ABSTRACT
The current status of schistosomiasis in Thailand is briefly reviewed. Collaborative research on the Mekong Schistosoma in Thailand and the susceptibilities of the snail intermediate hosts of the schistosomes in Southeast Asia is reported.
Subject(s)
Animals , Cambodia/ethnology , Disease Vectors , Female , Host-Parasite Interactions , Humans , Laos/ethnology , Male , Middle Aged , Refugees , Schistosoma/classification , Schistosomiasis/epidemiology , Snails/parasitology , ThailandABSTRACT
Detailed statistical analyses were attempted on anemia, eosinophilia and elevation in serum alkaline phosphatase in the Indochinese refugees in Japan. A high statistical correlation was found between hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit for most of the refugees except the Cambodian females. Refugees with parasitic infections, particularly hookworm infection had significantly lower values for hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit. Significant eosinophilia was observed in the refugees infected with hookworms, Strongyloides stercoralis, Rhabditis sp., Endolimax nana and/or Hymenolepis nana. However, these parasites were found in the same subpopulations more frequently than expected by chance. Elevation in serum alkaline phosphatase was observed in young Cambodian immigrants. Analyses showed that the variations of this enzyme could be well predictable by those of enzymes such as serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, which are good markers for liver functions, in Cambodian immigrants, 13-24 of age, whereas no such correlation was observed in non-Cambodians of the same age group.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Alkaline Phosphatase/blood , Anemia, Hypochromic/epidemiology , Cambodia/ethnology , Child , Child, Preschool , Eosinophilia/epidemiology , Erythrocyte Count , Female , Health , Health Status , Hematocrit , Hemoglobins/analysis , Hookworm Infections/epidemiology , Humans , Japan , Laos/ethnology , Male , Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology , Refugees , Sex Factors , Vietnam/ethnologyABSTRACT
454 stool specimens were collected from the Laotian refugees residing in the refugee camp, Ubon Province, from August 8 to 11, 1978, and were examined by formalin ether sedimentation technique. One of them (0.22%) was infected with Schistosoma mekongi. Since there are freshwater hydrobiid snails, Lithoglyphopsis aperta, the intermediate host of S. mekongi in that area, it is probable that the disease may become established in Northeastern Thailand in the future, which will eventually lead to health and economic problems in Thailand.