History Schistosomiasis is known as bilharzia or bilharziosis in many countries, after German physician Theodor Bilharz. who first described the cause of urinary schistosomiasis in 1851 The first doctor who described the entire disease cycle was Piraja da silva in 1908 It was a common cause of death for Ancient Egyptians in the greco-Roman period5 History  Schistosomiasis is known as bilharzia or bilharziosis in many countries, after German physician Theodor Bilharz, who first described the cause of urinary schistosomiasis in 1851.  The first doctor who described the entire disease cycle was Pirajá da Silva in 1908.  It was a common cause of death for Ancient Egyptians in the Greco-Roman Period