The changing picture of intestinal parasitoses in the Caribbean

ABSTRACT

The economic and public health importance of gastro-intestinal parasitoses varies enormously from country to country due to a complex interplay of organisms, the environment, the hosts involved, socio-economic conditions, and human behaviour. The major parasitoses include three roundworm species (nematodes) and three microscopic, unicellular (protozan) species. Infection with two or more species (polyparasitism) is not uncommon, and this aggregation of parasites leads to an increased morbidity and mortality. Aggregation may result from human behaviour, socio-economic conditions (level of education, water and sanitary conditions, ability to diagnose and treat infections etc.) and numerous still relatively arcane reasons, such as immunological and nutritional status and genetics (AU)