Annual medical report / East Africa Protectorate.

  • East Africa Protectorate. Medical Department.
Date:
[1916]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual medical report / East Africa Protectorate. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    75/80 (page 75)
    APPENDIX II. NOTES ON THE PREVALENCE OF INTESTINAL PARASITES IN EAST AFRICA. By Dr. J. C. SHIRCORE. During the last quarter of 1914 a short series of microscopic examinations of the faeces of natives complaining of intestinal troubles admitted into or attending at the Native Hospital, Mombasa, were undertaken. Of 100 examinations 83 per cent, were positive, 17 per cent, negative, and the percentages of the different Ova present were as follows :— Ankylostomum duodenale Ascaris lumhricoides Trichocephalus dispar .... Taenia saginata ... Schistosomum mansoni ... Oxyuris vermicularis Strongyloides stercoralis 46 per cent. 44 43 29 5 2 3 On further investigation during part of 1915 and 1916 a total of 1,500 examinations were made not only of African Natives but of Indians of the Expeditionary Forces and Washihiri Arabs of the Arab Rifles. Total Number of Observations 1,500 Positive 51 ’8 % Negative 48 T % Indians 720 Positive 3P7 % Negative 68‘2 % Arabs 83 „ 62-6 % „ 87-3 % Africans 689 „ 71-8 % „ 28-1 % It is necessary to state at the outset that all the subjects examined, Indians, Arabs, and Africans, were as a whole under conditions inseparable from active service. The percentages of infections may, with certain reservations, therefore be considered to be somewhat higher than would be under ordinary conditions of life for each of the above races. No special distinction was drawn in the selection of patients for examination, as was for those shewn in the first table, but cases admitted for all diseases were included. ' Considering the Indians of the civilian class following occupations such as those of clerks, railway men, merchants, traders and shopkeepers, it may be said that they rarely suffer from intestinal parasites. What the figures for these may be it is impossible to say, but one cannot recollect having seen more than three cases during a period extending over two years at Mombasa. The factors governing this are, cleanly habits, thorough cooking of food, protection of the feet by boots, latrines and the sanitary use of them. The comparatively high degree of infections among the Indian troops is without doubt due to the converse of these conditions holding in the field, and although the different infec¬ tions were more or less evenly distributed for most areas and seasons of the year, the sick sent in from one area in particular during the latter half of 1915 infected with Ankylostomiasis, contributed materially towards raising the total percentage. [156538] 11a