Profile of portal hypertension in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis.

Intrasplenic pressure changes versus ova count in stool of schistosomal portal hypertension in cases of bilharzial hepatic fibrosis were studied before and after 40 mg/kg body weight praziquantel therapy. Praziquantel acts on the vascular level in which it decreases the portal hypertension caused by bilharziasis as detected by decreased size of portal and splenic veins diameter as well as a significant decrease of portal pressure by the decrease of intrasplenic pressure (P less than 0.05). On the other hand, praziquantel decrease bilharzial stool egg count after 3 months of therapy (P less than 0.05).