The prevalence and intensity of intestinal parasites in two Somalian communities

About 85% of the population of two Somali communities harboured soil-transmitted intestinal nematodes and/or protozoa. The commonest parasite (75% in the Lafoole institution and 59% in the Afgoye institution) was Trichuris trichiura. Mixed infections were common. The source of infection is contaminated fields around dwelling quarters, because of indiscriminate defaecation. One of the factors responsible for the higher incidence of hookworm in Lafoole (45%) compared with Afgoye (1·5%) may be the different soil character of the surrounding fields.