A clinico-pathologic study of cases with Schistosoma japonicum infection in Indonesia.

Combined clinico-pathological and laboratory examinations were carried out on 52 S. japonicum infected patients from an endemic area in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. All of these patients exhibited signs and symptoms of chronic hepato-splenic schistosomiasis. None of the patients showed evidence of liver cirrhosis on histopathological examination. However, varying degrees of portal fibrosis were exhibited. The correlation between the degree of fibrosis and the clinical and laboratory findings were presented and discussed. Based on the results, liver biopsy proved to be a vaulable method of diagnosis in this particular type of infection. This study provides new information on S. japonicum infection in the area and may support a more solid basis for treatment.