Abstract
Results of parasitological surveys in the East Central State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1974 was presented.
The areas and groups surveyed are as follows : 1) 38 inhabitants of Enugu City, 2) 776 examinees among out-patients who visited the Teaching Hospital, University of Nigeria, Enugu, during the period from January to March 1974, 3) 494 inhabitants in Okpatou Village which is located about 30 km north-west to Enugu and 4) those of 598 in Ezi Nachi, Okigwi District, which is located about 100 km south to Enugu.
The intestinal helminth fauna and their infection rate were with Ascaris lumbricoides : 2.4% in Okpatou, 15.8% in Enugu, 12.7% in Ezi Nachi and 2.7% among out-patients; Necator americanus : 64.6%, 42.1%, 60.0% and 22.9%; Trichuris trichiura : 0.4%, 2.6%, 0% and 1.9%; Strongyloides stercoralis : 3.2%, 0%, 28.1% and 1.2% respectively; Enterobius vermicularis : 3.4% in Okpatou; Capillaria sp. : 0.2% in Ezi Nachi; Taenia saginata : 2.6% in Enugu, 0.3% among outpatients; Paragonimus uterobilateralis : 5.4% in Ezi Nachi; Dicrocoelium dendriticum : 0.2% in Ezi Nachi and eggs of unknown species : 1.0% in Ezi Nachi.
Hookworm infection among out-patients was the lowest. Taking in consideration of the present situation of the country, this figure might show the fact that only some limited persons visit the University Hospital. The infection rates with Ascaris, Trichuris and Enterobius were considerably low as compared with the results previously appeared in some literatures dealing with those in the Western State. Strongyloides infection was the highest in the forest area, Ezi Nachi, (28.1%, whereas it was 0% in Enugu). The infection occurs as early as in the age group of 5-9 among which 27.0% show the parasite.
Paragonimus infection due to P. uterobilateralis was demonstrated only in Ezi Nachi which has been reported as an endemic focus. The infection, except a case of 50-year-old woman, was concentrated in the age group of 5-14. Its overall infection rate was 5.4% with no sex difference.
Intestinal protozoa fauna and the infection rates were as follows : Entamoeba histolytica : 1.0% in Okpatou, 0% in Enugu, 5.5% in Ezi Nachi, 0.3% among out-patients; E. coli : 6.7%, 7.9%, 12.7% and 0.8%; Endolimax nana : 0%, 0%, 2.0% and 0%; Trichomonas intestinalis : 0%, 2.6%, 0%and 0.1%; Enteromonas hominis : 0.2%, 0%, 3.3% and 1.5%; Giardia lamblia : 0.6%, 0%, 0.8% and 0%; Chilomastix mesnnili : 0.2%, 7.9%, 0.2% and 0%; Iodamoeba biitschlii : 0.2%, 0%, 0% and 0%; respectively. Though the authors were unable to discover any established trend because of the small number of the examinees in Enugu, the infection with pathogenic protozoa in the city area seemed to be very low, whereas Trichomonas and Enteromonas infection were higher than any other areas.
The results suggest that the most prevalent intestinal helminths in these areas is Necator americanus, and that in some areas such as Ezi Nachi, Strongyloides infection could be also the parasites of importance.
Although the present study has only offered the result by a single blood films from a village school children, the infection rate of malaria was as high as 35.6%. The parasites have been identified a Plasmodium falciparum with some number of exception which were suspected as P. malariae.
