RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PREVALENCE AND INTENSITY OF OPISTHORCHIS-VIVERRINI INFECTION, AND CLINICAL SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS IN A RURAL-COMMUNITY IN NORTHEAST THAILAND

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 62  (3) , 451-461
Abstract
In a large village in north-east Thailand, the overall prevalence of O. viverrini infection (based on Stoll''s quantitative egg count) was 89.5% in a total population of 1651 individuals. The prevalence was 32% in children < 5 yr, 90% in those aged 5-9 yr, and averaged 95.6% in age groups > 10 yr. The mean fecal egg output (indicative of intensity of infection) was highest in the 40-49-yr age group and remained relatively constant through older ages. In all age groups the prevalence and intensity of infection in both men and women were similar. A history of eating raw freshwater fish occurred more frequently in infected persons than in those uninfected. The following symptoms occurred significantly more frequently in groups with higher intensities of infection: weakness, flatulence or dyspepsia and abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant. Infected persons did not report a reduced ability to work. Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea were only weakly correlated with the intensity of infection. A palapable liver occurred more frequently in the infected groups and was correlated with intensity of infection. Icteric conjunctivae were observed in 2.2% of infected persons but not in the uninfected. Some 5-10% of the population had symptoms attributable to opisthorchiasis.