Abiotic medium: untreated water, transmission of infections (Botswana)

Squistosomiasis (or bilarzhia) is a parasitosis caused by a trematode worm which causes high levels of disability and death. It is common in rural areas with little environmental control and socio-economic instabiliAlthough it has been eradicated in many countries, it still affects around150 million people, mainly in Africa.

Different species of the genus Schistosoma infect at the larva stage, transforming into adults once in the infected person, who suffer serious disability in different organs. Infected people transmit the disease by contaminating freshwater with the parasites eggs from their excreta.

The main transmitters are boys and girls who play in pools with no health control and are infested with the snails which transmit the parasite.