What is the preferred treatment for schistosomiasis?

The preferred treatment for schistosomiasis is praziquantel, which is an effective anthelmintic medication specifically designed to target schistosome parasites. Praziquantel works by increasing the permeability of the trematode's cell membranes to calcium ions, resulting in paralysis of the worm’s muscles and detachment from the blood vessel wall, followed by death of the parasite.

This treatment is recognized as the most effective option due to its ability to treat multiple species of schistosomes that cause the disease, including those responsible for urinary and intestinal schistosomiasis. The use of praziquantel has been supported by extensive clinical trials and is recommended by the World Health Organization as the standard approach in managing schistosomiasis infections.

Other medications listed, such as mebendazole and albendazole, are primarily effective against nematodes (roundworms) and are not effective against trematodes (flatworms) like the schistosomes. Doxycycline is an antibiotic that is used for a variety of infections but does not have the necessary efficacy against schistosomiasis and is not recommended as a treatment for this condition. Therefore, praziquantel stands out as the most appropriate and effective choice for treating schistosomiasis.