The Animal Parasites of Man

by Harold Benjamin Fantham; Max Braun; J. W. W. Stephens; Fred. V. Theobald

Schistosoma hæmatobium.

The symptoms of bilharziasis are manifested chiefly in the urinary apparatus, and above all as hæmaturia, at the outset without any special troubles. Later, however, it is accompanied by subjective symptoms in the shape of feelings of pain, and of vague pains in the perinæum and lumbar region, and of burning in the urethra during the passing of urine. All the symptoms are usually aggravated after excesses in eating and drinking, and after considerable bodily exertion. Another condition found, but not often mentioned, is lipuria (Stock[478]); the highest amount has been 2 per cent. fat in the urine. Stock found 6 to 20 per cent. of eosinophile cells in ten cases examined by him. They appear to be increased, especially in the early cases; Kautsky[479] also called attention to the excessive degree of eosinophilia, whilst Goebel[480] expresses the opinion that a specific toxic action on the organism generally is not developed in bilharziasis. Kautsky[481] assumes a toxic anæmia as in the case of ancylostomiasis. English authors also have called attention to the eosinophilia and to a considerable amount of leucocytosis (Balfour,[482] Douglas and Hardy[483]). The severe forms occur almost exclusively in men; symptoms of catarrh of the bladder make their appearance, vesical calculi are frequently found, whilst the formation of stone in the kidneys and ureters is rare. Urethral fistula occurs in bilharziasis, often without stricture, and if granulations occur the fistula is distal to them. Goebel[484] regards the bilharzia fistula as a chronic burrowing of pus, caused by the irritation set up by the ova as foreign bodies and consecutive restricted suppuration; and secondly as due to the passage of urine through the defect in the epithelium or the wall of the urethra. The fistulæ, which are generally situated at the neck of the bladder and at the membranous portion, are very tortuous and frequently very numerous; they often lie embedded in well-marked tumours—in fact, in granulation tumours with marked inclination to excessive formation of cicatricial tissue. The opening generally is in the perineal and scrotal regions. In the case of a patient, aged 21, from the Transvaal, Kutner[485] found by cystoscopic examinations the whole summit and walls of the bladder covered with large and small tumours. In addition to smooth glistening tumours, others were more or less disintegrated, and scattered large and small cauliflower-like growths occurred. Like malignant growths, the tumours were inclined to break down, the process extending from within outwards towards the surface. Whether the hydrocele so frequent in Egypt has any connection with bilharzia is not known. A frequent sequela of bilharziasis is complete sexual impotence (Petrie[486]).

Bilharziasis of the rectum is manifested by symptoms of dysentery; the repeated violent attempts at defæcation lead in time to prolapse of the rectum, which sooner or later induces septic infection and so death. In the mucosa of the rectum, polypoid growths similar to those in the bladder are met with, due to the ova of the parasites in the mucosa and submucosa. In the case of a man, aged 36, who had lived for a long time in South Africa, Burfield[487] found in the excised vermiform appendix ova of Schistosoma hæmatobium; he assumed this to be a gradual secondary infection of the appendix, whilst Kelly[488] mentions a case of primary bilharziasis of the appendix; the eggs lay in the submucosa directly above the muscularis. Tumours containing numerous ova are frequently found in the region of the genitalia, thighs and scrotum. In one case Symmers[489] found numerous male schistosomes in the portal blood and a copulating pair in the left lung. Though schistosome eggs have been found by some observers in the lung tissue, this is nevertheless the first case in which living parasites have been found in the lesser circulation. Perhaps they got there by way of the external iliac vein from the veins of the bladder and rectum.

In the female sex bilharziasis is incomparably rarer than in the male and is generally limited to hæmaturia. Bilharziasis of the vagina, which takes the form of an acute vaginitis, is frequent according to Milton.[490] Horwood[491] found in one case a polypoid tumour of the cervix uteri, and in the connective tissue of the tumour Schistosoma ova, both in masses and singly. It could not be established whether the ova reached the vagina and thence the cervix directly, or through the urine from the bladder.

The course of the disease is chronic, and in slight cases, provided fresh infections do not occur, is not unfavourable; in severe cases the cachexia caused by loss of blood, or intercurrent diseases to which the patients easily succumb—e.g., pyelitis, pyelonephritis, pyæmia, or uræmia—lead to a fatal issue.

In regions in which Schistosoma hæmatobium is endemic, or in patients from such regions, the diagnosis is easy by microscopically finding the eggs in the urine.

As regards the treatment of the affection this much must be said, that so far there is in existence no certain remedy. In countries where bilharziasis is endemic copaiva balsam is considered a specific. Kutner (loc. cit.), however, in the case of his patient who for a long time had taken no inconsiderable amounts of copaiva, had no success worth speaking of to record. Urotropin (three times daily, 1 grm.) has similarly failed, salol (0·75 grm. several times daily) perhaps affords relief in affection of the bladder (Milton). Methylene blue, oil of turpentine with extract of male fern (Brock[492]), or the latter alone and santonin given in small doses for a week at a time, in the morning, are said by Petrie[493] to be of value. Sandwith[494] and Harley[495] were not very successful. By way of experiment Kutner for some time used collargol per rectum, proceeding on the assumption that this preparation, which has proved of such remarkable service in bacterial infection, would perhaps render a continuance of life difficult for the bilharzia worms. But this hope proved illusory. In order so far as possible to limit the loss of blood, Kutner regularly employed stypticin for long periods (three times daily, two tabloids of 0·01 grm.) with undoubted success, in so far that the hæmorrhages became considerably less in amount. As two patients in the course of enteric fever lost their hæmaturia, Stock accordingly recommends subcutaneous injections of Wright’s typhoid vaccine. In the early stages of the rectal lesion suppositories of iodoform, ichthyol, or narcotics might possibly be of use. In the case of urethral fistulæ, division, excision and scraping out of the granulation tissue are recommended; in cystitis with formation of tumours high resection with curetting of the tumours or their destruction with the cautery; in the case of vesical calculi, high resection, curetting the bladder, and then drainage. Tumours of the rectum must also be removed by operation.

Prophylaxis is important; it should be extended to all modes of using water, only filtered water being drunk, and only boiled water being used for washing. This advice should be given to tourists who travel through the infected districts, and is also recommended to soldiers and officials who are despatched to the Colonies. The favourable influence of change of climate can only show itself where fresh infections are avoided.

CESTODES.

GENERAL.