Assessing the Impact of Hepatic Fibrosis on Adults and Adolescents Living with Schistosomiasis in Leyte, the Philippinestext_resourcesSchistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that impacts nearly 250 million people worldwide. Despite mass drug administration programs, the species Schistosoma japonicum remains highly endemic in the Philippines, with an estimated prevalence of 51.7% among individuals aged 7-30 years on the island of Leyte. Chronic infection of S. japonicum leads to hepatic fibrosis and significant morbidities such as anemia, inflammation, and growth stunting. Given the extensive impact of the disease, there is a need to longitudinally assess how the progression of schisto-related hepatic fibrosis affects these comorbidities over time. This study aims to identify the impact of worsening hepatic fibrosis on adolescents and adults with S.japonicum over a three-year period. Preliminary data of the baseline cohort (n=420) identifies a high prevalence of hepatic fibrosis in patients with S. japonicum (n=342, 81%) and is significant for sex-based patterns of fibrosis, namely higher rates of combined periportal fibrosis (PPF) and network fibrosis in males compared to females (p<0.001). Given the prevalence and illness course of schistosomiasis-related fibrosis, it is imperative to better understand the disease progression and improve our ability to recognize and treat S. japonicum infections within endemic communities in the Philippines.Robinson, Taylor R.AuthorAniceto, RalphAuthorRichter, JoachimAuthorWu, HaiweiAuthorJiz, MarioAuthorFriedman, Jennifer F.AuthorBrown University. Alpert Medical School. Scholarly Concentration Program. Non-Scholarly Concentratorresearch programInfectionFibrosisEnglish2025Non-Scholarly ConcentratorAll rights reservedIn CopyrightAll Rights Reserved