, 19 May 2020 Beyond the consumer applications, Professor Sagi has also been involved in research on using the prawns to combat schistosomiasis, a debilitating waterborne disease that affects around 200 million people worldwide, primarily in impoverished areas. — Lee H. Goldberg, Ars Technica, 10 May 2020 Since the 1980s, efforts to eliminate schistosomiasis have primarily focused on distributing drugs to infected people. — Chelsea L. Wood, The Conversation, 17 Jan. 2020 The environment, therefore, is key to reducing transmission of schistosomiasis to people. — Chelsea L. Wood, The Conversation, 17 Jan. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'schistosomiasis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

18 May 2021

Cite this Entry

“Schistosomiasis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schistosomiasis. Accessed 19 Jun. 2021.

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More Definitions for schistosomiasis

schistosomiasis

noun

schis·to·so·mi·a·sis | \ ˌshis-tə-sō-ˈmī-ə-səs

, ˌskis-

plural schistosomiases\ -ˌsēz

Medical Definition of schistosomiasis

: infestation with or disease caused by schistosomes specifically : a severe endemic disease of humans in much of Africa and parts of Asia and South America that is caused by any of three trematode worms of the genus Schistosoma (S. haematobium, S. mansoni, and S. japonicum) which multiply in snail intermediate hosts and are disseminated into freshwaters as furcocercous cercariae that bore into the body when it is in contact with infested water, migrate through the tissues to the visceral venous plexuses (as of the bladder or intestine) where they attain maturity, and cause much of their injury through hemorrhage and damage to tissues resulting from the passage of the usually spiny eggs to the intestine and bladder whence they pass out to start a new cycle of infection in snail hosts

— called also bilharzia, bilharziasis, snail fever

— compare swimmer's itch