Parasitic infestation and haemoglobinopathies in a population of 1170 refugees from South East Asia

: One thousand one hundred and seventy refugees from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam were examined in the north of France from 1976 to 1980. 58% of them carried digestive parasites, 22% had anti-Plasmodium antibodies and 2% showed circulating Plasmodium. The most frequent parasites were hookworms (28%), Opisthorchiidae (15%) and Giardia intestinalis (12%). Strongyloides stercoralis (5,7%), Entamoeba histolytica (4,5%), tapeworms (3,3%), human coccidia (1,3%) and Trichostrongylus sp. (1%) were less frequent. Four cases of japonicum schistosomiasis were diagnosed by rectal biopsy. Three species of Plasmodium were identified: P. falciparum (10 cases), P. vivax (3 cases) and P. malariae (2 cases). 16% of the refugees displayed E haemoglobin (Hb E). The occurrence of parasitic infestation and Hb E were more frequent in Cambodians and Laotians than in Vietnameses. Specific anti-P. falciparum antibodies were observed with a significant higher frequency in patients carrying Hb E.