Korean J Parasitol.  2007 Mar;45(1):33-38. 10.3347/kjp.2007.45.1.33.

A new endemic focus of Heterophyes nocens and other heterophyid infections in a coastal area of Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do

• Park JH
• Kim JL
• Shin EH
• Guk SM
• Park YK
• Chai JY

• KMID: 1088631
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2007.45.1.33

Abstract

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.

Keyword

Heterophyes nocens; heterophyid; endemic focus; stool examination; mullet; metacercaria

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Animals
*Endemic Diseases
Feces/parasitology
Female
Heterophyidae/*isolation & purification
Humans
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/*epidemiology/parasitology/transmission
Korea/epidemiology
Male
Middle Aged
Prevalence
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Smegmamorpha/parasitology
Trematode Infections/*epidemiology/parasitology/transmission
Water/parasitology