Helminthic Infestations of Natives in the Kenya Highlands

Abstract

(1) Examination of the inmates of Government reformatories in the Highlands of Kenya showed a high incidence (57·9 per cent.) of very light infestations with hookworm, and an incidence of approximately 50 per cent, of Taenia infestations. Many of the latter are not detected by the usual microscopic examination.(2) Treatment with carbon tetrachloride in doses of from 1½c.c. for children to 4 c.c. as the standard adult dose gave approximately 76·1 per cent, cures for hookworm, and in the case of boys with fairly light infestations with T. saginata an efficacy of approximately 97 per cent. In the case of 72 boys very heavily infested with Taenia 58 per cent. cures were effected by a single treatment with carbon tetrachloride and oil of chenopodium.(3) A combination of carbon tetrachloride and oil of chenopodium appears to be a safe and efficacious anthelminthic for the common worm infestations of man in Kenya.(4) Growing natives lightly infested with hookworm appeared to grow and increase in weight at a normal rate, and did not improve in physical condition after treatment.(5) Boys in the same institution infested with Taenia progressed at a subnormal rate, but increased to a figure above normal after treatment, the increase appearing to be mathematically significant in spite of the small number of samples analysed.