A survey on the epidemiological factors of clonorchiasis in the Pohang industrial belt along the Hyungsan river, Kyongsangbuk-do

, Kim, S S; , Han, M H; , Park, S G; , Lim, H S; , Hong, S T

doi:1990.28.4.213

Korean J Parasito > Volume 28(4):1990 > Article

Original Article


Korean J Parasitol. 1990 Dec;28(4):213-219. Korean. Published online Mar 20, 1994. http://dx.doi.org/10.3347/kjp.1990.28.4.213
Copyright © 1990 by The Korean Society for Parasitology


A survey on the epidemiological factors of clonorchiasis in the Pohang industrial belt along the Hyungsan river, Kyongsangbuk-do
S S Kim,M H Han,S G Park,H S Lim and S T Hong^*
Pohang Hospital, Medical College, Dong Guk University, Pohang 790-052, Korea.
^*Department of Parasitology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-460, Korea.


Abstract
The employees at the Pohang industrial area, where Clonorchis sinensis has been known to be endemic along the Hyungsan River, were examined parasitologically for clonorchiasis and a part of the infected cases were surveyed with a questionnaire to outline the recent infection status of C. sinensis and epidemiological parameters in the area. Total of 3,180 cases were tested by intradermal inoculation of C. sinensis antigen (Green Cross Co., Korea), and 834 (26.2%) were found positive. Out of the positive cases, 598 were subjected to fecal examination for helminth ova. The examination revealed 129 (21.6%) ova positive cases of C. sinensis, and Trichuris trichiura 1.7%, Ascaris lumbricoides 0.3%, and Metagonimus yokogawai 0.2%. The questionnaire analysis showed some significant differences between the infected and non-infected (control) groups. The infected cases were less educated than the control, and they lived at the closer area to the river, and most of them lived there over 20 years. Also they preferred eating raw fresh water fish. Most of the detected cases were treated with praziquantel and found negative for the eggs in 85.3% of them 1 year after the treatment. The present data reveal markedly decreased endemicity of clonorchiasis compared with previous prevalence rates but still clonorchiasis is endemic in the Hyungsan river basin. A comprehensive measure including case detection, treatment and education for parasite control should be applied to control clonorchiasis in such endemic areas.

Figures


	Fig. 1 Map showing the surveyed area (arrow).

Tables


	Table 1 Number of cases by skin test and fecal examination for clonorchiasis among the examinees


	Table 2 Results of fecal examination for intestinal helminths by cellophane thick smear


	Table 3 Age, marriage, education and residence of the infected cases compared to the negative control


	Table 4 Experiences for the control of parasites


	Table 5 History of consumption of fresh water fish


	Table 6 Follow-up examination of the clonorchiasis cases after praziquantel treatment

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