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Helminthiasis as a Measure of Cultural Change in the Amazon Basin

1974; Wiley; Volume: 6; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/2989694

1744-7429

Terry D. Schwaner, Carl F. Dixon,

Indigenous Health and Education

Fecal samples were analyzed for helminth eggs to determine level of helminthiasis in representative populations of Tucuna Indians from Puerto Narino and Petuna, Colombia. Although both populations were hyperendemic for roundworm, hookworm, and whipworm, Indians from Petuna village appear to have more severe helminthiasis. Modernization of Puerto Narino has contributed to a reduced incidence and worm burden in the inhabitants. THE EFFECTS of increasing population density on culture in the Amazon Basin have been discussed by Meggers (1971, 1973) and Sioli (1973). Surveys of intestinal parasitic infections in Amazonian Indian tribes were listed by Lowenstein (1973) in his discussion of the biological adaptations of aboriginal man. However, interpretation of behavioral and cultural adaptions of people in terms of data based on parasitic diseases was only recently recognized by Kochar (1973) as an emerging research strategy in social biology. Recent development of natural resources in the Amazon Basin (Sanger 1969 and Smith 1971) has prompted Latin American governments to establish towns along the Amazon River and its tributaries. In Colombia, settlements are encouraged along rivers in the Leticia Corridor. To encourage settlement and extend central government influence, the Colombian government has provided certain villages with piped water, electricity, street and sidewalk improvements, schools, protection and law enforcement, and limited medical and dental care. The result has been rapid growth in existing settlements, the establishment of new villages, and the gradual grouping of isolated Indian families into larger communities. This study compares intestinal helminth infections of people living in two villages, Puerto Narino and Petuna, in southeastern Colombia, to point out the use of helminthiasis as a measure of cultural change since the addition of government facilities. Both villages were initially inhabited by Tucuna Indians brought together from smaller isolated family groups by increasing contact with Europeans. About 1967, Puerto Narino began receiving government support for construction of more modern facilities. Petuna, having a much smaller population and being situated farther from the nearest large city (Leticia), received no such support. Today, Puerto Narino is the provincial capital of Amazonas, Colombia, while Petuna has remained essentially unchanged. Puerto Narino and Petuna are situated in the habitation zone (after Camargo 1958, as illustrated in Sioli 1973) of the lower Loreto-Yacu River near its junction with the Amazon River in southeastern Colombia (fig. 1). Elevation in both villages is approximately 95 m above sea level, and the climate in this region is typically tropical, warm and humid, with an average daily temperature of 26.6? C and an annual rainfall exceeding 305 cm. Definite wet and dry seasons occur with little seasonal variation in temperature (perhaps 2.70 C). The predominant soil in both villages is kaolinitic yellow latosol which is almost always acid. The vegetation is tropical forest (Richards 1952).