Definition
BILHKIDEV indicates whether the young child ever had bilharzia (also known as schistosomiasis), a disease caused by parasitic worms. The CDC reports here [URL omitted from DDI.] that "more than 200 million people are infected worldwide. In terms of impact, this disease is second only to malaria as the most devastating parasitic disease." Bilharzia is considered one of the Neglected Topical Diseases (NTD), a group of parasitic and bacterial diseases that lead to disfigurement, debilitation, or death, and that are largely confined to the world's poorest communities.
Bilharzia is contracted through skin contact with contaminated freshwater and can be effectively treated with prescription medicine.