Volume 15, Number 11—November 2009
Dispatch
Travel-related Schistosomiasis Acquired in Laos
Figure

Figure. Map of Laos. The area in which Schistosoma mekongi is known to be endemic is highlighted in light blue. The area highlighted in light yellow shows both the known area and the area predicted by Attwood’s paleogeographic models (1) to be inhabited by Neotricula aperta (freshwater snails), the known intermediary host for S. mekongi. Two foci of travel-related schistosomiasis are also highlighted with red stars. The dark blue line shows the route of the Mekong River.
References
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- Meltzer E, Artom G, Marva E, Assous MV, Rahav G, Schwartzt E. Schistosomiasis among travelers: new aspects of an old disease. Emerg Infect Dis. 2006;12:1696–700.PubMed
- Nicolls DJ, Weld LH, Schwartz E, Reed C, von Sonnenburg F, Freedman DO, Characteristics of schistosomiasis in travelers reported to the GeoSentinel Surveillance Network 1997–2008. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2008;79:729–34.PubMed
- Doumenge JD. Democratic Kampuchea, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Thailand, Malasia, India. In: Doumenge JD, Mott KE, Cheung C, Villenave D, Chapuis O, Perrin MF, et al., editors. Atlas of the global distribution of schistosomiasis. Bordeaux (France): Presses Universitaire de Bordeaux, 1987; 375-381.
- Iijima T, Garcia RG, Lo C-T. Studies on schistosomiasis in the Mekong Basin III. Prevalence of Schistosoma infection among the inhabitants. Kisechugaku Zasshi. 1973;22:338–46.
- Wittes R, MacLean JD, Law C, Lough JO. Three cases of schistosomiasis mekongi from northern Laos. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1984;33:1159–65.PubMed
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