The effect of praziquantel treatment on liver and spleen size of children with schistosomiasis in Napu Valley, central Sulawesi.

Forty-six school children with japonicum schistosomiasis living in a village at Napu Valley, Indonesia were treated with praziquantel at a dosage of 70 mg/kg in two divided doses in a day. The number of children with palpable liver dropped significantly from 95.6% before treatment to 58.7% after treatment. The size of the liver was reduced in the majority of cases with a virtual disappearance of cases with very large liver (10 cm). Post-treatment increase of the liver size was observed in all 8 cases with small pre-treatment livers (0.5-1 cm). In contrast to the changes of the size of the liver after treatment, the number of children with palpable spleens before and after treatment was not significantly altered.

The impact of schistosomiasis mass treatment on hepato-splenomegaly in Napu Valley, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

The impact of mass treatment with praziquantel on 241 individuals, 131 males and 110 females in Napu Valley, Indonesia was studied. The pre-treatment overall stool positive cases ranged from 43% to 79%, the highest in the 20-29 age group. Post-treatment follow-up study showed that the cases dropped to 2.5%. Significant reduction was seen in liver rate from 68% to 51% and in the age groups 0-9, 10-19, there was a significant decrease in liver enlargement after treatment, but not significant differences were seen in spleen rate in all age groups. This might be due to the early stage of Schistosoma infection in younger age groups where complete resolution of fibrosis might occur.

Clinical study of Indonesian schistosomiasis at Lindu lake area, Central Sulawesi.

A brief report on the clinical studies of schistosomiasis japonica at Langko village in the Lindu lake area was given. The studies consisted of stool surveys, COPT, evaluation of the signs and symptoms of schistosomiasis, determination of the liver and spleen enlargement as well as the disease index and the clinical gradient. It seemed that the stool examinations as well as the COPT were considered sufficient, accurate and practical for mass surveys. The result of evaluation of the signs and symptoms of schistosomiasis at Lindu lake area showed that dermatitis, dysentry, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, weakness, shortness of breath, distension of the abdomen, melena, icterus, and hepatomegaly were found to be significantly different between the schistosomiasis group and the control group. This finding was almost similar to the findings reported by Billings et al. (1946) and Pesigan et al. (1958), only the frequencies of occurrence were different. The clinical gradient of schistosomiasis at Lindu lake area was mostly of the mild type of the disease.

Survey on Anisakid larvae in marine fish from fish markets in Jakarta.

Anisakid parasites were found in fish commonly sold in the markets of Jakarta. The larvae found were Anisakis type I and Terranova type B. The rate of infection of these two different Anisakid larvae infecting different species of fish was discussed. To date, no human infection has as yet reported in Indonesia. This may be due to the fact that Indonesians do not usually eat raw fish.

Some aspects on the ecology and biology of Oncomelania hupensis lindoensis.

Schistosomiasis is known to be endemic in the lake Lindu area since 1937 (Brug & Tesch, 1937). Investigations carried out later between 1940 and 1942 (Bone et al., 1942) failed to find molluscan intermediate host. It was not until April 1971 that the first specimen of Oncomelania was found (Carney et al., 1972). In August of the same year the first focus was discovered at Paku (Hadidjaja et al., 1974). Further investigations revealed 50 more foci in the lowlands surrounding the lake. A survey of the habitat in the Napu Valley revealed 15 more Oncomelania colonies (Crney et al., in prep.). The morphology studied by Davis and Carney (1973) showed that this snail has a close resemblence to O. h. chiui and O. h. quadrasi. It was given the subspecies name Oncomelania hupensis lindoensis. Snail cultures maintained according to Davis' method (1971) were done in the laboratory of the Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia. Diatoms and algae were given as food. Biology of the snails concerning the temperature, hymidity, mortality rate of the snail or survival rate and also the living and egg laying habits of the snails were described.