Surveys on the snail intermediate hosts were undertaken in the paddy fields in Yatomi-cho, Aichi Prefecture, once a year over a 5-year period (1983-1987).
And the cercariae of two different avian schistosomes were detected from snails in paddy fields.
The cercariae from Polyplis haemisphaerula were identified as species beloning to the genus Gigantobilharzia and the cercariae from austropeplea ollula as species belonging to the genus Trichobilharzia.
It was concluded that the paddy field dermatitis occurring in Yatomi-cho was proved to be caused by the invasion of these cercariae.

View full abstract

Patients with fatty liver diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) were studied clinically. Diagnostic criteria of fatty liver by CT was that the ratio of CT value of the liver to that of the spleen was less than 0.90. In cases of fatty liver, hepatic volume was significantly more increased (p<0.01) than normal controls, but volume of the spleen was not more increased. Fatty liver was diagnosed by CT in thirty eight cases. These cases were divided into four groups according to causes of fatty liver.The first was obesity group (fifteen cases), the second was alcohol group (fourteen cases), the third was DM group (four cases) and the fourth was group of unknown origin (five cases). Values of GOT/GPT (OP ratio), γ-GTP, CHE, LAP and ALB were significantly different (p<0.01) between obesity and alcohol group. Many cases of obesity group showed hypercholinesterasemia, but in many cases of alcohol group values of cholinesterase were lower than normal range.

View full abstract

We conducted a survey concerning the sex lives of those women who had undergone hysterectomy. A total of 128 women responded to the questionnaire. The following is a summary of the findings:
(1) After the women had their cases diagnosed as myoma of the uterus, 46.1% of them suffered changes in their sex lives. Postoperatively, however, 73.5% had the same pattern as before.
(2) The largest 44.5% had sex 31-60 days after surgery ; 27.3%, more than 60 days after surgery; and 22.7%, in 30 days.
(3) During the first after-surgery coitus, 9.4% had pains ; 5.5%bled ; and 19.5% suffered inadequate secretion. 29.7% complained about loss of sexual desire.
(4) The majority of the respondents (57.8%) said that they are doing well, but some registered complaints of headache, fatigue and lowering of physical strength.
(5) In order to solve all the sex problems, some need herb medicine or acupuncture. Depending on the cases, psychosomatic counseling would be helpful.

View full abstract

We treated two elderly patients who contracted amebiasis in a foreign country. They ate a watermelon in Peking, the People's Republic of China. From their account, the watermelon was considered the most probable source of infection.
In Case 1, the patient complained of acute nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and unconsciousness following severe dehydration. The trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica were found by stool examination. The treatment with metronidazole was not so effective in Case 1 patient with fulminating amebic colitis. In Case 2, he had no subjective symptoms, but the cysts of Entamoeba histolytica were found by stool examination.
Recently, traveling abroad has become popular. The number of travelers has been increasing in Japan from not only urban districts but also rural districts. Therefore, it is necessary to exercise strict rigilance over the imported protozoan parasites and possible mass outbreak of amebiasis in tour groups.

View full abstract