A new endemic focus of Heterophyes nocens and other heterophyid infections in a coastal area of Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do.
To know the prevalence of heterophyid trematodes among inhabitants of a southern coastal village, i.e., Sacho-ri, Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do (Province), 82 stool samples were examined on helminth eggs and protozoan cysts using Kato-Katz and formalin-ether sedimentation techniques. Total 33 people (40.2%) were positive for trematodes (Heterophyes nocens 15 people, Pygidiopsis summa 3, Metagonimus sp.; 4, Clonorchis sinensis 7, Gymnophalloides seoi 6) and/or protozoa (Entamoeba coli 3). Among intestinal trematode egg positive cases, 17 were treated with praziquantel and their whole diarrheic stools were collected after purgation. Adult flukes of H. nocens (number of specimens = 1,294), P. summa (386), Stellantchasmus falcatus (5), Stictodora lari (4), and Heterophyopsis continua (1) were collected using a stereomicroscope. To know the source of human H. nocens infections in this village, metacercarial infections in mullets (10) were examined and most H. nocens metacercariae (101/105, 96.2%) were found in the trunk portion. From above results, the surveyed coastal village has been newly known as an endemic focus of human H. nocens infection and consuming raw mullets was the presumable source of human heterophyid infections.
Park
Jae-Hwan
JH
Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul 110-799, Korea.
Kim
Jae-Lip
JL
Shin
Eun-Hee
EH
Guk
Sang-Mee
SM
Park
Yun-Kyu
YK
Chai
Jong-Yil
JY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006578:Heterophyidae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D023701:Smegmamorpha / Q000469:parasitology; D014201:Trematode Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D014867:Water / Q000469:parasitology
D014867:Water