Epidemiological Survey on the Infection of Intestinal Flukes in Residents of Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, the Republic of Korea

• Published in: Korean journal of parasitology 2010-06, Vol.48 (2), p.133-138
• Main Authors: Cho, S.H., National Institute of Health, Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul, Republic of Korea, Cho, P.Y., National Institute of Health, Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul, Republic of Korea, Lee, D.M., National Institute of Health, Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul, Republic of Korea, Kim, T.S., Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea, Kim, I.S., Health Center of Muan-gun, Muan, Republic of Korea, Hwang, E.J., Health Center of Muan-gun, Muan, Republic of Korea, Na, B.K., Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea, Sohn, W.M., Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acanthotrema felis; Animals; Anthelmintics - administration & dosage; Feces - parasitology; Humans; INFECCION; INFECTION; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - epidemiology; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - parasitology; intestinal trematode; Magnesium Sulfate - administration & dosage; Microscopy; Muan-gun; Original; Praziquantel - administration & dosage; Prevalence; Republic of Korea - epidemiology; resident; Stictodora fuscata; Trematoda - classification; Trematoda - cytology; Trematoda - isolation & purification; Trematode Infections - epidemiology; Trematode Infections - parasitology
• ISSN: 0023-4001; 1738-0006
• DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2010.48.2.133

Infection status of intestinal flukes was investigated in residents of Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, the Republic of Korea. Total 1,257 fecal samples of residents were examined by formalin-ether sedimentation technique and Kato-Katz thick smear method. Helminth eggs were detected from 95 (7.6%) residents, and eggs of heterophyid flukes and Clonorchis sinensis were found from 62 (4.9%) and 40 (3.2%) cases, respectively. The larger heterophyid eggs, somewhat darkbrown in color and 37.7×21.5 ㎛ in average size, and found in 32 (2.6%) out of 62 egg positive cases of heterophyid flukes. To confirm the adult flukes, we performed worm recovery from 12 cases after praziquantel treatment and purgation with MgSO₄. A total of 1,281 adult flukes, assigned to 7 species, were recovered from 9 cooperative cases. Heterophyes nocens (total 981 specimens) was collected from 9 cases, Stictodora fuscata (80) from 7, Gymnophalloides seoi (75) from 5, Pygidiopsis summa (140) from 3, Stellantchasmus falcatus (3) from 2, and Stictodora lari and Acanthotrema felis (each 1 worm) from 1 case each. The intrauterine eggs of S. fuscata collected from the recovered worm were identical with the larger heterophyid eggs detected in the stool examination. By the present study, it was confirmed that A. felis is a new intestinal fluke infecting humans, and residents in Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do are infected with variable species of intestinal trematodes.