title: Prevalence of Haplorchis taichui among humans and fish in Luang Prabang Province, Lao PDR.
abstract: This study confirmed the prevalence of the intestinal fluke Haplorchis taichui (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) among people and fish in Luang Prabang Province, Lao PDR. Fecal specimens were collected from 559 riparian people (229 males and 330 females), residing in 4 Districts (Luang Prabang, Xieng Ngeun, Pak Ou, and Nam Bak) and were examined by the Kato-Katz fecal smear technique. The overall helminth egg positive rate was 64.9%. The positive rate for small trematode eggs (STE), which may include H. taichui and other heterophyids, Opisthorchis viverrini, and lecithodendriids, was 15.2%. For recovery of adult helminths, 10 STE-positive people were treated with 40mg/kg praziquantel and 15mg/kg pyrantel pamoate, and then purged. Mixed infections with 3 Haplorchis species (H. taichui, H. pumilio, and H. yokogawai), a species of cestode (Taenia saginata), and several species of nematodes including Enterobius vermicularis and hookworms were found. The worm load for trematodes was exclusively high for H. taichui with an average of 7691 specimens per infected person, followed by H. yokogawai (8.3 specimens) and H. pumilio (4.1 specimens). Out of 207 freshwater fish (17 species) purchased in a market in Luang Prabang District, 138 (67%) harboured H. taichui metacercariae (metacercarial burden per fish; 520). Lower prevalence of fish and lower metacercarial density were observed for H. yokogawai (52% and 50 per fish, respectively) and H. pumilio (18% and 3 per fish, respectively). STE found in the surveyed population of Luang Prabang Province were verified to be those of intestinal fukes, particularly H. taichui.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: wmsohn@gnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Woon-Mok
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: tsyong212@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Tai-Soon
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Medical Research Institute, Chungbuk National University School of Medicine, Cheongju, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kseom@chungbuk.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Keeseon S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Eom
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Eulji University, Daejeon 301-746, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: dymin@eulji.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Duk-Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Medical Research Institute, Chungbuk National University School of Medicine, Cheongju, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: dongmin83@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Dongmin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: mulddang@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bong-Kwang
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Malaria Center, Provincial Health Department, Luang Prabang Province, Lao PDR. Electronic address: banouvong@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Virasack
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Banouvong
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Prevention, Ministry of Public Health, Vientiane, Lao PDR. Electronic address: ibounnaloth@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Bounnaloth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Insisiengmay
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Prevention, Ministry of Public Health, Vientiane, Lao PDR. Electronic address: bphommasack@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bounlay
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Phommasack
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 136-705, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hjrim@korea.com.
authors.forename: Han-Jong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Rim
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: cjy@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jong-Yil
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007812:Laos / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009025:Morpholines; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D014200:Trematoda / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014201:Trematode Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009025:Morpholines; C071738:2-(4-morpholino)ethyl-1-phenylcyclohexane-1-carboxylate
keywords: Haplorchis pumilio; Haplorchis taichui; Haplorchis yokogawai; Lao PDR; Metacercaria; Prevalence