[A preliminary study on epidemiology of fasciolopsiasis in Tainan Hsien, south Taiwan].

Stool samples of 817 children (grades 4-6) from 3 primary schools, were collected and examined by the antiformin-ether concentration technique. Results showed no cases of Fasciolopsis were found from Liu-Ying primary school (Liu-Ying Hsiang), but infection rates of this fluke were found to be 13.0% and 3.5% for Ho-Chien and Tung-Hsing primary schools (Hsia-Ying Hsiang) respectively. Fourteen infected children had recent experience of eating raw water caltrops. On the other hand, only 8(21.6%) of 37 non-infected children had eaten raw water caltrops. Examination of intermediate host (Segmentina hemisphaerula, Trapa bispinosa) results showed that neither cercaria nor metacercaria was found. Intestines and stool samples from pigs were examined for worms and eggs of Fasciolopsis, the results were also negative.