An epidemiologic survey along the several sites of southern coastal areas of Korean peninsula was performed to know the infection status of Parvatrema spp. metacercariae in Tapes philippinarum. The clams were purchased from 13 coastal areas in Kyongsangnam-do and Chollanam-do, in September, 1990. Each of them was digested with pepsin-HCl solution and examined under a stereomicroscope for the recovery of metacercariae. A total of 232 (77.3%) out of 300 examined clams were proved to have 1 to 273 Parvatrema spp. metacercariae (54.7 in average). None of the clams from Samsan-myon Kosong-gun and Dolsan-up, Yochon-gun was infected with metacercariae. However, all of the clams from Yonghyun-myon, Sachon-gun, Dohwa-myon, Kohung-gun, Ahllyang-myon, Changhung-gun and Chiryang-myon, Kangjin-gun was infected with about 71, 31, 80 and 42 metacercariae respectively. Of the clams from Kohyun-myon, Namhae-gun, Doam-myon, Kangjin-gun and Kusan-myon, Uichang-gun examined, 97.5%, 95.0% and 90.0% were infected with about 117, 76 and 28 metacercariae. In other 4 surveyed areas, Seolchon-myon, Namhae-gun, Hwayang-myon, Yochon-gun, Byollyang-myon, Sungju-gun and Bukpyung-myon, Haenam-gun, 55.0%-80.0% of clams were positive, and their average intensity of infection ranged from 6 to 25 metacercariae. From these results, it was confirmed that Tapes philippinarum from southern coastal areas of Korea are highly infected with Parvatrema spp. metacercariae.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Parvatrema ; metacercaria ; epidemiology ; Tapes philippinarum