Advances in schistosomiasis research.

This review reports on recent developments in the areas of diagnosis, chemotherapy and pathology, where female genital schistosomiasis was recently identified as a common cause of morbidity in Schistosoma haematobium-endemic areas. As a profound understanding of processes underlying resistance and susceptibility to infection as well as pathology is central to schistosomiasis control, detailed immunological studies of immunity and granuloma formation dominate the discussion. Studies on host genetics, on T-helper cell type 1 or 2 cytokines as well as on cell types influencing immunity and granuloma formation have provided precise information that could be of relevance not only to helminth but also to microbial infections involving granulomatous reactions.