Objectives. This study aimed to describe baseline and follow-up prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, nutritional status and school performance of school-age children in Cebu City. By measuring these parameters, it also aimed to monitor the progress of a local government unit-led, school-based, schoolteacher-assisted deworming initiative. Methods. Grade three and grade four pupils from two selected school districts in Cebu City were chosen as participants. Kato-Katz technique was used to assess helminth infections. All positive slides and 10% of all negative slides were re-examined blindly by a reference microscopist for quality control. Secondary anthropometric and school performance data were also obtained from the Department of Education. Results. Baseline results showed cumulative prevalence and prevalence of heavy intensity infection of 73.1% and 44.3%, respectively, which were significantly lower during follow-up at 56.5% (p < 0.0001) and 26.5% (p < 0.0001), respectively. School performance improved in District B, with an 8.8% increase in mean percentage score from baseline to follow-up. There was no marked difference between baseline and follow-up proportions of pupils with below normal weight-for-age and height-for-age. Conclusions. The positive results merit continuation of the school-based STH control initiative in Cebu City. Improvements in water supply and sanitation, promotion of good hygiene and health education are important in minimizing risks of infection and re-infection.
Human ; Male ; Female ; Child ; INTESTINAL HELMINTHIASIS ; ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH ; PUBLIC HEALTH ; SANITATION ; SANITARY ENGINEERING ; WATER SUPPLY

The source of human infection with intestinal flukes was surveyed in estuarine fishes, including the dotted gizzard shad, common sea bass, common blackish goby, redlip mullet, black sea bream, and oyster collected from Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea during August and September 2007. Collected fishes and oysters were artificially digested in pepsin-HCl solution and examined under a stereomicroscope. In 36 shads (Konosirus punctatus) and 20 basses (Lateolabrax japonicus) examined, Heterophyopsis continua metacercariae were found in 58.3% and 100%, and their average numbers were 12.0 and 6.3 per infected fish, respectively. In 34 gobies (Acanthogobius flavimanus) examined, metacercariae of H. continua were detected in 79.4%, Stictodora lari in 97.1%, and Acanthotrema felis in 92.1%, and their average numbers were 45.8, 189.3, and 235.3 per infected fish, respectively. In 37 redlip mullets (Chelon haematocheilus), Heterophyes nocens metacercariae were found in 56.8%, Pygidiopsis summa in 94.6%, and Stictodora fuscata in 45.9%, and the average metacercarial densities were 17.4, 31.3, and 35.1 per infected fish, respectively. In 30 black sea breams (Acanthopagrus schlegeli) and 45 oysters (Crassostrea gigas) examined, no metacercariae were detected. From the above results, it has been confirmed that the dotted gizzard shad, common sea bass, common blackish goby, and redlip mullet from Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea are infected with the metacercariae of heterophyid flukes.
Animals ; Fish Diseases/parasitology ; Fishes/*parasitology ; Helminthiasis/parasitology ; Helminthiasis, Animal/epidemiology/parasitology ; Humans ; Intestinal Diseases/parasitology/veterinary ; Intestines/parasitology ; Korea ; Metacercariae/isolation & purification ; Microscopy/methods ; Ostreidae/*parasitology ; Prevalence ; Trematoda/*isolation & purification

Fascioliasis is a zoonotic helminthiasis caused by the trematode Fasciola hepatica, which is a parasite that infects the hepatobiliary system of herbivorous animals such as cattle and sheep. Humans are accidentally infected after ingestion of the water, raw aquatic plants and raw liver of herbivorous animals that are all contaminated by metacercaria. Fascioliasis produces no symptoms in most patients, but adult Fasciola hepatica occasionally gives rise to intestinal obstruction or pancreatobiliary disease. The metacercaria can migrate along the vessels or lymphatic ducts, and they can induce disease of the liver, lung and heart. We report here on a rare case of a 68-year-old male who presented with acute abdominal pain. He was diagnosed as acute pancreatitis associated with Fasciola hepatica.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Cattle ; Eating ; Fasciola hepatica* ; Fasciola* ; Fascioliasis ; Heart ; Helminthiasis ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Liver ; Lung ; Male ; Pancreatitis* ; Parasites ; Sheep ; Water

