Cholecystitis and cholelithiasis in a tropical African population

Compared with some European and North American countries, inflammatory disease of the gallbladder is not common in tropical Africa. The presentation as seen in our institution is different from reported series because intestinal parasites seem to play a part in the disease, whereas obesity, diabetes, multiparity and socioeconomic class seem to play little or no part. There is also a much higher incidence of gall-bladder stones in our few cases than other reported series. The predominant gallbladder stone seen is the pigment stone. As in other series, the incidence in the females is higher than that in males.