The study was conducted in 300 people above 16 year old in Yen Phong district, Bac Ninh province from December 2003 to June 2004, using cross-sectional descriptive method and data processed by software EPI-INFO 6.04. Results: 19% of ancylostomiasis infected, 38.6% of anaemia; a hypoglobulia occurred at mild level in 80% of male and 62.2% of female, at medium level in 20% of male and 16.2% of female, and no cases at severe level. Hemoglobin level reduced lightly in 50% male; 32.4% female and no cases at severe level. After 4 weeks of treatment with mebendazol 500mg, the rate of patients without any larvae account for 91.2%. After 6 month of the treatment, almost patients had erythrocyte value and hemoglobin level close to the normal. After 6 months, the recurrent rate was 15.8%
Ancylostomiasis ; Therapeutics ; Mebendazole

Hookworm infections as well as other intestinal nematodiases are endemic in China. In this case, a 70-year-old male showed symptoms of chest tightness, shortness of breath, and both lower extremities edema. The diagnostic result was chronic renal insufficiency, chronic kidney disease (5th stage), and renal anemia at first. Then, he received treatment with traditional drugs. However, this treatment did not help to alleviate the symptoms of the patient significantly. The results of gastroendoscopy showed hookworms in the duodenum, also confirmed by pathology examination. Anemia was markedly ameliorated after eliminating the parasites. The results mentioned above suggested that ancylostomiasis was the leading causes of anemia in this patient, and the etiology of anemia in uremic patients should be systematically considered. Especially when anemia could not be cured by regular treatments, rare diseases should be investigated.
Aged ; Ancylostomatoidea* ; Ancylostomiasis ; Anemia* ; China* ; Duodenum ; Dyspnea ; Edema ; Hookworm Infections ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Parasites ; Pathology ; Peritoneal Dialysis* ; Rare Diseases ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Thorax

International travel has become increasingly common as travelers of various purposes. It is estimated that there are 900 million international tourist arrivals alone each year. Unfortunately, some health impairments were reported in about 50% of short term travelers to the tropics or sub-tropics, usually due to infectious agents. In this paper, the author reviewed imported parasitic diseases in Korea from 1970 to 2009 with literature and data collected by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The author also reviewed warning points about parasitic disease in pregnant and immune deficit travelers. Most prevalent imported parasitic disease was malaria. About 30~70 travelers infected with malaria are returned home anually from abroad, mostly South East Asia and Africa. Subtype of malaria classified from 2003~2006 surveillance data showed Plasmodium falciparum infection in about 55% of patients identified. Over 20 cases of hydatid disease and cutaneous leishmaniasis cases were reported respectively. Visceral leishmaniasis (5 cases), babesiosis (7 cases), loiasis (3 cases), cutaneous myiasis (1 case), pentastomiasis (1 case), gnathostomiasis (4 cases, 41 people), angiostrongylosis (1 case, 10 people), heterophyiasis (2 cases), schistosomiasis (13 cases), cyclosporiasis (1 case), cutaneous larva migrans (4 cases), ancylostomiasis (1 case) and syngamosis (1 case) were reported. Prevention and surveillance plan of imported parasitic diseases is organized and conducted by KCDC since 2001. According to increasing travel to developing or under developed countries, retraining of doctor and technician, systematization of consulting system for diagnosis of parasitic disease, supply of medication, supplement of the personnel, and financial supports are needed.
Africa ; Ancylostomiasis ; Animals ; Babesiosis ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Cyclosporiasis ; Developing Countries ; Far East ; Financial Support ; Gnathostomiasis ; Humans ; Korea ; Larva Migrans ; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous ; Leishmaniasis, Visceral ; Loiasis ; Malaria ; Myiasis ; Parasitic Diseases ; Plasmodium falciparum ; Schistosomiasis

International migration of people has risen exponentially during the past two decades. Many people travel abroad for business purposes, sightseeing, volunteer activities, immigration, education, missonary work, etc., and are exposed to vector-borne and food or water-borne parasitic diseases, especially when they are traveling to the tropical and sub-tropical areas. Recently, imported parasitic diseases have also increased in Korea due to frequent traveling by the local residents or entry of foreign workers to the country. According to the statistics from 1970 to 2008, malaria (727 cases) was the most frequently imported parasitic disease in Korea followed by gnathostomiasis (42 cases) and hydatidosis (31 cases). From 1970 to 2010, cases of ancylostomiasis (1 case), angiostrongylosis (15 cases), babesiosis (8 cases), cutaneous larva migrans (8 cases), cutaneous myiasis (2 cases), cyclosporiasis (1 case), heterophyiasis (2 cases), leishmaniasis (28 cases), loiasis (3 cases), pentastomiasis (1 case), schistosomiasis (13 cases), and syngamosis (1 case) have also been reported. Travelers to Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America should be on alert against malaria and other tropical diseases. National surveillance for imported diseases started in 2001 by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). This article reviews imported parasitic diseases in Korea with review of literature.
Africa South of the Sahara ; Ancylostomiasis ; Animals ; Asia, Southeastern ; Babesiosis ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Commerce ; Cyclosporiasis ; Echinococcosis ; Emigration and Immigration ; Gnathostomiasis ; Korea ; Larva Migrans ; Leishmaniasis ; Loiasis ; Malaria ; Myiasis ; Parasitic Diseases ; Schistosomiasis ; South America

