[1] Schistosomiasis was first reported in the Mekong River's Lower Basin region in 1957, from Laotian island of Khong to Cambodian province of Kratié, specifically.

This launched an effort to implement health information, education, and communication of the disease in addition to chemotherapy.

The first national policy and strategy for control of helminth infections was developed and endorsed by the Cambodian MoH in 2009.

This plan is supported by a Technical Taskforce at the central, provincial and district levels, and the task-force members are experts from the ministries, which are already involved by the National Committee for NTD Control.

[3] Schistosoma mekongi shares many general characteristics with other schistosomes, particularly S. japonicum, but it does have crucial differences.

[4] Schistosoma mekongi is found in the Lower Mekong river basin region, from Khong Island in Laos to Kratié Province, Cambodia.

These eggs hatch and release miracidia, which penetrate and infect the intermediate host, the snail Neotricula aperta.

To prevent yourself from getting the parasite you should boil all drinking water and try to restrain from swimming in areas of slow current or evidence of rotting wood in the dry season.

It is believed that S. mekongi is unable to use cattle, such as water buffalo, as an effective reservoir host, unlike its close cousin S. japonicum.