Some newer knowledge in parasitology: a review

ABSTRACT

A review of the literature on parasitology, which we did not have the opportunity to get acquainted with during the Japanese occupation but which was made accessible to us after liberation, has disclosed a number of interesting facts and additional knowledge which are here presented for whatever benefit may be derived by the medical practitioners, medical students, and scientific investigators in this country. It includes new knowledge on (1) the treatment of clinical malaria with bigger doses of atabrine-28 to 42 tablets of 0.10 Gm. for one course of 8 days instead of only 15 tablets in 5 days for adults; (2) the definite preference of the American forces for atabrine over quinine in both suppressive and clinical treatments of malaria; (3) the negative action of the wonder drug penicillin against induced or inoculation malaria in man; (4) the good effect of tyrothricin, another antibiotic, in experimental Plasmodium gallinaceum infection in chickens when given intravenously; (5) the most recently announced drugs such as Paludrine and SN 7618 against malaria (6) the use of newer sulfonamides like sulfadiazine and sulfapyrazine in the eradication of the exo-erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium gallinaceum and the failure of the same drug against the same stages of Plasmodium elongatum; (7) the present status of immunity in malaria and its mechanism of production supporting the combined operation of the phagocytic and humoral theories; (8) the more recent attempt at active immunization of ducklings from Plasmodium lophurae infection with the use of plasmodial residues mixed with Staphylococcus toxoid, which may pave the way for the elaboration of a vaccine against human malaria; (9) the exo-erythrocytic cycle in malaria, with special emphasis on its present status as applied to the human species; (10) the use of DDT, the wonder insecticide of World War II in malaria control; (11) the new acid-ether technic of fecal examination for Schistosoma japonicum eggs; (12) the effectiveness of one part per million (1 P.P.M.) residual chlorine against Schistosoma japonicum cercariae when applied to infected waters; (13) the early manifestations of filariasis bancrofti and the use of the intra-dermal test for early diagnosis; (14) the improvement suggested in enhancing the positive diagnosis of amoebiasis by fixation of fecal smears at the bedside and the permanent staining afterwards of the same in the laboratory; (15) the present status of complement-fixation test in the diagnosis of amoebiasis; (16) the use of diodoquin as an anti-amoebic drug; (17) a report of vaginitis of amoebic etiology; (18) the possible pathogenicity of Dientamoeba fragilis; (19) some unusual radislogical findings in giardiasis which may prove confusing at times in the diagnosis of peptic ulcer; and(20) the previously unrecognized disease entity of man called human toxoplasmosis. (Summary)