Anaemia and Schistosoma haematobium infection in the North-Eastern Province of Kenya.

The haemoglobin levels of 787 Somali people in north-eastern Kenya were measured. Severe anaemia was very common in both sexes of all ages. Possible causative factors are discussed. Adolescent boys had particularly low haemoglobin values (in one area 43% had levels below 8 g/dl) and this was related to Schistosoma haematobium infection. Such a clear relationshiop has not been shown before.