PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to estimate the effects of an infection control program on the Clonorchis sinensis (CS) infection ratio, CS-related knowledge and health behavior of people living near the Geum River. METHOD: A one-group pretest-posttest design was used with 102 participants. For 12 months the participants were provided with promotion announcements, health education, counseling, and medication. Outcome variables measured were the CS infection ratio by stool examination, CS-related knowledge and health behavior from self-report questionnaires. The pre intervention data were collected from January to February 2008 and the post intervention data during the same period in 2009. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, generalized estimating equation analysis, and paired t-test with SPSS for Windows version 15.0. RESULTS: In the pre test 21 of the 102 participants showed infection with CS for the first time. In the post test 9 were newly infected with CS, and one was re-infected. The CS-related knowledge was significantly improved after the infection control program (p<0.05). The CS-related health behaviors did not improve. CONCLUSION: These results showed that an infection control program is effective in decreasing CS infection ratio and improving CS-related knowledge of people living near the river.
Clonorchis sinensis ; Counseling ; Geum ; Health Behavior ; Health Education ; Infection Control ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rivers

Clonorchis sinensis is currently the most important parasite affecting public health problems in the Republic of Korea. We investigated the prevalence of C. sinensis infection among residents living along 5 major rivers in Korea. A total of 42,562 individual stool samples were collected from 37 localities and examined using the formalin-ether sedimentation technique. Helminth eggs were detected in 4,052 (9.5%) residents and 3,586 (8.4%) were infected with C. sinensis. The egg positive rate of C. sinensis in Nakdong, Seomjin, Geum, Yeongsan, and Han River was 11.7%, 9.9%, 6.5%, 3.1%, and 1.0%, respectively. The overall prevalence of clonorchiasis by sex was 11.2% in males and 6.2% in females. The age-prevalence was the highest in the 50-59 years band. It has been reconfirmed that the endemicity of clonorchiasis is higher in southern areas of Korea, especially along Nakdong and Seomjin Rivers. A combination of continuous control programs with health education initiatives is urgently required in these highly endemic areas of clonorchiasis in Korea.
Clonorchiasis ; Clonorchis sinensis* ; Eggs ; Female ; Geum ; Health Education ; Helminths ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Ovum ; Parasites ; Prevalence* ; Public Health ; Republic of Korea* ; Rivers*

OBJECTIVESTo isolate the cardiogenic fraction, which can enhance cardiogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) from Geum japonicum. The therapeutic effect of the isolated cardiogenic fraction was further tested in a rat myocardial infarction (MI) model.

METHODBioassay guided fractionation method was used for the isolation of the cardiogenic fraction, named as heart repair fraction (HRF). MI was induced by a permanent ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery. The rats exhibiting similarly decreased values of left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) and fraction shortening (LVFS) were used. The rats in test group (n = 10) were subject to HRF treatment (20 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)) through gastric gavage daily for 4 weeks. Water alone (2 ml/d) was given through gastric gavage to rats in the control group (n = 10). The cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography at different time points. Masson trichrome staining was used for evaluation of the infarct size. Morphological and immunohistochemical studies were performed to investigate the HRF mediated myocardial regeneration.

RESULTSLVEF (66.2% ± 6.9%) and LVFS (46.8% ± 5.8%) were significantly increased two weeks post HRF treatment compared with the values (LVEF: 55.7% ± 6.0% and LVFS: 36.4% ± 5.2%) in control rats (all P < 0.01). The improved heart function was further restored 4 weeks post HRF treatment (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the treatment of acute MI with this HRF significantly reduced the infarct size (19.0% ± 6.1%) compared with that (31.1% ± 8.6%) in control rats (P < 0.01). Substantial regeneration of cardiomyocytes in infarcted region of the HRF treated heart was also observed that replaced a considerable part of the infarcted heart tissues resulting in remarkable reduction of the infarct size.

CONCLUSIONThe properties of this HRF isolated from Geum japonicum in stimulating substantial regeneration of myocardium in infarct region with consequently improved cardiac function appear to be new and represent a new approach for the treatment of MI.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Geum ; chemistry ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Regeneration