TRACE-ELEMENTS IN THE HUMAN SCALP HAIR AND FINGER NAILS AS AFFECTED BY INFECTION WITH SCHISTOSOMA-MANSONI

The concentration of 13 elements has been determined in finger nail an d scalp hair of 4 groups representing normal and infected Schistosoma mansoni subjects. Samples were irradiated by thermal neutrons from a T riga Mark III Reactor, for 10 min. Measurements were made using a HPGe detector coupled with ADC and PDP 11/34 data processing equipment. Th e results showed significant increases of Al, Cl, I and Br in both fin ger nails and scalp hair of bilharzial patients above those of normal subjects while Mg, Ca, V, Mn, Cu, Sr, K, S and Na showed significant d ecreases. Most of the elements showed a higher concentration in finger nails than in hair.