Studies on the intestinal parasites in African patients in Owamboland, South West Africa

Abstract

The paper gives the results of a survey of intestinal parasites among 501 in-patients drawn from four mission hospitals in Owambo and Kavango in northern South West Africa. Most of the patients (90%) were examined twice by the formol-ether concentration method, while the remaining 10% had one stool specimen examined. 10 species of helminths and 3 species of potentially-pathogenic protozoa were recorded--Necator americanus, Strongyloides stercoralis, Strongyloides fuelleborni, Hymenolepis nana, Taenia saginata, Trichuris trichura, Enterobius vermicularis, Fasciola gigantica, Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium, and Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia and Balantidium coli. The loads of Necator americanus were recorded in a few cases. The results are compared with those of some other Central and Southern African countries. 96 blood smears were examined for filaria and 46 patients were tested for bilharzia using the bilharzial skin test. Both groups gave only negative results.

An outbreak of hepatitis E in Northern Namibia, 1983.

“…The presence of eosinophilia in 83% of patients on whom hematologic studies were done was unsurprising in view of the high prevalence of intestinal helminth infections in this area. 23 The finding of atypical lymphocytes in 7/12 patients and target cells in 12/12 patients is consistent with a viral infection and hepatic damage respectively. The unusual feature of the illness was its nearly exclusive occurrence in adolescents and young adults and, in fatal form, in pregnant women.…”

Mapping of Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Namibia: The First Large-Scale Protocol to Formally Include Rapid Diagnostic Tests

“…Although other NTDs are endemic in Namibia, of the five eligible for preventive chemotherapy (PCT), only schistosomiasis and STH infections are believed to be prevalent [ 1 ]. Lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis have never been identified at the community- or health facility-level [ 2 , 3 ], and for trachoma, although indicated by predictive mapping [ 4 , 5 ], no epidemiological confirmation has been reported [ 6 ].…”

“…According to WHO NTD maps, Namibia is indicated to have a prevalence of schistosomiasis below 10% [ 7 ]. Historical data from the northern regions report heterogeneity in infection distribution with high transmission areas reportedly reaching 95% prevalence [ 2 , 8 – 11 ]. The presence of both Schistosoma haematobium and S .…”

“…snails in any other areas [ 11 ]. According to historical data, all three major STH infections (hookworm, Ascaris and Trichuris ) have been confirmed in northern Namibia, with hookworm reported as dominant [ 2 , 9 , 11 – 13 ]. Ascaris and Trichuris infections are largely absent with levels usually below 1% (with few exceptions among the San people) due to the arid climatic conditions [ 12 ] and behavioural factors that exist among sparse host populations [ 13 ] (reviewed by [ 1 ]).…”

Neglected tropical diseases of Namibia: Unsolved mysteries

“…Through the years, however, various samples have been tested, particularly vector-borne diseases, with positive or questionable results (Table 2). While the positive results are highlighted, lymphatic filariasis has never been identified (Kyronseppa and Goldsmid, 1978) and Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) has not been reported in Namibia for over 10 years (Simarro et al, 2011). Tables 1 and 2 include several surprises with briefly mentioned diseases or information hidden in studies focused on other pathogens.…”