Philippine E-Journals

EXPLORATORY SURVEY OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF ONCOMELANIA HUPENSIS QUADRASI, THE MOLLUSCAN HOST OF SCHISTOSOMA JAPONICUM (PHILIPPINE STRAIN) IN DEMOLOC AND KILALAG, DAVAO DEL SUR

Florencia G. Claveria

Discipline: Health

 

Abstract:

In the Philippines, Schistosomajaponicum, the causative agent of Oriental schistosomiasis, was first described by Wooley in 1906. Thereafter, infections were detected among inmates of Bilibid Prison in Manila (Garrison 1908, Willets 1914), and among patients of the Philippine General Hospital coming from the islands of Leyte, Samar, Sorsogon, Mindanao and Luzon (Hizon 1928). These discoveries resulted in a number of surveys conducted in other endemic areas. However, it was not until 1951 that the Philippine government came to recognize the extent and impact of the disease, leading to the creation of the Division of Schistosomiasis in the Department of Health. In 1052, the World Health Organization fully funded a five-year research project (Santos 1976) which marked the beginning of the fight against schistosomiasis in the country.