Stronger together: Fighting schistosomiasis through partnerships

SCHISTOSOMIASIS (SCH) and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) are among the world’s most persistent neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) — a group of conditions that disproportionately affect the world’s poorest populations and carry serious health, social, and economic consequences. Both diseases are considered infectious diseases of poverty, targeting vulnerable groups, including children and pregnant women, in tropical and subtropical regions.

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STH is caused by parasitic roundworms such as Ascaris lumbricoides (giant roundworm), Trichuris trichiura (whipworm), and hookworms. SCH, meanwhile, is caused by a blood fluke, which remains endemic in the Philippines. Infected individuals may suffer from anemia, nutritional deficiencies, gastrointestinal distress, cognitive impairment, stunted growth, and delayed development particularly in children.

These diseases are of significant public health concern in the Philippines. Both SCH and STH are endemic in 28 provinces, and their impact on child development and school performance is particularly troubling. Stunting caused by these parasitic infections impairs children’s learning outcomes and undermines their future potential.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), schistosomiasis spreads when individuals come into contact with freshwater sources contaminated by parasite larvae released by snails. The infection cycle is perpetuated when infected individuals excrete parasite eggs through urine or feces into bodies of water. Once inside the body, the larvae mature into adult worms. Their eggs can become lodged in organs, triggering immune responses and causing tissue damage.

People are most commonly exposed during daily agricultural, domestic, occupational, or recreational activities that involve contact with contaminated water. Symptoms range from abdominal pain and diarrhea to blood in the stool, with liver enlargement often seen in more advanced cases.