Schistosoma intercalatum | |
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Egg of Schistosoma intercalatum | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Platyhelminthes |
Class: | Trematoda |
Order: | Diplostomida |
Family: | Schistosomatidae |
Genus: | Schistosoma |
Species: | S. intercalatum
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Binomial name | |
Schistosoma intercalatum Fisher, 1934
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Schistosoma intercalatum is a parasitic worm found in parts of western and central Africa. There are two strains: the Lower Guinea strain and the Zaire strain. S. intercalatum is one of the major agents of the rectal form of schistosomiasis, also called bilharzia. It is a trematode, and being part of the genus Schistosoma, it is commonly referred to as a blood-fluke since the adult resides in blood vessels.
Humans are the definitive host and two species of freshwater snail make up the intermediate host, Bulinus forskalii for the Lower Guinea strain and Bulinus africanus for the Zaire strain.[1]