. . . . . + ‘ + - pence, emEERK FE SRst rem ener aeme nthe att aint SM A, wer Racine cee ot * eo. sweet : . . HEALTH SURVEY IN PACIFIC “" ' Variations of prevalence rates by age and sex were slightly different for each species. Hookworm and Ascaris show opposite tendencies with respect to age. The former increased with age while the latter decreased. Trichuris showed little change by age. Hookworm was more prevalent among males, while Trichuris and Ascaris had slightly higher rates among females. The actual procedure of obtaining the sample of stool specimens resulted in a haphazard rather than a representative cross section of the population. Each individual examined was given a stool box and requested to submit a fecal specimen. The number of specimens mem mee == obtained varied greatly. After the specimens were received, some \ ; ' had to be rejected because of contamination from the specimen wrappings and‘others because of inadequacyof the specimen. The remaining specimens were examined for ova of the helminth or platyhelminth group. On some of the specimens, examinations were made for protozoa. Stools were examined bythe simple flotation technic with a concentrated sugar solution used for ova of helminths and flukes. Direct normal saline smears were used to determine the presence of protozoan cysts. When protozoan cvsts were indicated by the smears, iron-hematoxylin stains were made for positive identification. Krahntests. Kahn tests were given to 16,520 inhabitants, nearly three fourths of the population of the Saipan, Palau. and Marshall Islands districts The Kahn-test technic was not uniform throughout the portion of the survey reported here. Originally, the three-tube test was utilized. Later, using this same Kahn antigen, only the second dilution was used. Approximately 50 percent of the Kahntests were positive, with little difference between the sexes (tables § and 9). The Palau district had by far the highest proportion of positives—65.4 percent as compared with 35.1 percent for the Marshall Islands district and 30.4 percent for the Saipan district. Wide variation occurred among the islands, paralleling the variation between the districts. Tabal Island in the Marshall Islands ven weve... Fable 8 Distribution of islands by percent of positive Kahn reactions \ \ Percent of positive TotalnumKabns + berof islands =, Saipan distnet | Under 25 — | Palau district | starshait Islurcs | district q 1 - 17 - s i 30 to 74 va ? 7 4 OCTOBER 1959 | |1 2 ta 49 75 and over - 7 - 7 - 1209 Stere? O -S4 -6 5013261 Se ce ee rae rn ee ene te