Intestinal parasitic infections in black scholars in northern KwaZulu

Faecal specimens were collected form a total of 7569 scholars at 45 different localities in northern KwaZulu and screened for the presence of intestinal helminth and protozoan parasites. The soil-transmitted nematodes Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm sp. were extremely common, with prevalences in certain localities ranking among the highest to be recorded in South Africa. Entamoeba coli was by far the commonest (60%) of the protozoa;p all the other species had prevalences of less than 10%. The distribution age-specific prevalence and the influence of the variables-sex, ara and age-on the occurrence of the various intestinal parasites are described.