title: Heterophyid trematodes recovered from people residing along the Boseong River, South Korea.
abstract: We conducted an epidemiological survey to determine the status of heterophyid fluke infections among people residing along the Boseong River, Gokseong-gun, South Korea (= Korea) from October 2011 to February 2012. Fecal specimens were collected from 115 (male 51, female 64) people and examined for intestinal helminth eggs using the Kato-Katz thick smear technique. The eggs of Metagonimus yokogawai together with other Metagonimus spp. were detected in 28 (24.3%) cases. Eleven egg positive people were treated with 10mg/kg praziquantel followed by MgSO4 purging in order to recover the adult flukes. Whole consecutive diarrheic stools were collected individually 4-5 times. Adult flukes recovered were 66,499 specimens (6045.4/positive case) of M. yokogawai, 343 (38.1) of Metagonimus miyatai, 3293 (299.4) of Metagonimus takahashii, 81 (20.3) of Heterophyes nocens, 6 (3.0) of Heterophyopsis continua, and 1 (1.0) of Stictodora fuscata. The results indicated that the surveyed area is a highly endemic area of metagonimiasis (three Metagonimus species) with low-grade mixed infections of 3 other heterophyid flukes. The infected people experienced variable degrees of gastrointestinal discomfort and indigestion. They consumed raw freshwater and brackish water fish, including sweetfish and mullets. It is strongly recommended that people residing in the survey area avoid eating raw fish to prevent M. yokogawai and other heterophyid infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: cjy@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jong-Yil
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: mulddang@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bong-Kwang
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kdg1114@me.com.
authors.forename: Deok-Gyu
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kjlip20002001@yahoo.co.kr.
authors.forename: Jae-Lip
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: dress611@naver.com.
authors.forename: Hyemi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: ehshin@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Eun-Hee
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Korea Association of Health Promotion, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: lee3402art@kahp.or.kr.
authors.forename: Keon Hoon
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Korea Association of Health Promotion, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: magnolia@kahp.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Mok Ryeon
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Korea Association of Health Promotion, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: winmy35@kahp.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Sun Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Korea Association of Health Promotion, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: tk1114@kahp.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jae Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yeom
authors.affiliation: Korea Association of Health Promotion, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: uforeveru@kahp.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Sun Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Korea Association of Health Promotion, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: wotjs0228@kahp.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jae-Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet; D004531:Eggs; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D006578:Heterophyidae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D066256:Raw Foods; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D045483:Rivers; D000068357:Saline Waters; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014200:Trematoda / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014201:Trematode Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D011223:Praziquantel; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate
keywords: Boseong River (Korea); Heterophyes nocens; Heterophyid fluke; Metagonimus miyatai; Metagonimus takahashii; Metagonimus yokogawai