Dr. Murai Éva - Gubányi András szerk.: Parasitologia Hungarica 28. (Budapest, 1995)

Nógrád are shown in Figure 1, in comparison with data reported in the Hungarian special literature. For comparison, Figure 3 presents the annual incidence of the less pathogenic Entamoeba coli in county Nógrád and in Hungary between 1968 and 1994. It can be seen that the decrease found in the number of positive cases on a national level was accompanied by a gradual increase in the cases occurring in county Nógrád in recent years. The spread of Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba coli infections is closely related to the economic changes that have recently taken place in the county. The liquidation of the county's heavy industry and the bankruptcy of food processing enterprises in the two industrial and agricultural centres of the county have deprived large masses of people of their jobs, and problems due to a lack of hygiene inevitably arise in the resulting slum areas. The simultaneous occurrence of 20-30 Entamoeba histolytica cases around Salgótarján and that of 10-20 cases in Balassagyarmat may constitute a danger of epidemic. Bátonyterenye, Szécsény, Pásztó and Rétság are also constantly suffering from problems caused by deficient hygiene. The contamination of drinking water is also a _ ,. . , T . ,., , 2000 1500 1000 500 30 60 90 120 150 common finding in the county. It is very likely Number of cases that the health-care service of the county will have to cope with such, tendencies also in the F

'g" 2- Incidence of Entamoeba coli f

uture infections by year (A = Hungary, B = county Nógrád)