title: Intestinal parasitism: a childhood problem in rural Bengal.
abstract: A study was undertaken to assess the parasitic infection rate in a rural community of West Bengal amongst children below four years of age suffering from gastrointestinal complaints. A total of 221 faecal samples were examined during November 1992 to April 1994. G. lamblia (17.2%) and E. histolytica (8.1%) were the predominant protozoas, whereas E. vermicularis (12.2%) and A. lumbricoides (8.1%) were found to be common amongst helminthic infection. A significantly lower infection rate was observed in children below one year (24.4 per cent) as compared to older age groups (66.4 per cent).
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Scheme-XM Beliaghata, Calcutta.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Sengupta
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mondal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Sikder
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Sircar
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012423:Rural Health