A total of 1,708 small mammals (1,617 rodents and 91 soricomorphs), including Apodemus agrarius (n = 1,400), Microtus fortis (167), Crocidura lasiura (91), Mus musculus (32), Myodes (= Eothenomys) regulus (9), Micromys minutus (6), and Tscherskia (= Cricetulus) triton (3), were live-trapped at US/Republic of Korea (ROK) military training sites near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) of Paju, Pocheon, and Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province from December 2004 to December 2009. Small mammals were examined for their intestinal nematodes by necropsy. A total of 1,617 rodents (100%) and 91 (100%) soricomorphs were infected with at least 1 nematode species, including Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Syphacia obvelata, Heterakis spumosa, Protospirura muris, Capillaria spp., Trichuris muris, Rictularia affinis, and an unidentified species. N. brasiliensis was the most common species infecting small mammals (1,060; 62.1%) followed by H. polygyrus (617; 36.1%), S. obvelata (370; 21.7%), H. spumosa (314; 18.4%), P. muris (123; 7.2%), and Capillaria spp. (59; 3.5%). Low infection rates (0.1-0.8%) were observed for T. muris, R. affinis, and an unidentified species. The number of recovered worms was highest for N. brasiliensis (21,623 worms; mean 20.4 worms/infected specimen) followed by S. obvelata (9,235; 25.0 worms), H. polygyrus (4,122; 6.7 worms), and H. spumosa (1,160; 3.7 worms). A. agrarius demonstrated the highest prevalence for N. brasiliensis (70.9%), followed by M. minutus (50.0%), T. triton (33.3%), M. fortis (28.1%), M. musculus (15.6%), C. lasiura (13.2%), and M. regulus (0%). This is the first report of nematode infections in small mammals captured near the DMZ in ROK.
Animals ; Animals, Wild ; Female ; Helminthiasis/epidemiology/parasitology ; Helminths/*classification/*isolation & purification ; Insectivora/*parasitology ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/epidemiology/parasitology/*veterinary ; Intestines/parasitology ; Male ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Rodentia/*parasitology

A total of 1,708 small mammals (1,617 rodents and 91 soricomorphs), including Apodemus agrarius (n = 1,400), Microtus fortis (167), Crocidura lasiura (91), Mus musculus (32), Myodes (= Eothenomys) regulus (9), Micromys minutus (6), and Tscherskia (= Cricetulus) triton (3), were live-trapped at US/Republic of Korea (ROK) military training sites near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) of Paju, Pocheon, and Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province from December 2004 to December 2009. Small mammals were examined for their intestinal nematodes by necropsy. A total of 1,617 rodents (100%) and 91 (100%) soricomorphs were infected with at least 1 nematode species, including Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Syphacia obvelata, Heterakis spumosa, Protospirura muris, Capillaria spp., Trichuris muris, Rictularia affinis, and an unidentified species. N. brasiliensis was the most common species infecting small mammals (1,060; 62.1%) followed by H. polygyrus (617; 36.1%), S. obvelata (370; 21.7%), H. spumosa (314; 18.4%), P. muris (123; 7.2%), and Capillaria spp. (59; 3.5%). Low infection rates (0.1-0.8%) were observed for T. muris, R. affinis, and an unidentified species. The number of recovered worms was highest for N. brasiliensis (21,623 worms; mean 20.4 worms/infected specimen) followed by S. obvelata (9,235; 25.0 worms), H. polygyrus (4,122; 6.7 worms), and H. spumosa (1,160; 3.7 worms). A. agrarius demonstrated the highest prevalence for N. brasiliensis (70.9%), followed by M. minutus (50.0%), T. triton (33.3%), M. fortis (28.1%), M. musculus (15.6%), C. lasiura (13.2%), and M. regulus (0%). This is the first report of nematode infections in small mammals captured near the DMZ in ROK.
Animals ; Animals, Wild ; Female ; Helminthiasis/epidemiology/parasitology ; Helminths/*classification/*isolation & purification ; Insectivora/*parasitology ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/epidemiology/parasitology/*veterinary ; Intestines/parasitology ; Male ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Rodentia/*parasitology

Metagonimus yokogawai (Katsurada, 1912) Katsurada, 1912 (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) is parasitic in the small intestine of mammals including man and birds in Far Eastern Russia, Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan. In the present study, the metacercariae and adults of M. yokogawai were redescribed to designate a neotype of this fluke together with reviews of previous studies including study histories from the first discovery to now. We particularly, attempted to review the study histories and morphological descriptions of M. yokogawai for the species validity, and compared with the morphological characteristics and life cycles of the closely related species, Metagonimus takahashii and Metagonimus miyatai. Finally, we proposed a differential key for the 8 known Metagonimus species distributed in East Asia. Metacercariae were obtained from the body muscles of sweetfish (Plecoglossus altivelis) collected in the Asahi River at Takebe-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Adults were recovered from the small intestine of Syrian golden hamsters, to which the metacercariae had been fed 14 days before. A neotype was selected out of the present adult specimens. The Asahi River at Takebo-cho became the type locality of M. yokogawai. In conclusion, the present review shows that M. yokogawai, M. takahashii, and M. miyatai are valid and discriminated by means of morphological characteristics.
Animals ; Fish Diseases/parasitology ; Helminthiasis ; Heterophyidae/*anatomy & histology/*classification/isolation & purification ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/veterinary ; Japan ; *Life Cycle Stages ; Mesocricetus/parasitology ; Microscopy ; Osmeriformes/parasitology ; Rodent Diseases/parasitology

