Faeces were cultured and examined for ova, cysts and parasites in 476 travellers and new immigrants mostly belonging to the third world countries. Of the 391 children, 86 (22%) were affected as against 31 adults (36%) out of a total of 85. Although amongst children there was no difference in the rate of infestations (22%) between travellers and new immigrants, in adults the attack rate was almost twice as high (40%) in travellers in comparison to new immigrants (22%). Sick children were affected by infection with multiple parasites two and a quarter times more often than sick adults. Similarly new immigrants were almost twice as affected by infection with multiple organisms as were travellers. The most frequent parasite detected was Giardia lamblia followed by Trichuris trichiura (whipworm), Ascaris lumbricoides (round worm), Ankylostoma duodenale (hook worm), Hymenolepis nana and Entamoeba histolytica. There were very few cases of campylobacter, salmonella and shigella infections. Although there was no case of typhoid, a case of paratyphoid B was detected. Infestations ranging between 26 to 44% afflicted those who visited or who arrived from Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ghana, India and Pakistan in descending order. © 1988 The Society of Community Medicine.

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cestode education Short Survey protozoon immigrant parasitosis developing country minority group Developing Countries human Asia travel economic aspect giardiasis comparative study Minority Groups England Africa Enterobacteriaceae Infections nematode bacterial infection adult health education helminthiasis child health care Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic Emigration and Immigration Nematode Infections Child