Tissue parasitic helminthiases are prevalent at Cheongjin, North Korea.
10.3347/kjp.2007.45.2.139
- Author:
Chenghua SHEN
1
;
Shunyu LI
;
Shanzi ZHENG
;
Min Ho CHOI
;
Young Mee BAE
;
Sung Tae HONG
Author Information
1. Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. hst@snu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
North Korea;
ELISA;
clonorchiasis;
cysticercosis;
sparganosis
- MeSH:
Adolescent;
Adult;
Aged;
Animals;
Antibodies, Helminth/blood;
Antigens, Helminth/blood;
Child;
Child, Preschool;
Clonorchis sinensis/isolation & purification;
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay;
Female;
Helminthiasis/*epidemiology/*parasitology;
Humans;
Immunoglobulin G/blood;
Korea/epidemiology;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Prevalence;
Seroepidemiologic Studies;
Sparganum/isolation & purification;
Taenia solium/isolation & purification
- From:The Korean Journal of Parasitology
2007;45(2):139-144
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
We investigated a small-scale serological survey to screen tissue-parasitic helminthiases of North Koreans as one of research programs for re-unification of Korea. Soil-transmitted helminthiases were found highly prevalent among North Korean residents at the border with China. ELISA using 4 tissue-parasitic helminth antigens was applied to 137 residents living in Cheongjin-shi, Hamgyeongbuk-do, North Korea and 133 female refugees in South Korea in 2004-2005. Among a total of 270 samples, 31 (11.5%), 25 (9.3%), and 11 (4.1%) were positive for specific IgG antibodies to antigens of Clonorchis sinensis, Taenia solium metacestode, and sparganum, respectively. The overall positive rate was 21.5%; 38.2% in males and 15.8% in females. The present finding suggests that tissue parasites, such as C. sinensis, T. solium metacestode and sparganum are highly prevalent in some limited areas of North Korea. These foodborne tissue-parasitic helminthiases should be considered for future control measures of parasitic diseases in North Korea.
