Genetic diversity of Plasmodium vivax Pvcsp and Pvmsp1 in Guyana, South America.

Approximately 55% of malaria infections in the Guyana Amazon region are attributed to Plasmodium falciparum while the other 45% are attributed to non-falciparum, mostly Plasmodium vivax. However, little is known about the P. vivax strain types circulating in the region.

Intestinal parasites among young children in the interior of Guyana.

Intestinal parasites contribute greatly to morbidity in developing countries. While there have been several studies of the problem in the Caribbean, including the implementation of control programmes, this has not been done for Guyana. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites among young children in a town located in the interior of Guyana.

Identification of Anopheles aquasalis as a possible vector of malaria in Guyana, South America.

Adult female mosquitoes were collected in Mahdia, Guyana, to determine the incidence of malaria in Anopheles species found during the month of June 2000. Centers for Disease Control miniature white (incandescent) light traps, model 512, and miniature black (ultraviolet) light traps, model 912, were used to capture female mosquitoes. Numbers of mosquitoes collected were compared between white and black light traps and between traps set outside and inside of buildings.

HIV prevalence in a gold mining camp in the Amazon region, Guyana.

The prevalence of HIV infection among men in a gold mining camp in the Amazon region of Guyana was 6.5%. This high percentage of HIV infection provides a reservoir for the virus in this region, warranting immediate public health intervention to curb its spread.

American cutaneous leishmaniasis in Guyana, South America.

The 185 patients who presented at the dermatology clinic of Georgetown Public Hospital, Guyana, between 1992 and 1998, with skin ulcers indicative of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) were retrospectively reviewed. The laboratory-confirmed cases of ACL were identified and the corresponding data were analysed for risk factors such as age, gender, areas of residence and of possible exposure to the causative agent (Leishmania braziliensis guyanensis), ethnic origin, longevity of the ulcers, and treatment regimes prior to the definitive diagnosis. Eighty-one (43%) of the 185 subjects were confirmed to be infected with Le.