The origin and dispersion of human parasitic diseases in the old world (Africa, Europe and Madagascar).

The ancestors of present-day man (Homo sapiens sapiens) appeared in East Africa some three and a half million years ago (Australopithecs), and then migrated to Europe, Asia, and later to the Americas, thus beginning the differentiation process. The passage from nomadic to sedentary life took place in the Middle East in around 8000 BC. Wars, spontaneous migrations and forced migrations (slave trade) led to enormous mixtures of populations in Europe and Africa and favoured the spread of numerous parasitic diseases with specific strains according to geographic area. The three human plasmodia (Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, and P. malariae) were imported from Africa into the Mediterranean region with the first human migrations, but it was the Neolithic revolution (sedentarisation, irrigation, population increase) which brought about actual foci for malaria. The reservoir for Leishmania infantum and L. donovani--the dog--has been domesticated for thousands of years. Wild rodents as reservoirs of L. major have also long been in contact with man and probably were imported from tropical Africa across the Sahara. L. tropica, by contrast, followed the migrations of man, its only reservoir. L. infantum and L. donovani spread with man and his dogs from West Africa. Likewise, for thousands of years, the dog has played an important role in the spread and the endemic character of hydatidosis through sheep (in Europe and North Africa) and dromadary (in the Sahara and North Africa). Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni have existed since prehistoric times in populations living in or passing through the Sahara. These populations then transported them to countries of Northern Africa where the specific, intermediary hosts were already present. Madagascar was inhabited by populations of Indonesian origin who imported lymphatic filariosis across the Indian Ocean (possibly of African origin since the Indonesian sailors had spent time on the African coast before reaching Madagascar). Migrants coming from Africa and Arabia brought with them the two African forms of bilharziosis: S. haematobium and S. mansoni.

[Experimentally inoculated human echinococcosis in piglets and a trial of the therapeutic preparation SK-1]. / Eksperimental'nyi implantirovannyi porosiatam ékhinokokkoz ot cheloveka i ispytanie lechebnogo preparata SK-1.

Experiments were made on 26-month-old piglets divided into 4 groups: Groups 1 and 4 included 5 piglets and Groups 2 and 3 comprised 8 animals. The piglets from Groups 1, 2, and 3 were peritoneally inoculated with 5000 protoscolices and acephalocysts of Echinococcus from patients with echinococcosis who had been operated on. On postinoculation day 60, Group 1 piglets were killed to measure the baseline weight of parasitic larvocysts (PL) developed by that time. On postinoculation day 61, Group 3 piglets continuously received feed in combination with CK-1 within 3 weeks. The mean daily doses of the agent were 0.05, 0.10, 0.25 g/kg, respectively. On day 91 following inoculation, all the animals were killed and dissected. The studies were made by using the procedures and formulas [9]. The growth suppression index for PL was 94.50, 92.39, and 96 for Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Significant destruction of embryonic elements was revealed in 75-85% of PL in each treated animals. There was a tendency for blood indices to become normal in the treated animals. The acute toxicity of CK-1 was examined in outbred white mice, albino rats, chickens, piglets. The maximum non-lethal dose of CK-1 was 19 g/kg for white mice. The agent showed a low toxicity.

Hydatid disease transmission in California. A study of the Basque connection.

A descriptive epidemiologic and anthropologic study was designed to determine by field observation and interview the extent of Basque involvement in the sheep industry of California, the nature of the sheep and dog husbandry practices of California Basques as they might influence Echinococus granulosus transmission, and the "folk knowledge" of hydatid disease possessed by California Basques, particularly as it might indicate the early presence of this infection in California and provide evidence for or against possible intensification or spread of transmission in the recent past. Basques were found to dominate the sheep industry of California's Central Valley from Sacramento south, but to be virtually absent from other sheep-raising areas of the state. In contrast to most other California sheep ranchers, Basques practice a transhumant form of husbandry in which bands of sheep are moved from location to location under the control of contract Basque shepherds from Spain and France and a number of sheep dogs.