Intestinal parasitic infections of urban and rural children on Pemba Island: implications for control.

The intestinal parasites of the schoolchildren from one rural area and one urban area, both on Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania, were surveyed within the framework of the local Helminth Control Programme. Stool samples were examined for helminth eggs and protozoa by quantitative (Kato-Katz) and concentration (formalin-ether) techniques. The results indicate that intestinal helminthiases represent a significant public health problem in the study areas.

Arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction of individual Trichinella specimens.

Recently, 5 sibling species and 3 other phenotypes were identified in the genus Trichinella. Single primers of arbitrary nucleotide sequence were used to produce random amplified polymorphic DNA starting from decreasing amounts of Trichinella spiralis and Trichinella britovi DNA. Reproducible amplification products from 30 pg of DNA were obtained using 1 of 6 examined primers.

[Oxyuriasis: its indoor transmission correlated with crowding in housing].

In two different human settings in the province of Pavia, Italy, statistically significant correlations were found between socioeconomic level of the families or crowding in the houses, and prevalence of oxyuriasis in schoolchildren. An indoor transmission is postulated.