Prevalence of intestinal parasites in rural Southern Indians.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of intestinal protozoal and helminthic infection in a rural population.


METHODS
Seventy-eight members of 15 families from a village were studied. Stool samples from all subjects were examined on alternate days for one month.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence rate of various parasitic infections was 97.4%, with only 2 of 78 subjects not excreting parasites in any of their 15 samples. Eighteen (23.1%) persons had only one type of parasite, while 58 (74.3%) excreted multiple parasites. Giardia and Cryptosporidium were the commonest protozoan infections, affecting 42/78 (53.8%) and 31/78 (39.7%), respectively. Hookworm infestations were the commonest helminthic infections, seen in 48/78 (61.5%). Based on excretion patterns, the asymptomatic individuals could be divided into 2 groups of infrequent and frequent excretors, indicating that the host response may determine the level of parasite replication in the gut.
Kang
G
G
Department of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, India.
Mathew
M S
MS
Rajan
D P
DP
Daniel
J D
JD
Mathan
M M
MM
Mathan
V I
VI
Muliyil
J P
JP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000723:Ancylostomatoidea / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D001200:Ascaris / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004757:Enterobius / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005872:Giardia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D006926:Hymenolepis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012424:Rural Population; D013321:Strongyloides / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014258:Trichuris / Q000302:isolation & purification