Natural history of papillary lesions of the urinary bladder in schistosomiasis.

Variable epithelial hyperplasia was observed in urinary bladder of nine capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) when examined at cystotomy 94 to 164 weeks after infection with Schistosoma haematobium. These hosts were followed for 24 to 136 weeks postcystotomy to determine the status of bladder lesions in relation to duration of infection and to ascertain whether lesion samples removed at cystotomy reestablished themselves in autologous and heterologous transfers. There was involution of urothelial hyperplasia in eight of nine animals and no evidence for establishment of transplanted bladder lesions.