Epidemiology and Chemotherapy of Amebiasis and Taniasis in Lanyu Island (III)

Lanyu (Orchid Island) is located at the Southeast of Taiwan Proper in the Pacific Ocean. The inhabitants are mainly Yami aborigines. Owing to geographical isolation, the culture of Yami is not significantly influenced by the Han culture. These aborigines are still living in their customary life style and have their own language. Fish, water taro, land taro, spiked millet, and sweat potato are their main diet. They also eats raw meat and viscera of animals. The special eating habits and living conditions have been attributed to the prevalence of taeniasis and other parasitic infections on this island.In this study, the prevalence of taeniasis and amebiasis as well as other parasitic infections were determined and the infected persons were administered with chemotherapy. Questionnaire survey on the eating habits of local residents revealed that a high proportion of local residents consume raw seawater fishes (44.4%), pork (7.9%) and viscera of swine (6.9%). Stools examinations showed that Giradia lamblia has the highest positive rate (12.3%); this parasite may be the causative agent of diarrhea in local residents. No Entamoeba histolytica infection was discovered by a combination of stool examination and stool-ELISA (RIDASCREEN？HHH？HHH). The positive rate of Enterbius vermicularis infection in school children is 19.4%. Schoolboys had a higher (23.5%) positive rate than girls (13.8%). Among the primary schools surveyed, Yehyu primary school has the highest infection rate (30.6%). The average infection rate of head lice in kindergarten, primary schools and high school is (28.2%). Schools girls (53.1%) had a higher positive rate than boys (16.1%). Among the schools investigated, Langtao primary school has the highest infection rate (30.6%). Keywords？HHHGLanyu, Entamoeba histolytica, taeniasis, Enterobius vermicularis, head lice, epidemiological study

Project ID:PG9112-0984
External Project ID:DOH92-DC-1005