Geographic distribution and epidemiology of Oesophagostomum bifurcum and hookworm infections in humans in Togo

In contrast to the rest of the world, infections with Oesophagostomum bifur cum are commonly found in humans in northern Togo and Ghana. In addition, i nfections with hookworm are endemic in this region. In the present study, a detailed map of the geographic distribution of O, bifurcum and hookworm in fections in northern Togo was made. There were a number of foci with high p revalence of infection with O. bifurcum. All the villages examined were inf ected with hookworm, and the distribution was quits patchy. Women were infe cted with O. bifurcum more often than men, while infections with hookworm w ere mon prevalent in men than in women. The prevalence and intensity of inf ection with both parasites were clearly age-dependent. We estimate that mor e than a 100,000 people in Togo are infected with O. bifurcum and more than 230,000 are infected with hookworm.