Medizinische Universität Graz - Research portal

Go directly to the nagivation.
Go directly to the content.

Navigation/Search

Selected Publication:

KROEGER, A; SCHULZ, S; WITTE, B; SKEWESRAMM, R; ETZLER, A.
Helminthiasis and cultural change in the Peruvian rainforest.
J Trop Med Hyg. 1992; 95(2):104-113
Web of Science PubMed Google Scholar

Co-authors Med Uni Graz: Schulz Stefan
Altmetrics:
Dimensions Citations:
Plum Analytics:
Abstract:: The objective of this study was to identify the impact of cultural and ecological change on intestinal helminth infections in traditional indigenous communities in the Peruvian rainforest and to identify the ways of transmission of helminth eggs. A remote indigenous settlement was compared with a more developed mestizo town. Stool specimens as well as soil, dust, air and water were examined for Ascaris and Trichuris eggs. A significantly lower infection intensity of Ascaris and Trichuris could be demonstrated for the traditional Indian community. Here the hygienic conditions were found to be better than in the town. The mestizo teacher and his family, who had come from the town to the Indian settlement, showed poorer hygienic standards and higher levels of Ascaris and Trichuris egg excretion than the Indian dwellers. The distribution of Ascaris and Trichuris eggs in the soil, house dust and in the air suggests that the contaminated dust from defaecation sites was distributed through the whole community by feet, animals (chickens) and wind. It was observed that many traditional habits that contributed to the good hygiene of the native population were being abandoned in the process of cultural change.
Find related publications in this database (using NLM MeSH Indexing): Animals -; Ascariasis - drug therapy Ascariasis - ethnology; Ascaris - isolation and purification; Cultural Characteristics -; Feces - parasitology; Female -; Humans -; Hygiene -; Indians, South American -; Male -; Mebendazole - therapeutic use; Parasite Egg Count -; Parasite Egg Count - epidemiology; Toilet Facilities -; Trichuriasis - drug therapy Trichuriasis - ethnology; Trichuris - isolation and purification