Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

The Korea Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (대한기생충학·열대의학회)
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A new endemic focus of Gymnophalloides seoi infection on Aphae Island, Shinan-gun, Jeollanam-do

  • Park, Jae-Hwan (Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Center) ;
  • Guk, Sang-Mee (Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Center) ;
  • Shin, Eun-Hee (Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Center) ;
  • Kim, Hyo-Jin (Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Center) ;
  • Kim, Jae-Lip (Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Center) ;
  • Seo, Min (Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Dankook University) ;
  • Park, Yun-Kyu (Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Inha University) ;
  • Chai, Jong-Yil (Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Center)
  • Published : 2007.03.31
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Abstract

A new endemic focus of Gymnophalloides seoi infection has been discovered on Aphae Island(Shinan-gun, Jeollanam-do), Republic of Korea. This area, which is referred to as Bokyong-ri, is a small seashore village located in the northern portion of the island. Fecal samples were collected from a total of 57 residents and examined by the Kato-Katz and formalin-ether sedimentation techniques. Helminth eggs were detected in 37 samples(64.9%); 33 samples were positive for G. seoi eggs(57.9%), 4 for Pygidiopsis summa(7.0%), 13 for other heterophyids(22.8%), 1 for Clonorchis sinensis(1.7%), and 1 for Trichuris trichiura(1.7%). Women(70.4%) revealed higher rates of G. seoi infection than did men(46.7%), and individuals older than 50 years of age also evidenced higher rates of G. seoi infection than in other age groups(P<0.05). In worm collection from 13 G. seoi egg positive cases, G. seoi (total 86,558 specimens), Heterophyes nocens(278), Stictodora sp.(10), Heterophyopsis continua(3), P. summa(3), and unidentified flukes(42) were collected. Oysters, the source of G. seoi infection, were collected from an area proximal to the village and 50 were examined for metacercariae; 47(94%) were found infected and the observed metacercarial density was $9.5{\pm}8.9$ per oyster. The results of this study indicate that Bokyong-ri is a new endemic area of G. seoi infection, with high rates of infection in humans and oysters.

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References

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