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Discovery of Eurytrema Eggs in Sediment from a Colonial Period Latrine in Taiwan.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Yeh, Hui-Yuan 
Cheng, Chieh-Fu Jeff 
Huang, ChingJung 
Zhan, Xiaoya 
Wong, Weng Kin 

Abstract

In this study we take a closer look at the diseases that afflicted Japanese police officers who were stationed in a remote mountainous region of Taiwan from 1921 to 1944. Samples were taken from the latrine at the Huabanuo police outpost, and analyzed for the eggs of intestinal parasites, using microscopy and ELISA. The eggs of Eurytrema sp., (possibly E. pancreaticum), whipworm and roundworm were shown to be present. True infection with Eurytrema would indicate that the policemen ate uncooked grasshoppers and crickets infected with the parasite. However, false parasitism might also occur if the policemen ate the uncooked intestines of infected cattle, and the Eurytrema eggs passed through the human intestines. These findings provide an insight into the diet and health of the Japanese colonists in Taiwan nearly a century ago.

Description

Keywords

Taiwan, Eurytrema, Batongguan Trail, Colonial Period Latrine

Journal Title

The Korean journal of parasitology

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0023-4001

Volume Title

57

Publisher