[The changed picture of schistosomiasis in The Netherlands]

Schistosomiasis is a very frequent import infection in the Netherlands. The serotesting for schistosomiasis in Leyden affords reasonable insight into the prevalence of this import infection among different groups of the population in the Netherlands. Out of 3032 serum samples submitted in the period from 1983 to April 1986, 40% was positive. Most people with positive serum tests were of Surinam origin. Currently, there is a shift toward more infections among Dutch travellers. Many of these patients have high IFA titres indicating a recently incurred infection. Often no ova are found in spite of positive serotest: this phenomenon was seen in 36% of the Dutch travellers and in 48% of the Surinam people.