Spinal cord disease due to Schistosoma mansoni successfully treated with oxamniquine

Spinal cord disease is a rare manifestation of schistosomiasis and is usually caused by Schistosoma mansoni or S. haematobium. The diagnosis has typically been made at surgery or necropsy, and hitherto the most effective treatment for patients who developed sphincter problems was decompressive surgery. The authors describe a patient with S mansoni infection who presented with symptoms of a spinal cord lesion and was rapidly and successfully treated with oxamniquine.