Schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection that affects over 200 million people worldwide, causes genital mucosal damage in women that is poorly responsive to anti-schistosome treatment with praziquantel. Schistosome worms lay eggs that migrate throughout the body. During Schistosoma haematobium infection, eggs preferentially migrate to the female genital mucosa, where they cause ulcerations and inflammation, a condition known as female genital schistosomiasis (FGS). Available data from our preliminary research indicate the occurrence of alterations in genital mucosal immune cell populations and gene expression in women with FGS and potential increased susceptibility to genital tract viral infections. Greater understanding is needed to establish how these alterations could increase viral infections, and whether they are reversible with anti-schistosome praziquantel treatment. We are studying these questions in a cohort of women with and without S. haematobium infection in northwest Tanzania with a long-term goal of identifying new strategies to improve treatment of FGS in women.