Trichostrongylus eggs observed in cellophane-thick smears are difficult, in practice, to distinguish from hookworm eggs. In order to overcome these limitations, a molecular approach was conducted. A Trichostrongylus colubriformis adult worm was obtained from a human in Laos, which was identified morphologically. ITS-1 sequence of this worm was determined, and found to be most similar with that of T. colubriformis among the Trichostrongylus spp. reported so far. Then, this sequence was compared with those of human hookworm species, Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus, and species-specific oligonucleotide primers were designed. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using these primers evidenced specifically amplified PCR products of Trichostrongylus sp., A. duodenale and N. americanus from the eggs of each (520 bp, 690 bp, and 870 bp, respectively). A species-specific PCR technique can be developed in order to study the epidemiology of Trichostrongylus spp. and hookworms in endemic areas.
Ancylostoma/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Ancylostomiasis/*diagnosis/parasitology ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; DNA, Intergenic/genetics ; DNA, Protozoan/genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/genetics ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Necator americanus/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods ; Sequence Alignment ; Trichostrongylosis/*diagnosis/parasitology ; Trichostrongylus/*genetics/isolation & purification

Trichostrongylus eggs observed in cellophane-thick smears are difficult, in practice, to distinguish from hookworm eggs. In order to overcome these limitations, a molecular approach was conducted. A Trichostrongylus colubriformis adult worm was obtained from a human in Laos, which was identified morphologically. ITS-1 sequence of this worm was determined, and found to be most similar with that of T. colubriformis among the Trichostrongylus spp. reported so far. Then, this sequence was compared with those of human hookworm species, Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus, and species-specific oligonucleotide primers were designed. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using these primers evidenced specifically amplified PCR products of Trichostrongylus sp., A. duodenale and N. americanus from the eggs of each (520 bp, 690 bp, and 870 bp, respectively). A species-specific PCR technique can be developed in order to study the epidemiology of Trichostrongylus spp. and hookworms in endemic areas.
Ancylostoma/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Ancylostomiasis/*diagnosis/parasitology ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; DNA, Intergenic/genetics ; DNA, Protozoan/genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/genetics ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Necator americanus/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods ; Sequence Alignment ; Trichostrongylosis/*diagnosis/parasitology ; Trichostrongylus/*genetics/isolation & purification

The 2 principal species of hookworms infecting humans are Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale. Case studies on zoonotic hookworm infections with Ancylostoma ceylanicum and/or Ancylostoma caninum are known mainly from Asian countries. Of these 2 zoonotic species, only A. ceylanicum can develop to adulthood in humans. In the present study, we report a molecular-based survey of human hookworm infections present in southern and northeastern Thailand. Thirty larval hookworm samples were obtained from fecal agar plate cultures of 10 patients in northeastren Thailand and 20 in southern Thailand. Partial ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2 regions of the ribosomal DNA genes were amplified using PCR. The amplicons were sequenced, aligned, and compared with other hookworm sequences in GenBank database. The results showed that, in Thailand, N. americanus is more prevalent than Ancylostoma spp. and is found in both study areas. Sporadic cases of A. ceylanicum and A. duodenale infection were seen in northeastern Thailand.
Ancylostoma/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Ancylostomiasis/*epidemiology ; Animals ; Cluster Analysis ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/chemistry/genetics ; Feces/parasitology ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Necator americanus/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Necatoriasis/*epidemiology ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S/genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid ; Thailand/epidemiology

Recently, many peoples travel abroad for sightseeing, business, missionary and other works. At the same time, imported parasitic diseases including malaria has been increased in Korea. The vector borne and food borne diseases were imported from many other countries, Africa, Middle East and South east Asia. Recently many foreigners entered to Korea for studying, working and other purposes. Imported foods, fishes, meats, vegetables are important for parasitic infection, too. The author reviewed imported parasitic diseases in Korea from 1970 to 2006 with literatures. Malaria is most prevalent. And babesiosis of 6 cases, cutaneous leishmaniasis of over 20 cases, visceral leishmaniasis of 5 cases, loiasis of 3 cases, gnathostomiasis of 40 cases, angiostrongylosis of 10 cases, heterophydiasis of 2 cases, schistosomiasis haematobium of 6 cases, schistosomiasis mansoni of 3 cases, hydatidosis of 24 cases, cutaneous larva migrans of 4 cases, and one case of ancylostomiasis, syngamosis, cutaneous myiasis and pentastomiasis are reported, respectively. The protozoa of 5 species and helminthes of 11 species are imported from many other countries. In Korea, re-emerging malaria was appeared at Demilitarized zone (DMZ) on 1993. Last year, 2,051 cases of indigenous malaria were reported by Korean Center for Diseases Control (KCDC). However, the most prevalent imported malaria was Plasmodium falciparum and indigenous malaria was only P. vivax. For the prevention of imported parasitic diseases, the education, training for tropical medicine, supply of medication and vaccine are needed. The surveillance system for imported diseases was started by KCDC on 2001.
Africa ; Ancylostomiasis ; Animals ; Babesiosis ; Commerce ; Echinococcosis ; Education ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Far East ; Fishes ; Foodborne Diseases ; Gnathostomiasis ; Helminths ; Humans ; Korea ; Larva Migrans ; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous ; Leishmaniasis, Visceral ; Loiasis ; Malaria ; Meat ; Middle East ; Missions and Missionaries ; Myiasis ; Parasites ; Parasitic Diseases* ; Plasmodium falciparum ; Schistosomiasis haematobia ; Schistosomiasis mansoni ; Tropical Medicine ; Vegetables