Scientists have cracked the genetic code and predicted some high priority drug targets for the blood parasite Schistosoma haematobium. The parasite has been linked to bladder cancer and HIV/ AIDS and causes the urogenital disease schistosomiasis haematobia in more than 112 million people in Africa.
Schistosoma haematobium is transmitted from a freshwater snail to humans. Worms dwell in blood vessels and release eggs that become embedded in the bladder wall, and cause chronic immune-mediated disease and induce cancer.
Schistomiasis is recognised by the World Health Organization as one of the most socio-economically devastating diseases, besides malaria, and is in urgent need of extensive research and improved control.
Read more at The University of Melbourne