No abstract available.
Malaria, Vivax

Sensitivity and specificity of the Asan Easy Malaria P.f/P.v tests (made by Asan Korean Company) in the diagnosis of P. falciparum and P.vivax malaria was investigated compared to Giemsa microscopy and re-checked by PCR technique. A total of 283 tests were conducted in the provinces of Lai Chau, Quang Binh and Binh Phuoc, and 90 other ones were carried out with cultured P. falciparum at the laboratories of the National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology. The different results were found with two method as 111 positive cases were confirmed by Giemsa staining (59 P.falciparum and 54 P.vivax), while only 94 positive tests (53 P.falciparum and P.vivax) were determined by Asan. The samples with different results by two methods were re-cheked by PCR technique for confimation. The sensitivity and specificity of Asan tests in Plasmodium species detection were 97.8 and 89.9%, respectively, in general, and 99.0% and 91.2% in diagnosis of P falciparum, and 75.9% and 97% of P. vivax, in particular. However, in the following-up period (2-3 days), both methods showed the same results of parasite re-examination
Malaria ; Diagnosis ; Malaria, Vivax

No abstract available.
Malaria, Vivax* ; Recurrence*

No abstract available.
Malaria* ; Plasmodium vivax* ; Plasmodium*

BACKGROUND: The cases of Plasmodium vivax malaria in Korea are mixed with long and short incubation periods. This study aims to define clinico-epidemiologic chracteristcs of Plasmodium vivax malaria in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected the civilian cases infected with P. vivax malaria in Korea from the epidemiological investigation data of 2001 to 2010, whose incubation periods could be estimated. The long and short incubation periods were defined by duration of infection and onset time, and the cases were compared by demographic factors and clinical symptom, infection and onset time. The correlation was analyzed between the proportion of cases in the infected region with the long incubation period and meteorological factors along with latitude. RESULTS: The length of the mean short and long incubation periods for the cases were 25.5 days and 329.4 days, respectively. The total number of the study subjects was 897, and the number cases of short and long incubation periods was 575 (64.1%) and 322 (35.9%), respectively. The aspect of incubation period showed a significant difference by region of infection; there was a higher proportion of long incubation period infection cases in Gangwon-do than in Gyeonggi-do and Incheon. The proportion of long incubation period cases showed significant correlation with latitude and temperature of August and September of the infected regions. CONCLUSIONS: Incubation period of P. vivax malaria in Korea showed significant difference by infected region, infection and onset time and the proportion of long incubation period cases showed significant correlation with latitude and meteorological factors of the infected regions.
Demography ; Korea ; Malaria ; Malaria, Vivax ; Meteorological Concepts ; Plasmodium ; Plasmodium vivax

No abstract available.
Gyeonggi-do* ; Korea* ; Malaria, Vivax*

There are two stages in the life circle of Plasmodium spp in humans: exoerythrocytic and erythrocytic stages. Hydroxychloroquine is the major chemotherapeutic agent against malarial parasites in their erythrocytic stage. The recurrence of Plasmodium vivax malaria, which is usually caused by an inadequate treatment or the presence of drug resistant parasites, has been reported frequently in the world, but rarely in Korea. We experienced two patients who recurred with P. vivax malaria after hydroxychloroquine therapy, and treating with insufficient doses of the drug was suspected as the cause of the recurrence.
Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Korea ; Malaria, Vivax* ; Parasites ; Plasmodium ; Plasmodium vivax ; Recurrence

Under the current epidemiological conditions as found in Korea, and considering the limited funds available for the malaria project, passive case detection proved to be the only practical mechanism to obtain reliable data required for the delimitation of malarious areas. The malaria map of the country was completed at the end of 1965. The high SPRs found among the blood smears reported by the PCD undts are due to the fact that the Korean farmer is able to recognize the clinical symptoms of the disease. The "fever case" reports are therefore actually "suspect malaria case" reports. The consistently high SPR has resulted in the detection of a large number of parasite carriers with the number of smears to be examined being reduced to a minimum. Although the medical group gave an important contribution to the success of the PCD service in Korea, the number of medical and public health facilities in the rural areas are still too small. This made it necessary to obtain the collaboration of laymen groups like school teachers, village chiefs etc., and their participation largely contributed to the success of the present programme. The degree of collaboration by the PCD units is higher in the more malarious areas. As no form of encouragement e.g., a reporting fee, has been given to these laymen during the past few years it becomes increasingly more difficult to maintain their active co-operation. It is felt that through passive case detection alone it will not be possible to collect adequate information to provide the proof for the complete interruption of transmission.
parasitology-protozoa ; Plasmodium vivax ; malaria ; diagnosis ; epidemiology

Vivax malaria reemerged in the Republic of Korea in 1993. The number of cases of vivax malaria had increased annually until 2000; however, it has decreased constantly since 2001. During the early years after the reemergence, most of the cases occurred among soldiers especially in the region adjacent to the Demilitarized Zone until 1995; however, since 2001, civilian cases have accounted for approximately a half of total cases, also occurring in the neighbor counties of Seoul. Local transmission within the Republic of Korea was already done before the year of 2000. The current status of vivax malaria appears to be in a subsiding phase; however, continuous attentions are needed to prevent further spreading of malaria.
Attention ; Humans ; Malaria ; Malaria, Vivax* ; Military Personnel ; Republic of Korea* ; Seoul

BACKGROUND: Molecularornucleicacid-based method has been developed for diagnosis as well as epidemiological studies of malaria infection recent years. We developed and evaluated a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-hybridization assay for its usefulness in diagnosis and genotyping of vivax malaria resurged in South Korea. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 30 patients diagnosed as vivax malaria and 48 patients with other diseases. The circumsporozoite protein (CSP) gene fragment of Plasmodium vivax was amplified by PCR and hybridized with genotype (VK210 or VK247)-specific oligonucleotide probes. The performance of the assay was evaluated and compared with that by a commercially available immunochromatographic test (ICT; AMRAD, Australia). RESULTS: Twenty-five out of thirty P. vivax-positive blood samples were positive for the PCR-hybridization assay. All products amplified were hybridized only with the VK210-specific probe and showed size polymorphism with approximately 900~ and 865 bp, suggesting of genetic variations of CSP gene. Based on the results of Giemsa-stained blood smear, comparative analysis of test performance demonstrated that sensitivities of the PCR-hybridization assay and ICT were 83.3% and 73.3%, respectively and no false positive results were found. The ktest ratio of two tests yielded results of 0.91 with excellent correlation. CONCLUSOIN: The study suggested that vivax malaria resurged in South Korea has the VK210 genotype of CSP with presence of genetic variants, and that the PCR-hybridization assay is useful for diagnosis as well as genotyping of vivax malaria.
Diagnosis* ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Humans ; Korea ; Malaria ; Malaria, Vivax* ; Oligonucleotide Probes ; Plasmodium vivax ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*