[Criteria of identification of schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma hamatobium and S. mansoni (486 patients: 275 case of schistosomiasis)].

Out of a total of 486 patients who originated from French Equatorial Africa, from the West Indies or from the Indian Ocean, the authors identified 275 cases of schistosomiasis of which 230 were due to S. Hematobium and 45 to S. Mansoni. The diagnostic methods were biopsy of the rectal mucosa, immunofluorescence, in the West Indians, examination of the stools, in the Africans examination of the urine, intravenous urography and less often cystoscopy. The value of these investigations was studied in each case, then by comparison with one another and with data in the literature. The most valuable investigation was biopsy of the rectum, better in Africans than examination of the urine, immunofluorescence and better than cystoscopy when this was possible.