Routine stool examinations for eggs and parasites have been recommended for Southeast Asian refugees seeking medical care for any reason. Calculations show that the direct dollar cost of diagnosis and treatment of pathogenic intestinal parasites in asymptomatic adults exceeds the direct dollar cost of disease prevented. However, it is also recognized that a more definitive analysis would require presently unavailable data on morbidity and transmission rates in untreated parasitized adults. Final decisions on screening benefits should consider, but not be limited to, direct dollar cost considerations.

[No Keywords available]

cestode protozoon trematode refugee cost Trematoda parasite identification economic aspect ethnic group geographic distribution screening digestive system Editorial Cestoda nematode Protozoa therapy diagnosis Feces ethnic or racial aspects