title: Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in the residents of Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea.
abstract: The seroepidemiological status of toxoplasmosis was surveyed among the residents of Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do by means of ELISA using a crude extract antigen of Toxoplasma gondii. The sera of 1,661 adult residents (866 males and 795 females) were collected and checked for IgG antibody titers, which showed 17.0% positive rate (282 sera). The positive rate was significantly different between the sex; 20.6% for males and 13.1% for females (P<0.05). The positive rates were higher in fifties of males (28.7%) and forties of females (20.0%). This positive rate of toxoplasmosis in Cheorwon-gun residents is regarded as the highest among the surveys of different geographical regions of Korea. This high positive rate may due in part to peculiar geographical locality of the surveyed area near the naturally well preserved demilitarized zone (DMZ) or presumably consumption of the pork imported from high endemic nations. Therefore, it is necessary to study further the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in Cheorwon-gun.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Catholic Institute of Parasitic Diseases, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Pyo Yun
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Seong Kyu
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Tong-Soo
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chom-Kyu
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Sung-Jong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Seok Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Ho-Woo
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Nam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G