A 40-year-old man from Kerala presents with episodic painless gross haematuria. Cystoscopy reveals granulomas and sandy patches on the bladder wall. Urine microscopy shows eggs with a terminal spine. Which parasitic infection does this indicate?
- A Schistosoma haematobium ✓
- B Schistosoma mansoni
- C Schistosoma japonicum
- D Fasciola hepatica
Correct answer: A. Schistosoma haematobium
Explanation
Schistosoma haematobium infects the vesical venous plexus and causes urinary schistosomiasis — presenting with haematuria, bladder granulomas, and squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder in chronic infection. Its eggs have a characteristic terminal spine. S. mansoni eggs have a lateral spine and cause intestinal/hepatic disease. S. japonicum eggs are small with a vestigial lateral spine and cause hepato-intestinal disease. Fasciola hepatica causes liver fluke infection with hepatomegaly, eosinophilia, and biliary obstruction.
Reference: Ananthanarayan & Paniker's Textbook of Microbiology, 11th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.