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AMŒBIASIS IN AUSTRALIA 2. AN EPIDEMIC IN AN INSTITUTION FOR MENTAL DEFECTIVES AND OBSERVATIONS ON THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTIVENESS OF “INTESTOPAN” AND “HUMATIN”
Author(s) -
Sandars Dorothea F.,
Bianchi G. N.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1970.tb77848.x
Subject(s) - trichuris trichiura , entamoeba histolytica , giardia lamblia , ancylostoma duodenale , trichuriasis , enterobius , medicine , dysentery , gastroenterology , biology , helminths , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , ascaris lumbricoides , ascariasis , necator americanus
1. In a survey in a ward with 85 patients in an institution for mental defectives the following parasitic infections were identified: Protozoa: Entamœba histolytica (52, 61%), Entamœba coli (eight, 9%), Giardia lamblia (46, 54%), Trichomonas hominis (39, 46%). Helminths: Ancylostoma duodenale (one, 1%), Enterobius vermicularis (three, 3–5%, stool examination only); Hymenolepis nana (seven, 8%), Trichuris trichiura (51, 60%). As is usual, a higher rate of infection with E. histolytica was observed in the younger patients. Pathogenic bacteria were identified in only three cases, but a significantly high incidence of T. trichiura was observed in patients with amcebic dysentery. It is suggested that lesions caused by T. trichiura in the large bowel wall, the common site for both this species and E. histolytica, may be a factor contributing to E. histolytica becoming a tissue‐invading pathogen. 2. An assessment was made of the effectiveness of “Intestopan” and “Humatin” against intestinal amœbiasis when used under the special conditions that prevail in such institutions as those for mental defectives. Both drugs were effective against E. histolytica, G. lamblia and T. hominis. There were relapses of infection by all species after both drugs. There was a trend for fewer E. histolytica relapses with “Intestopan”, but no difference in relapse rate was observed between the two drugs in the treatment of G. lamblia and T. hominis. Both “Intestopan” and “Humatin' were well tolerated, the only side effects observed being nausea and transient erythematous and macular skin rashes. Control of amoebic dysentery in this group of patients was achieved only slowly, relapses considered to be reinfections being common.