This study was undertaken to evaluate the status of human paragonimiasis in Kang Hwa Gun, Kyunggi Do, Korea from March 1973 to October 1975 by the use of intradermal screening test with Veronal buffered saline antigen. A total number of 7,352 (male 3,936; female 3,4l6) consisting of 3,447 primary school children, 2,689 middle school students, l,008 high school students of 9 Myuns out of 13 Myuns of this County and 208 residents of all age group in Kilgeong-Ri, Yangdo Myun were examined by the intradermal test with Paragonimus antigen. In order to detect Paragonimus egg, the sputum and the stool examinations were undertaken on the residents in Kilgeong-Ri. The infestation rate of crayfish with Paragonimus metacercaria was also examined in Konneung and Jeongha village in Kilgeong-Ri. The following results were obtained in this survey: As a whole, 16.6 per cent of the examiners showed positive reaction with sexual difference of 16.1% in male and 14.8 per cent in female. In age groups, the highest positive rate showed in middle school age group (17.1 per cent) than primary school (14.0 per cent) and high school age group (11.4 per cent). In regional differences of positive rates, the highest rate (28.4 per cent) showed at Yangdo Myun followed by Kilsang Myun (27.0 per cent), Hwado Myun (25.0 per cent), and Naega Myun(20.8 per cent). In the result of 208 residents Kilgeong-Ri, the positive of 36.1 per cent in male and 20.2 per cent in female. The highest positive rate showed in 10 to 19 age group (41.5 per cent). Among the residents in Kilgeong-Ri, Paragonimus eggs were detected in 11 residents by the sputum and the stool examinations. The infestation rate of crayfsh with Paragonimus metacercariae was 100 per cent (41 out of 41 crayfishes) in Konneung village, and 84.6 per cent (9 out of 13 crayfishes) in Jeongha village, Kilgeong-Ri The fluctuation of the infection rate of crayfish with Paragonimus metacercariae was decreased in Konneung village in 2 years after the treatment with Bilevon against 10 paragonimiasis patients.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; epidemiology-paragonimiasis ; Paragonimus westermani ; crayfish-Cambaroides similis

In this study the authors observed the status of water contamination by crayfish, Cambaroides similis, either alive or dead infected with Paragonimus westermani. The crayfish used as materials were infected heavily with metacercariae of Paragonimus westermani. The live crayfish were kept in water for a long time, and then the sediments of the water were examined to find out whether or not the liberation of the metacercariae from the body of the crayfish had caused contamination of the water with metacercariae. Killed crayfish were also preserved in water for some time. Physical stimuli in terms of mederate degree of shaking were added to the preserved water once a day and half amount of the water was replaced with tapped water of same temperature everyday. Status of the decay of the crayfish, liberation of the metacercariae from the body of the crayfish or contamination of the preserved water by the metacercariae, and numbers of metacercariae harboured in the body of the crayfish were examined everyday. The fate of the metacercariae liberated from the crayfish into water was also observed. Status of the decay of the crayfish, liberation of the metacercariae from the body of the crayfish or contamination of the preserved water by the metacercariae, and numbers of metacercariae harboured in the body of the crayfish were examined everyday. The fate of the metacercariae liberated from the crayfish into water was also observed. The results of this study can be outlined as follows: No metacercaria was detected in the water which contained live crayfish infected with Paragonimus westermani. The preserved water with dead or killed crayfish was found to be contaminated by the metacercariae of Paragonimus westemani, which had been caused by the decay and dispersion of the flesh of the crayfish The liberated metacercariae survived for 10 days in the water at 21-27 C. The liberated metacercariae were found to be sinking into water of s.g. 1.000 with average velocity of 35.8 cm per minute.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Paragonimus westermani ; epidemiology ; crayfish ; Cambaroides similis