Schistosomiasis
Epidemiology
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease associated with poverty. It has also been linked to bladder cancer. Dr Cecilia Smith, from the University of Health and Allied Sciences (Ghana), is working to identify genetic risk factors for this type of bladder cancer.
Caused by blood flukes, a type of parasitic worm, schistosomiasis transmission has been reported in 78 countries. In 2021, at least 51.4 million people required preventive treatment for this parasitic disease.
In Ghana, two species of Schistosoma are endemic – S. haematobium which affects the urinary tract and leads to blood in urine, and S. mansoni which affects the intestinal tract and results in bloody stool.
This disease is particularly concerning for children who are affected, as it can lead to malnourishment, anaemia, and growth impairments. Many studies have also pointed to links between S. haematobium infection and bladder cancer, although the mechanisms are not fully understood. There is a need to address this gap in knowledge, by studying both epidemiological and cancer biomarkers.
In previous studies, Dr Cecilia Smith has found that many people with current or past infections had cells in their urine suggesting a risk of bladder cancer. However, there is limited research looking into specific biomarkers that are linked with cancer development in endemic populations.
Dr Smith will collaborate with Dr Kwabena Duedu at Birmingham City University to develop RNA extraction skills. This collaboration will support detailed epidemiological gene expression analysis, and Dr Smith hopes to use this data to determine risk factors for Schistosoma-associated bladder cancer (SABC).
The study will pinpoint genes and suggest biomarkers for SABC risk assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention in an endemic region.