Amebiasis in northern Saskatchewan: epidemiological considerations.

Over the past 10 years amebic dysentery or hepatic abscess due to Entamoeba histolytica has affected 110 patients from an area of northwestern Saskatchewan immediately adjacent to the Alberta border and south of Lac des Isles to the extent that they have required hospitalization; eight of these have died. The majority of the patients have been Indians and the spread of the disease is considered to be directly attributable to the social conditions and standards of sanitation under which they have lived. Yet other bands have similar standards of hygiene and sanitation, and have amebic infestation but no detectable disease. Rarely has such a high case incidence rate in an affected population been reported, and seldom has such a high incidence of children been affected. The disease appears to have been of exceptional severity, and to date shows little signs of abatement despite the control measures taken by responsible health service departments and associated agencies.