The occurrence of human intestinal parasites in Finland.

The survey of the occurrence of intestinal parasites presented here covers 726 hospital patients, 175 healthy adults and 212 children, and 976 healthy Finnish holiday-makers prior to their trip abroad. Two faecal samples from each individual were examined. Further, 344 children were tested for Enterobius vermicularis. The total prevalence of intestinal parasites in the hospital patients was 4.2%, and that of pathogenic parasites 2.9%. The prevalence rates in healthy subjects were 4.9% and 1.5%, respectively. Three species of pathogenic parasites were found: Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica and Diphyllobothrium latum. A test for Enterobius vermicularis was positive in 5.2% of children examined.