Acute Schistosomiasis in Travelers: 14 Years' Experience at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London

Sarah Logan Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Parasitology, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom

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Margaret Armstrong Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Parasitology, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom

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Elinor Moore Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Parasitology, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom

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Gaia Nebbia Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Parasitology, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom

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Joseph Jarvis Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Parasitology, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom

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Muhiddin Suvari Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Parasitology, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom

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John Bligh Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Parasitology, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom

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Peter L. Chiodini Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Parasitology, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom

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Michael Brown Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Parasitology, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom

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Tom Doherty Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Parasitology, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom

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We report 79 cases of acute schistosomiasis. Most of these cases were young, male travelers who acquired their infection in Lake Malawi. Twelve had a normal eosinophil count at presentation and 11 had negative serology, although two had neither eosinophilia nor positive serology when first seen. Acute schistosomiasis should be considered in any febrile traveler with a history of fresh water exposure in an endemic area once malaria has been excluded.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to Tom Doherty, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, Capper Street, London WC1E 6JB, United Kingdom. E-mail: tom.doherty@uclh.nhs.uk

Financial support: MA is supported by the Special Trustees of the Hospital for Tropical Diseases. All authors are supported by the University College London Hospitals Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre, Infection Theme.

Authors' addresses: Sarah Logan, Department of Infectious Diseases, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, United Kingdom, E-mail: sarah.logan4@nhs.net. Margaret Armstrong, Elinor Moore, Gaia Nebbia, Joseph Jarvis, Michael Brown, and Tom Doherty, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market Centre, London, United Kingdom, E-mails: margaret.armstrong@uclh.nhs.uk, elinor007@hotmail.com, g.nebbia@ucl.ac.uk, joejarvis@doctors.net, michael.brown@uclh.nhs.uk, and tom.doherty@uclh.nhs.uk. Muhiddin Suvari, John Bligh, and Peter L. Chiodini, Department of Clinical Parasitology, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London, United Kingdom, E-mails: muhid.suvari@uclh.nhs.uk, john.bligh@uclh.nhs.uk, and peter.chiodini@uclh.nhs.uk.

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