Answer 50
The following are characteristic features of acute schistosomiasis
True a. fever
True b. eosinophilia
False c. convulsions
False d. myocarditis
True e. incubation period of 4-6 weeks
Acute schistosomiasis is sometimes called Katayama fever. It occurs most often in S.japonicum infections but also S.mansoni and occasionally S.haematobium. Usually it occurs only in previously naive subjects visiting endemic areas and exposed to large numbers of cercariae. It is thought to be an immune complex mediated phenomenon.
There is typically a month's delay between exposure and symptoms. It takes about this time for the production of eggs, the putative antigen, to become established.
Other clinical features include: urticaria, diarrhoea, cough, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly and raised serum IgM.
