Epidemiological study of parasitic infections in Somali nomads.

In Somali nomads the incidence of intestinal helminths is very low compared with that observed in Somalian closed institutions and practically no Entamoeba infection occurs. Schistosoma haematobium eggs are observed in urine of 50% of adults nomads. Immunological tests reveal that the relative prevalences of leishmaniasis (the lowest), malaria, and toxoplasmosis (the highest) in nomads are similar to those shown by the same techniques in settled communities.