Dermatology: Practical and Conceptual


Image Letter | Dermatol Pract Concept. 2025;15(4):6479 1

Cutaneous Lesions from Schistosoma haematobium
Andrea Danese1, Sokol Sina2, Elena De Rui3, Salvatore Scarso4, Silvia Vaienti1,  

Francesco Bellinato1, Giampiero Girolomoni1, Paolo Gisondi1

1 Section of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Italy

2 Section of Pathology, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

3 Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona

4 Department of Infectious-Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella,  

Verona, Italy

Citation: Danese A, Sokol S, De Rui E, Scarso S, Vaienti S, Bellinato F, Girolomoni G, Gisondi P. Cutaneous Lesions from Schistosoma 
haematobium. Dermatol Pract Concept. 2025;15(4):6479. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5826/dpc.1504a6479

Accepted: August 26, 2025; Published: October 2025

Copyright: ©2025 Danese et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-
NonCommercial License (BY-NC-4.0), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/, which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, 
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original authors and source are credited.

Funding: None.

Competing Interests: None.

Authorship: All authors have contributed significantly to this publication.

Corresponding Author: Andrea Danese, Unit of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Piazzale Stefani 1, 37126, 
Verona, Italy. Email: adanese4@gmail.com

Case presentation

A 22-year-old male from Senegal presented with multiple 

pruritic papular lesions near the umbilicus, right lumbar area, 

and thighs (Figure 1A and B). Skin biopsy showed epidermal 

hyperplasia and a dense eosinophilic infiltrate with parasitic 

ova-like structures in the dermis (Figure 1C and D). The 

presence of Schistosoma haematobium was confirmed by 

polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting parasite-specific 

DNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded 

skin tissue. Serum laboratory examinations revealed pe-

ripheral eosinophilia (2.36 × 109 per liter; normal range 

0.04-0.4) and positivity for IgG antibodies against Schisto-

soma species, with other findings within normal limits. Stool 

and urine samples were negative. A diagnosis of cutaneous 

schistosomiasis was made. The patient was treated with oral 

praziquantel (120 mg per kilogram on day 0, repeated at six 

weeks), leading to complete resolution of the lesions [1].

Teaching point

Cutaneous schistosomiasis is a rare ectopic manifestation of 

S. haematobium infection [2]. Early recognition is essential 

for prompt diagnosis and curative therapy.



2 Image Letter | Dermatol Pract Concept. 2025;15(4):6479

References

1. Barros CR, Maia DC, dos Santos JB, Medeiros CC, de Araújo JG.  

Cutaneous ectopic schistosomiasis: diagnostic challenge.  An 

Bras Dermatol. 2016;91(1):109-110. DOI:10.1590/abd1806 

-4841.20164647. PMID: 26982792 PMCID: PMC4782660.

2. Panzner U, Utzinger J, Keiser J. Schistosomiasis: cercarial find-

ing and recognizing of human hosts as a prerequisite of inva-

sion.  Clin Microbiol Rev. 2025;38(3):e0019624. DOI:10.1128 

/cmr.00196-24. PMID: 40626643 PMCID: PMC12424363 

(available on 2026-07-08).

Figure 1. Multiple pruritic papular lesions near the umbilicus, right lumbar area, and thighs in a 22-year-

old male from Senegal (A and B); Skin biopsy revealed epidermal hyperplasia and a dense eosinophilic 

infiltrate with parasitic ova-like structures in the dermis (C and D).