FASCIOLA HEPATICA PROGRAM IN PUERTO RICO PROGRESS SUMMARY REPORT

摘要

The PRNC was prompted to study fascioliasis when an official of the Pan American Health Organization reported the seriousness of fascioliasis in the Andean zone of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Northern Argentina, where this parasitic disease is seriously damaging the wool industry (vicunas and alpacas) and reducing beef and milk production. Moreover, in some areas of Peru, school children are commonly found infected (20% index).nStudies in the Americas are limited with virtually none in South America. Whether control of the infection in the tropics has unique features must be determined. Puerto Rico provides this opportunity and could well become a fascioliasis training and research center, serving both South and North America.