Schistosomiasis in an Endemic Area in the Dominican Republic 1

Abstract

Ponce Pinedo (1945) was the first to report the existence of autochthonous cases of schistosomiasis mansoni in the Dominican Republic, and later (1947) he was able to demonstrate that an endemic focus of the disease exists in the vicinity of Hato Mayor, Seibo Province. He succeeded in collecting infected Austrakrbi@ glabratus from two streams near the town of Hato Mayor and recovered adults and eggs of &histosoma manwni, after exposing rabbits to the cercariae from these snails. However, the extent and seriousness of the endemic focus at Hato Mayor has not been known, and there has even been doubt in some quarters that the parasite is actually established there.

Caribbean schistosomiasis

“…A WHO coprological survey of Hato Mayor 10 years after the initial discovery revealed that 21-4% (n = 243) of 5 to 15-year-old children were infected (Olivier, Vaughn & Hendricks, 1952). Infected B. glabrata were detected in the river Pana-Pana where it flowed through the town, although uninfected specimens were present elsewhere in the same watershed.…”