Why the International Schistosomiasis Symposia?

Abstract

We are here assembled for the V International Symposium on Schistosomiasis. We are people interested on a particular subject, who came from different areas of Brazil and from abroad. About one year ago China, another country where the disease is also endemic, organized its I International Symposium on Schistosomiasis. Several similar symposia have been organized in Egypt, the last one quite recently.Since the direct aim of such Symposia is not to establish public health policies, nor to draw the lines for a control program to government agencies, we might as well wonder from where comes the motivation for such meetings.Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that presents a well known transmission cycle. Its epidemiological cycle contains weak points which could be easily blocked if public health authorities in endemic countries would be willing to concentrated efforts on prophylaxis. Schistosomiasis is a disease that can be cured with highly specific and effective drugs, administered by mouth in one single dose, practically without contraindications. Even in its advanced stage, with extensive hepatic fibrosis and severe destruction of the intrahepatic portal vein system, drug treatment can benefit the patient. Medical resources to deal with this disease are therefore available. Schistosomiasis now ranks with intestinal helminthiasis as the most eas-

Hipertensão portal esquistossomótica avaliação do fluxo sangüíneo portal antes e após tratamento cirúrgico

“…A avaliação da hemodinâmica portal tem ajudado na compreensão da patogênese e no prognóstico das doenças hepáticas crônicas 6,7 . A patogênese da hipertensão portal baseia-se em alterações da hemodinâmica portal e sistêmica 1 . Como em todo sistema fluido da natureza, a pressão portal altera-se à medida que ocorrem modificações no fluxo sangüíneo portal e/ou na resistência a este fluxo.…”

“…A esquistossomose mansônica atinge mais de 200 milhões de pessoas em todo o mundo 1 . A hipertensão portal esquistossomótica (HPE), através da hemorragia digestiva alta, determina acentuada morbimortalidade à população que contrai a doença.…”