The Nervous System: An Ideal Therapeutic Target for Anti-Schistosomal Drug Discovery

Volume 1 • Issue 1 • 1000e103 Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that afflicts over 200 million people worldwide, causing visceral organ disturbance, and impairing growth and cognitive development in children [1]. The etiological agents of human schistosomiasis are the blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma, including S. mansoni, S. haematobium, and S. japonicum. S. mansoni is blamed for over 90% of all human schistosomiasis [2]. Epidemiological evidence reveals that schistosomiasis is typically endemic in tropical countries in Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Southeastern Asia and Middle East, especially in the regions where the intermediate snail host that carries the parasite. Because no vaccine is available for Schistosoma, chemotherapeutic intervention is still the primary option for schistosomiasis treatment. The treatment of human schistosomiasis relies solely on Praziquantel which has been widely used for over three decades. However, emergence of drug resistance in the worms has ignited enthusiasm to search for alternative drug candidates.