A young woman using a glass apparatus in a laboratory to isolate the schistosoma parasite. Verso: Early detection of cancer saves lives: World Health Day 7 April 1970 Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharziasis or snail fever, affects some 200 million people living in tropical or semi-tropical areas. In Egypt, for instance the diesease has existed on the banks of the Nile for thousands of years, and must be counted today one of the counrty's major health problems. Of Egypt 30 million people, about 16 million are infected. The action of the parasite may however not be limited to classical schistosomiasis. Egyptian doctors and research workers suspect that there may be a direct relation between the diease and the cancer of the bladder. At present, this is only a hypothesis and opinions still vary widely. Schistosmissis, however, undoubtedly causes a constant irritation of the mucous membrane of the bladder. In Egypt, bladder cancers number about 8%of all cancers. Research into these questions is being pursued at the Alexandria Institute for Medical Research and at the Institute for Schistosomiasis Research of Cairo University. Our Photo: studying the parasite of the disease at the Institue for Schistosomiasis Research, Cairo University.
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World Health Organization; Source: Record; Research date: 20151216