INTESTINAL PARASITIC INFECTION AND ENVIRO NMENT IN SAHELO-SUDANESE TOWNS - THE CASE OF PIKINE (SENEGAL)

A survey carried out in Pikine (Senegal) on a sample of 5 groups of ch ildren drawn from ecologically representative sections of the town con firms the high prevalence in urban areas of Africa of intestinal infec tion, especially A. lumbricoides (35.6%), T. trichiura (35.4%), and Gi ardia (43.7%). The prevalence of A. lumbricoides (35.6%), T. trichiura (35.4%), and Giardia (43.7%). The prevalence of A. lumbricoides and T . trichiura are appreciably higher in the oldest sectors of the town o r in those with a better sanitary standard: up to 47.7% for Ascaris an d 46% for Trichuris. The use of X2 tests and log-linear analysis demon strates a significant association between Ascaris and Trichuris. The h ighest prevalence for Giardia (56.8%) were to be found on the outskirt s of the town, where the lowest prevalence of Ascaris (21.7%) and Tric huris (22.9%) were noted; moreover, age-based prevalence for the three parasites vary from one ecological area to another. The relationship between the urbanization process, the variation in environmental facto rs and intestinal parasitic infection, and the operational implication s arising from this geographically-based approach are discussed.