A survey was conducted to determine the extent of intestinal parasite infection in Bat Dambang, Cambodia in March 2004. A total of 623 fecal specimens was collected from kindergarten and schoolchildren and examined using the formalin-ether sedimentation technique. The overall infection rate of intestinal parasites was 25.7% (boys, 26.2%; girls, 25.1%), and the infection rates of intestinal helminthes by species were as follows: Echinostoma sp. 4.8%, hookworm 3.4%, Hymenolepis nana 1.3%, and Rhabditis sp. 1.3%. The infection rates of intestinal protozoa were; Entamoeba coli 4.8%, Giardia lamblia 2.9%, Iodamoeba butschlii 1.4%, Entamoeba polecki 1.1%, and Entamoeba histolytica 0.8%. There were no egg positive cases of Ascaris lumbricoides or Trichuris trichiura. All children infected were treated with albendazole, praziquantel, or metronidazole according to parasite species. The results showed that intestinal parasites are highly endemic in Bat Dambang, Cambodia.
Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Animals ; Cambodia/epidemiology ; Child ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; Helminthiasis/*epidemiology ; Helminths/isolation & purification ; Humans ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/*epidemiology ; Male ; Protozoa/isolation & purification ; Protozoan Infections/*epidemiology

We carried out a small-scale survey to investigate the status of intestinal protozoa and helminthes infection of inhabitants in Roxas city, Mindoro, the Philippines. Total 301 stool samples were subjected to the formalin-ether concentration method for the detection of helminth ova and protozoan cysts. The overall positive rate was 64.5%, and that of male and female were 56.6% and 72.5%, respectively. The highest infected helminth was Ascaris lumbricoudes (51.2%), followed by Trichuris trichiura (27.6%), hookworm (8.0%) and Enterobius vermicularis (0.3%). The protozoa infection status revealed that Entamoeba coli was the most frequent (15.0%). Iodoamoeba buetschlii and E. histolytica were found but few. The multiple infection more than two parasites was 29.6%, and double infection with A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura was most common. The intestinal helminth infections were highly prevalent in this area, according to this result, and we concluded that anthelminthic drugs should be given to inhabitants, especially to children of 1 to 15 years-old.
Adolescent ; Animals ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Helminthiasis/*epidemiology ; Helminths/*isolation & purification ; Human ; Infant ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/*epidemiology/*parasitology ; Male ; Philippines/epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Protozoa/*isolation & purification ; Protozoan Infections/*epidemiology

The prevalence of helminthic infections was surveyed on a total of 6,178 residents (males 2,549 and females 3,629) in 102 villages of 9 provinces in Lao PDR between 2007 and 2011 under the project of Korea-Laos Collaborative Project for Control of Foodborne Trematode Infections in Lao PDR. Fecal specimens were collected and examined by the Kato-Katz thick smear and Stoll's egg counting techniques. The overall liver/intestinal helminth egg positive rate was 71.9% with a single or mixed infections with Opisthorchis viverrini and minute intestinal flukes (Ov/MIF), Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworms, Trichuris trichiura, Trichostrongylus sp., echinostomes, Taenia spp., and others. Ov/MIF revealed the highest prevalence (55.6%) followed by hookworms (27.8%) and T. trichiura (6.5%). The endemic regions with the highest prevalence of Ov/MIF were Savannakhet, Khammouane, Vientiane (Nam Ngum), Champasak (Khong Island), and Saravane Province. High prevalences of A. lumbricoides (33.8%), hookworms (47.8%), and T. trichiura (32.6%) were observed in Phongsaly, Luang Prabang, and Vientiane (Nam Ngum) areas, respectively. The results of this study highlight helminth parasites of current public health significance in different areas of Lao PDR.
Animals ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; Helminthiasis/*epidemiology/*parasitology ; Helminths/classification/*isolation & purification ; Humans ; Intestinal Diseases/*epidemiology/*parasitology ; Laos/epidemiology ; Male ; Parasite Egg Count ; Prevalence

The present study was performed to know the infection status of intestinal helminths in a most common species of field mice, Apodemus agrarius, from 2 southern regions of Korea. Total 133 and 103 mice were collected by the mouse trap in Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do and Gurye-gun, Jeollanam-do, respectively, from July 2005 to June 2006. The small intestine of each mouse was resected and longitudinally opened with a pair of scissors. The intestinal contents were washed with 0.85% saline until the supernatant became clear. Helminths were collected with naked eyes or under a stereomicroscope from the sediment of the intestinal content. More than 11 species of helminths (4 nematode spp., 5 trematode spp., and 2 cestode spp.) were recovered. Among these, heligmosomoid nematodes (97.5%) was the most highly and heavily infected species. As the members of trematodes, Plagiorchis muris, Brachylaima sp., Echinostoma hortense, Echinostoma cinetorchis, and unidentified echinostome larvae were found in the small intestines of 35 (14.8%), 12 (5.1%), 6 (2.5%), 1 (0.4%), and 1 (0.4%) mice respectively. Two species of tapeworms, Hymenolepis nana and Hymenolepis diminuta were also detected in 79 (33.5%) and 21 (8.9%) mice, respectively. Conclusively, heligmosomoid nematodes were the most prevalent (dominant) species among more than 11 helminth species detected, and Brachylaima sp. fluke is newly added in the list of intestinal trematodes in Korea.
Animals ; Helminthiasis/epidemiology/parasitology ; Helminths/*classification/*isolation & purification ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/epidemiology/parasitology/*veterinary ; Korea/epidemiology ; Murinae/*parasitology ; Prevalence ; Rodent Diseases/*epidemiology/parasitology