The 1976 skin test survey for schistosomiasis in Puerto Rico
Negrón-Aponte, H.; María Nazario, C.
Boletin de la Asociacion Medica de Puerto Rico 71(1): 17-25
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-4849 PMID: 284785 Document Number: 700011
A random sample of 10 224 fifth grade school children in Puerto Rico was skin tested for schistosomiasis by a similar procedure to that used in surveys in 1963 and 1969. In order to make the reaction rates from the 1976 batch of antigen comparable with those from the 1969 batch, a calibration trial was made on 381 children, using both 1976 and 1969 antigens on each child. Based on these results the positivity rate in 1976 (5.3%) was less than half the rate in 1969. In addition to the over-all decrease in positivity rate, there was a marked northward shift in the area of highest rates to northeastern Puerto Rico, just east of San Juan on the coastal plain between Carolina and Luquillo.