Figure 1.

The schistosome life cycle. Schistosomes reproduce asexually in freshwater snails; a larval form, the cercaria, is released from the snail and can burrow into the skin of the definitive host, man. In humans, schistosomes migrate to the bloodstream where they mature into adult worms. Eggs produced by the female worm are released into the environment where they hatch into a second larval form, the miracidia, which can infect the snail. Adapted and reproduced with permission from [28].