The Prevalence of Enterobiasis, with Regard to Population Group, among 500 Children in New York City

SummaryAn investigation of the prevalence of pinworm infection among 300 hospitalized children and 200 children in a child shelter was conducted during the years 1957 and 1958.The rate of infection among children of Puerto Rican birth or ancestry was 4.2%; among Negroes 7.5% and among Whites 17.3%. The differences between the rates of infection among White and Negro children and among White and Puerto Rican children were highly significant. The overall prevalence was 9%. This rate of infection is lower than that found in most reports of enterobiasis in this country. No explanation exists for this difference at present.