Infections of Soil-Transmitted Helminth in Refugees from North Korea
10.3347/kjp.2018.56.3.291
- Author:
Young Il LEE
1
;
Min SEO
;
Suk Bae KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea.
- Publication Type:Brief Communication
- Keywords:
Trichuris trichiura;
Clonorchis sinensis;
Ascaris lumbricoides;
helminth;
refugees;
colonoscopy;
stool examination;
North Korea
- MeSH:
Ascaris lumbricoides;
Clonorchiasis;
Clonorchis sinensis;
Colonoscopy;
Democratic People's Republic of Korea;
Eggs;
Female;
Gastroenterology;
Helminthiasis;
Helminths;
Humans;
Hygiene;
Ovum;
Public Health;
Refugees;
Republic of Korea;
Social Conditions;
Trichuriasis;
Trichuris
- From:The Korean Journal of Parasitology
2018;56(3):291-294
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) are now no longer public health problems in the Republic of Korea (South Korea), but their status are unavailable in the residents of North Korea (NK) despite the expectation of large scale traffic and future reunification of the Korean Peninsula. A total of 20 female refugees from NK who had been admitted to the Division of Gastroenterology, Dankook University Hospital, were subjected in this study. Among them, 15 refugees were examined by the colonoscopy and 10 ones were examined with the stool examination (formalin-ether sedimentation). Both diagnostic methods were commonly adopted in 5 patients. Eggs of Trichuris trichiura were detected in 7 out of 10 refugees in the stool examination. In the colonoscopy, T. trichiura worms were found in 6 (40.0%) out of 15 refugees. Total 9 (45.0%) peoples were confirmed to be infected with human whipworms. Additionally, 1 case of clonorchiasis was diagnosed in the stool examination and a worm of Ascaris lumbricoides was discovered from a trichuriasis case. These findings suggested that STH is highly prevalent in NO, in which living conditions are not so good in the aspect of general hygiene and medical care.
