Intestinal and blood parasites of man on Alor Island Southeast Indonesia.
A survey of blood and intestinal parasites in a coastal and a mountainous area of the remote island of Alor, southeastern Indonesia revealed widespread infection with pathogenic intestinal protozoa and helminths, malaria and filaria. Amoebiasis (31.2%), ascariasis (35.3%) and hookworm infections (28.6%) were common, reflecting primitive sanitation and hygiene. Trichuriasis rates (6.8%) were less than expected perhaps due to the prolonged dry season and soil factors in the area. Timor filariasis was found in coastal villagers (10.5%), but not in persons living at an elevation of 500 meters; a low rate of bancroftian filariasis (1.8%) was found in both areas. Malaria, caused by P. vivax, P. falciparum and P. malariae was mesoendemic. Soil-transmitted and vector-borne parasitic infections are an important health problem in the populations examined.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001769:Blood / Q000469:parasitology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005368:Filariasis / Q000469:parasitology; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia; D007223:Infant; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology*; D008288:Malaria / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000469:parasitology*; D013045:Species Specificity