A survey of Enterobius vermicularis infection among children on western and southern coastal islands of the Republic of Korea.
10.3347/kjp.2005.43.4.129
- Author:
Jae Hwan PARK
;
Eun Taek HAN
;
Won Hee KIM
;
Eun Hee SHIN
;
Sang Mee GUK
;
Jae Lip KIM
;
Jong Yil CHAI
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
Enterobius vermicularis;
enterobiasis;
prevalence;
cello-tape anal swab;
children;
islands;
Korea
- MeSH:
Prevalence;
Parasite Egg Count;
Male;
Korea/epidemiology;
Humans;
Geography;
Female;
Feces/parasitology;
Enterobius/*isolation & purification;
Enterobiasis/*epidemiology/parasitology;
Child, Preschool;
Child;
Animals
- From:The Korean Journal of Parasitology
2005;43(4):129-134
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
To determine the status of Enterobius vermicularis infection among children living on western and southern coastal islands of the Republic of Korea, children (3-10 years) in 39 kindergartens and primary schools were examined using the cello-tape anal swab method, during July and August 2000. Of 1, 661 children examined, 307 (18.5%) were found to be positive for E. vermicularis eggs. The highest infection rate (59.3%) was found in a kindergarten and a branch school of Shinyang primary school on Chujado, Jeju-do (Province). Remarkable differences in egg positive rates were observed in different localities. The egg positive rate for boys (21.3%) was significantly higher than that of girls (15.4%) (P = 0.02). However, positive rates were not significantly dependent on age. The results of the present study show that E. vermicularis infection is highly prevalent among pre-school and primary school children living on the western and southern coastal islands of the Republic of Korea, and indicate the need for efforts to control this infection.
