INTESTINAL HELMINTHS AND XEROPHTHALMIA IN NEPAL - A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

The study reports on 25 cases of xerophthalmia among children 6-120 mo nths of age and single controls for which faecal egg counts were avail able as proxy for hookworm and Ascaris lumbricoides infection. The sel ection of cases and controls was performed by ophthalmic assistants. C ontrols were healthy children matched for sex, age, and neighbourhood of residence. Faecal analyses were performed by Kato thick-smear techn ique, recording the number of eggs of hookworm and A. lumbricoides. Th e xerophthalmia cases had a significantly higher prevalence (P<0.05) a nd intensity (P<0.01) of infection, as expressed by the presence and n umber of A, lumbricoides eggs per gram of faeces, respectively, compar ed with the control group. Hookworm eggs were not detected in the faec al specimens of any of the cases or controls. This study demonstrates the importance of A, lumbricoides as a risk factor for ocular signs of vitamin A deficiency, Reduction of prevalence and intensity of A, lum bricoides infection may reduce the incidence of xerophthalmia in the c ommunity with its potential sequels of blindness, morbidity, and morta lity.