Age-related prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis infection in Okinawa, Japan.

Age-prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis infection was studied in six areas of Okinawa, Japan. In all localities, most of the infected inhabitants were aged over 40 years of age and females were less infected than males. The peak prevalence was found in inhabitants in their fifties in high endemic groups and shifted to higher age in lower endemic groups. This age-prevalence pattern resembles more that of schistosome infections than that of other gastrointestinal helminthic infections.