J Korean Med Assoc.  2007 Nov;50(11):993-1004. 10.5124/jkma.2007.50.11.993.

Traveling and Imported Parasitic Diseases

• Ahn MH

• KMID: 2184947
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2007.50.11.993

Abstract

Recently, many peoples travel abroad for sightseeing, business, missionary and other works. At the same time, imported parasitic diseases including malaria has been increased in Korea. The vector borne and food borne diseases were imported from many other countries, Africa, Middle East and South east Asia. Recently many foreigners entered to Korea for studying, working and other purposes. Imported foods, fishes, meats, vegetables are important for parasitic infection, too. The author reviewed imported parasitic diseases in Korea from 1970 to 2006 with literatures. Malaria is most prevalent. And babesiosis of 6 cases, cutaneous leishmaniasis of over 20 cases, visceral leishmaniasis of 5 cases, loiasis of 3 cases, gnathostomiasis of 40 cases, angiostrongylosis of 10 cases, heterophydiasis of 2 cases, schistosomiasis haematobium of 6 cases, schistosomiasis mansoni of 3 cases, hydatidosis of 24 cases, cutaneous larva migrans of 4 cases, and one case of ancylostomiasis, syngamosis, cutaneous myiasis and pentastomiasis are reported, respectively. The protozoa of 5 species and helminthes of 11 species are imported from many other countries. In Korea, re-emerging malaria was appeared at Demilitarized zone (DMZ) on 1993. Last year, 2,051 cases of indigenous malaria were reported by Korean Center for Diseases Control (KCDC). However, the most prevalent imported malaria was Plasmodium falciparum and indigenous malaria was only P. vivax. For the prevention of imported parasitic diseases, the education, training for tropical medicine, supply of medication and vaccine are needed. The surveillance system for imported diseases was started by KCDC on 2001.

Keyword

Imported diseases; Parasite; Malaria; Korea; International travel

MeSH Terms

Africa
Ancylostomiasis
Animals
Babesiosis
Commerce
Echinococcosis
Education
Emigrants and Immigrants
Far East
Fishes
Foodborne Diseases
Gnathostomiasis
Helminths
Humans
Korea
Larva Migrans
Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous
Leishmaniasis, Visceral
Loiasis
Malaria
Meat
Middle East
Missions and Missionaries
Myiasis
Parasites
Parasitic Diseases*
Plasmodium falciparum
Schistosomiasis haematobia
Schistosomiasis mansoni
Tropical Medicine
Vegetables