Schistosomiasis differential diagnosis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Furqan M M. M.B.B.S [2]

Overview

Schistosomiasis must be differentiated from tapeworm infections that cause abdominal pain, fever, chills, cough, and muscle aches such as diphyllobothriasis, hymenolepiasis, and taeniasis.The table below summarizes the findings that differentiate schistosomiasis from other conditions that may cause abdominal pain, fever, chills, cough, and muscle aches.^[1]

Infections	Common causative threadworms	Suggestive findings	Diagnostic approach	Treatment
Schistosomiasis	(Schistosoma japonicum,Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium)	Abdominal pain Cough Diarrhea Fever Fatigue	Stool examination for the eggs USG liver	Praziquantel
Taeniasis	Taenia solium and Taenia saginata	Nausea Vomiting Epigastric pain	Stool examination for the eggs and proglottids Brain CT scan or Biopsy (for cysticercosis)	Praziquantel
Diphyllobothriasis	Diphyllobothrium latum	Epigastric pain Diarrhea Fatigue Nausea Vomiting Numbness Tingling	Stool examination for the eggs and adults PCR	Praziquantel
Hymenolepiasis	Hymenolepis nana	Nausea Vomiting Abdominal pain Dizziness	Stool examination for the eggs and proglottids	Praziquantel

↑ Baron, Samuel (1996). Medical microbiology. Galveston, Tex: University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. ISBN 0-9631172-1-1.