Distribution of intestinal parasitic infection in rural area of District Darjeeling, west Bengal
Saha, S.S.; Behl, J.P.; Sharma, J.K.; Kumar, A.
Journal of Communicable Diseases 25(1): 43-44
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5138 PMID: 8014440 Document Number: 224475
A parasitological survey was carried out in 4 villages in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India, in July 1992. Stool samples were collected from 215 individuals. Of these, 72 (33.5%) were positive for pathogenic intestinal parasites: Ascaris lumbricoides (34.8%), Giardia lamblia [G. duodenalis] (29.2%), Trichuris trichiura (19.4%), hookworms (8.3%), Entamoeba histolytica (6.9%) and Taenia sp. (1.4%). In addition, 37 (17%) of the stool samples were positive for non-pathogenic intestinal parasites, including Entamoeba coli, Endolimax nana and Iodamoeba buetschlii. Overall, parasites were more prevalent in males (60.4%) than in females (39.6%). With regard to the pathogenic parasites, the infection rate was not significantly affected by host age or sex, or by factors such as literacy, use of footwear, sanitation, source of drinking water or type of house. However, the infection rate was significantly higher among agricultural workers. Compared with earlier surveys, this study indicated a decline in hookworm infections and an increase in protozoal infections in the Darjeeling area.