The first survey of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency and the Duffy blood group was carried out in connection with a malariometric survey in the rainy season of November 1986 in Republic of Guatemala. In 1, 510 persons, 28 patients with Plasmodium vivax and three patients with P. falciparum were found. The parasite rate was 2.1% in all age groups. The infant parasite rate was 1.2%. There was no significant difference in the parasite rates between the age groups whereas the parasite density was high in younger age group. The spleen rate in children under nine years old was 0.1%. In 567 males, three persons were found to be G6PD deficient (0.5%), but no person was G6PD deficient in 943 females. Six hundred persons were examined for the Duffy blood group : 85.0% were Duffy positive and 15.0% were Duffy negative. All the patients infected with P. vivax were Duffy positive, which was statistically significant (p<0.025).

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A new method for the detection of Strongyloides larvae was established. A small amount of stool was placed in the center of an agar plate and was incubated at 37°C for 24 hr. Characteristically aligned bacterial colonies or furrows left by crawling Strongyloides larvae appeared on the agar surface are the positive findings. The larvae gathered in a well made on positive plate were identified. By using this method, Strongyloides was detected in 46 cases (4.5%) out of 1, 017 healthy adults. Whereas, it was detected in 0 and 3 cases (0 and 0.3%) by direct stool smear method and filter paper technique, respectively. Examination of 246 cases by this agar plate method and formalinether method (MGL) revealed that 14 cases (5.7%) were positive by the former and 2 cases (0.8%) by the latter. Agar plate method is not laborious nor expensive, and recommendable for mass examination and for the detection of asymptomatic carriers.

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Human hepatic hydatidosis was studied in surgically operated 61 cases at Basrah Hospitals in 1985. The age of the patients varied from 6 to 75 years. The ratio of rural to urban patients was 42 to 19. There were 31 females and 30 males.
A survey on animal hepatic hydatidosis at Basrah abattoirs during the first 6 months of 1985 was carried out. A total of 57, 255 slaughtered animals was inspected and the results revealed that 8.4% of 38, 398 sheep, 3.7% of 16, 229 cattle and 5.6% of 2, 628 buffaloes were found to be infected.

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A patient bitten by a venomous snake Habu often shows blood pressure fall.
Also in experimental animals an abrupt fall of blood pressure is observed after the injection of Habu venom, and the hemorrage, edema and muscular necrosis are also seen on the site of the injection.
In the course of the study of the venom, it has been noticed that the venom consists of various factors, such as bleeding factor, swelling factor and necrotizing factor.
Myonecrotic factor (MNF) which causes necrosis of muscle was isolated from the crude Habu venom of Amami by precipitating with cold acetone.
In this study we showed the effects of this factor on the hemodynamic changes and also some drugs which inhibit the action of this factor.
When the myonecrotic factor (100 μg/kg) was intravenously injected into dogs, blood pressure fell immediately and gradually returned to the initial normal level.
Similar hemodynamic changes were observed in rats after MNF injection but the duration of hyotensive period was longer. The hypotensive effects of MNF were inhibited by the following injection of antihistamines such as promethazine and dihenhydramine.
Cepharantine, biscoclaurin type alkaloid which is clinically used for the treatment of Habu bite showed antihistaminic, antiserotonic, and antibradykinic action and suppressed the hypotensive action of MNF. Although this drug has been used for the treatment of Habu bite the mechanism is still obscure, and these actions may be involved to some extents.

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