Studies of taeniasis in Taiwan. XII. Prevalence of taeniasis among Atayal aborigines in Wufeng District, Hsinchu County, northwest Taiwan.

In order to determine the prevalence of taeniasis in the Wufeng District of Hsinchu County, 341 school children from 2 primary schools and 748 Atayal aborigines from 4 villages were examined with a scotch tape perianal swab and by questionnaire and demonstration of proglottides. The infection rates of taeniasis and enterobiasis among the school children were 1% and 8%, respectively. The overall infection rate of taeniasis among the Atayal aborigines was 6%, and 189 previously treated and cured persons were also discovered. The highest rate was found at Taoshan Village (9%) and the lowest at Chulin Village (3%). The infection increased with age from less than 1% among those under 10 years of age to a peak of 11% for those over 50 years. The infection rate in males (7%) was similar to that in females (6%). Fourteen percent (43/305) of the families were found with one (91%) or two (9%) infected members. The infected persons had been eating raw meat and viscera of wild boar (70%), flying squirrel (65%), muntjac (58%), wild goat (56%) and the raw meat of other 6 kinds of wild animals. Passing proglottides in the feces (100%) and pruritus ani (91%) were the two most important clinical manifestations. One-third (33%) of the patients had passed proglottides for 21-30 years.