River Prawn New Weapon Against Schistosomiasis

River prawns can be an effective weapon in the fight against the deadly parasitic disease, schistosomiasis. Stanford University researchers say that is because the 30-centimeter long crustaceans prey on parasite-infected snails, but do not transmit the disease themselves. Schistosomiasis infects about 230 million people, mostly in Africa. They pick up the parasite when they go into a river to bathe or do laundry. The only treatment is a costly drug that is not widely available. An...

© La Voix de l'Amérique - lundi 20 juillet 2015