Korean J Parasitol.  2000 Sep;38(3):179-181. 10.3347/kjp.2000.38.3.179.

Intestinal parasite infections at an institution for the handicapped in Korea

• Lee J
• Park GM
• Lee DH
• Park SJ
• Yong TS

• KMID: 1720322
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2000.38.3.179

Abstract

Stool and cellotape anal swab examinations were carried out in August 1997 on handicapped people at an institution located in Chorwon-gun, Kangwon-do, Korea. A total of 112 stool samples (78 males and 34 females) revealed three cases of Trichuris trichiura infection and one case of Enterobius vermicularis infection. Other helminth eggs were not detected. The overall prevalence rate was 35.7% (38.5% for males and 29.4% for females). More than two different kinds of parasites were found in 42.0% of the positive stool samples (17 cases). The infection rates for protozoan cysts are as follow: Entamoeba coli (25.0%), E. histolytica (1.8%), Endolimax nana (21.4%), Iodoamoeba butschlii (1.8%) and Giardia lamblia (0.9%). In cellotape anal swab examinations (165 samples), the prevalence rate of E. vermicularis was 20.6% (25.7% of males and 9.6% of females). In conclusion, the handicapped people in the institution showed higher infection rates of protozoan parasites and E. vermicularis, possibly due to more accessibility to the infection.

MeSH Terms

Adolescence
Adult
Animal
Child
Child, Preschool
Cross Infection/epidemiology*
Disabled Persons*
Enterobiasis/epidemiology
Female
Human
Infant
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/epidemiology*
Korea/epidemiology
Male
Middle Age
Prevalence
Protozoan Infections/epidemiology
Trichuriasis/epidemiology