A new endemic focus of Heterophyes nocens and other heterophyid infections in a coastal area of Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do.
- Author:
Jae Hwan PARK
1
;
Jae Lip KIM
;
Eun Hee SHIN
;
Sang Mee GUK
;
Yun Kyu PARK
;
Jong Yil CHAI
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Heterophyes nocens; heterophyid; endemic focus; stool examination; mullet; metacercaria
- MeSH: Adult; Aged; Animals; *Endemic Diseases; Feces/parasitology; Female; Heterophyidae/*isolation & purification; Humans; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/*epidemiology/parasitology/transmission; Korea/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Smegmamorpha/parasitology; Trematode Infections/*epidemiology/parasitology/transmission; Water/parasitology
- From:The Korean Journal of Parasitology 2007;45(1):33-38
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: To know the prevalence of heterophyid trematodes among inhabitants of a southern coastal village, i.e., Sacho-ri, Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do (Province), 82 stool samples were examined on helminth eggs and protozoan cysts using Kato-Katz and formalin-ether sedimentation techniques. Total 33 people (40.2%) were positive for trematodes (Heterophyes nocens; 15 people, Pygidiopsis summa; 3, Metagonimus sp.; 4, Clonorchis sinensis; 7, Gymnophalloides seoi; 6) and/or protozoa (Entamoeba coli; 3). Among intestinal trematode egg positive cases, 17 were treated with praziquantel and their whole diarrheic stools were collected after purgation. Adult flukes of H. nocens (number of specimens=1,294), P. summa (386), Stellantchasmus falcatus (5), Stictodora lari (4), and Heterophyopsis continua (1) were collected using a stereomicroscope. To know the source of human H. nocens infections in this village, metacercarial infections in mullets (10) were examined and most H. nocens metacercariae (101/105, 96.2%) were found in the trunk portion. From above results, the surveyed coastal village has been newly known as an endemic focus of human H. nocens infection and consuming raw mullets was the presumable source of human heterophyid infections.