Chronic ascariasis and malnutrition.
Malnutrition is the most widespread ill of mankind. Its global distribution coincides indistinguishably with that of the common roundworm. Ascaris lumbricoides is common - infecting about one-quarter of the world's population. Acute clinical ascariasis sometimes requires hospital treatment, but chronic infections contribute to long-term malnutrition. This alone should justify greater expenditure on the treatment and control of Ascaris.
Department of Parasitology, The Molteno Institute, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EE UK.
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Crompton