No abstract

The incidence and etiology of parasite-associated gastroenteritis during 2004-2006 in Gyeonggi-do (province), South Korea was determined by means of antigen detection ELISA on 6,071 stool specimens collected from 6 general hospitals. At least 1 parasitic agent was detected in 3.4% (208/6,071) of the stool samples. Among these, Giardia lamblia was the most numerous (152 cases; 2.5%), followed by Entamoeba histolytica (25 cases; 0.4%), Cryptosporidium parvum (23 cases; 0.4%), and mixed infections (8 cases; 0.1%). Patients aged 1-5 years had the largest proportion (69.2%; 144/208) of parasite-positive stool specimens. Parasite-mediated gastroenteritis was most common from June to September. The detection rate gradually increased from 2004 to 2006. This study shows that parasite-mediated gastroenteritis may be significant among children in Korea and that parasite infection surveillance should be constantly performed.

Rotavirus was present in 1,367 of 7,060 stool samples (19.4%) collected in Gyeonggi province of South Korea from 2003 through 2005. The predominant genotypes were confirmed as G4/P2A[6] (19.0%) followed by G3/P1A[8] (15.6%), G2/P1B[4] (9.3%), and G1/P1A[8] (6.5%). The predominant types of rotavirus by year were G3/P[8] in 2003, G4/P[6] in 2004, and G1/P[8] in 2005. The prevalent rotavirus genotypes changed constantly from 2003 to 2005.