Overlooked parasitic disease linked to HIV and cervical cancer risk

New research from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) has highlighted the need to test millions of women and girls for female genital schistosomiasis (FGS), a neglected disease that can increase the risk of chronic illness, HIV and cervical cancer.

The study examined how FGS interacts with other gynaecological infections and found evidence that chronic inflammation and tissue damage caused by the disease may increase vulnerability to infections including HIV and human papillomavirus (HPV), the leading cause of cervical cancer.

The researchers argue that integrating FGS screening into existing HIV, cervical cancer and sexual health programs could improve diagnosis and care for millions of women. Proposed approaches include combined HPV and FGS testing from a single genital sample, improved healthcare worker training, and the use of new molecular and AI-supported diagnostic tools.

The paper draws on findings from the Hybridization in Urogenital Schistosomiasis (HUGS) study in Malawi, which identified high levels of co-infection between FGS and other genital infections.

The study also highlights the emerging role of zoonotic and hybrid schistosome species, including parasites usually associated with livestock, which have now been detected in genital samples from women with FGS. Researchers say these findings raise important questions about diagnosis, treatment effectiveness and disease control.

“The emergence of zoonotic and hybrid schistosome species also reinforces the importance of One Health approaches that consider human, animal and environmental health together.”

The authors warn that fragmented, disease-specific programs are failing women living in endemic areas and say continued neglect of FGS risks undermining wider global health goals.

Source:

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM)