Schistosomiasis can be spread sexually by people that have not traveled to subtropical areas. Through my research I have discovered cases of individuals with no travel history to areas where the disease is known to exist contracting Schistosomiasis by sexual contact. Case no.1 Male 37 contracts schistosomiasis haematobium from contaminated water in the Middle East. This male infects spouse who is now infected and keeps reinfecting the male. Case no.2 Female infected by male partner neither of which had travel to subtropical areas.
This disease is out of its box and into our society. The major problem is doctors are not aware of schistosomiasis itself little alone the fact that its being spread sexually. There is a lack of knowledge and a stigma that "this is a disease of Africa." Wake up because it is here it's lurking in people from every country, every ethnicity and spreads on sexual contact.
Symptoms of infected individuals with no travel to subtropical areas:
(Female)
UTI diagnosed about 4 weeks into new relationship.
Diagnosed with IC
Katayama Fever 4 weeks after infection
Frequent urination as often as every 20 minuets.
Weight loss of 42 lbs, unexplained
Urine color change to clear
Vaginal discharge yellow/smelly
Vaginal discharge clear, frequently
Feeling of fullness in bladder constantly
Feeling of "something being sucked back up into the urethra" after urinating.
Thin black threads in urine
GERD
Vomiting
Can not drink alcohol, feels sick and high urine output
Food sensitivity: Onions, Garlic, Hot Spices and Coffee.
Headache frequently
Hair loss
Weak nails
So its been almost 7 years since my first symptoms of Schistosomiasis Haematobium an almost 1 year since diagnosis and I keep getting reinfected. I believe I have found the reservoir, my wife. Last month she has tested positive for Schistosomiasis and we keep sharing the infection sexually. There are only a few documented cases of this event and more study is needed. It has been heart breaking for me to discover that I brought this home from a war zone and into my family's life. But be that as it may it is import for others to know that you can transmit this to your spouse or partner and spread this disease. We have done every test imageable and all STD test and UTI test keep coming up negative, then the Schistosomiasis test was positive. She has been living with the symptoms right under my nose and I did not recognize them. She was/is tired all the time sleeping at any chance she can get. Then there is the drinking water and urinating all the time accompanied with the frequent headache.
To finally kick this disease goodby I have started another round of Praziquantel and she is currently getting prescribed hers. It is embarrassing as hell to be a married couple and getting tested for every disease under the sun only to realize that neither one of us is at fault and it's this terrible subtropical disease...
Read more at: https://www.schistosomiasis.org
