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Piraja de Silva (Brazil)

The Stamp

This stamp was issued in Brazil in 1958, commemorating 50 years since da Silva described the parasite resonsible for schistosomiasis (bilharzia).

The Doctor

Manuel Augusto Pirajá da Silva (1873 - 1961) was born in Camamu, Bahia, Brazil on 28 January 1873. He studied medicine at the Bahia School of Medicine, graduating in 1896.

In 1908, he described the flatworm schistosoma and its complete life cycle. It causes the disease schistosomiasis (bilharzia).

Urology Connections

Schistosoma haematobium causes a chronic infection of the genitourinary tract. It can lead to fibrosis of the bladder and ureters, and potentially to urothelial cancer (usually squamous carcinoma of the bladder).

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