Medical Mission to the Yemen, Southwest Arabia, 1951

Abstract

Summary A geomedical survey of three geographic regions of the Yemen was made during January and February, 1951. On the basis of this survey it would appear that there are at least 10 major disease problems in the Yemen, irregularly distributed through the principal geographic regions. In the lowlands (Tihama) as well as elsewhere, dysenteries, intestinal parasitism, venereal diseases, nutritional diseases, tuberculosis and eye diseases are common. This region has more malaria than the highlands but considerably less than the middle heights. Schistosomiasis occurs here to about the same extent as it does in the highlands but far less frequently than in the vicinity of Ta'izz in the middle heights. Typhoid fever appears to be fairly common in all three regions. In the middle heights, major disease emphasis is on schistosomiasis, malaria, veneral diseases, the dysenteries, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, typhus and trachoma. The highlands differ in that there is less schistosomiasis and malaria, and perhaps less dysentery.