Parasitologic Studies in a Group of Furloughed Missionaries

Abstract

SummaryRoutine stool examinations with cultures for amebae were done in a large group of furloughed missionaries and their families who were, with few exceptions, purged. Nearly 24% of the total population harbored the “special group of protozoa” (including large race E. histolytica, the E. histolytica (small race)-E. hartmanni group as well as D. fragilis). Purgation coupled with the extensive laboratory procedures, including culture for amebae on all specimens, revealed a decided increase in recovery of parasites in the second and third specimens (purged samples) as compared with the first (a normal stool). No direct attempts were made to compare the efficacy of any of the techniques one with another especially purgation per se versus the ameba cultures.The number of failures of growth in the cultures, where organisms were seen by other methods and techniques, was very low. On the other hand the number of the “special group of protozoa” discovered solely by culturing and the number of diagnoses made possible by the study of trophozoites recovered in cultures facilitate the diagnosis of this “special group of protozoa,” particularly when purgation is employed.