Second report on intestinal parasites among the patients of Seoul Paik Hospital (1984-1992)

Abstract

The results of fecal examination for helminth eggs and protozoan cysts in Seoul Paik Hospital during 1984-1992 are reported. Fecal specimens of a total of 52,552 out- or inpatients were examined by formalin-ether sedimentation and/or direct smear method. The overall egg positive rate of helminths was 6.5% and the cyst positive rate of protozoa 2.5%. The egg positive rate (number of positive cases) for each species of helminth was; Clonorchis sinensis 3.2% (1,667), Trichuris trichiura 2.0% (1,089), Metagonimus yokogawai 1.2% (613), Ascaris lumbricoides 0.2% (100), Trichostrongylus orientalis 0.1% (34), Taenia spp. 0.05% (28), Hymenolepis nana 0.03% (18), hookworms 0.03% (17), Paragonimus westermani 0.02% (12), Echinostoma spp. 0.03% (12), Enterobius vermicularis 0.02% (10), Strongyloides stercoralis (larvae) 0.01% (6), and Diphyllobothrium latum 0.004% (2). The cyst positive rate (number of positive cases) for each protozoan was; Entamoeba coli 1.1% (588), Endolimax nana 0.8% (402), Giardia lamblia 0.3% (173), Entamoeba histolytica 0.3% (164), and Trichomonas hominis (trophozoites) 0.004% (2). Viewing from the data of 9 years, it was evident that the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths such as A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura has been decreasing remarkably, while that of snail-transmitted helminths such as C. sinensis and intestinal protozoans has not.

Epidemiological study of clonorchiasis and metagonimiasis along the Geum-gang (River) in Okcheon-gun (County), Korea

“…Clonorchiasis is a common infectious disease in Korea. For example, the yearly eggpositive rate for C. sinensis among outpatients nationally ranged from 2.3 to 3.9% between 1984 and 1992 (Lee et al, 1994), indicating the infection of this trematode infection in the general population.…”

Enterobius vermicularis egg positive rate in a primary school in Chungchongnam-do (Province) in Korea

“…Routine stool examination methods, such as formalin-ether concentration method and cellophane thick smear, showed that the E. vermicularis infection rate to be 0.1% among the inhabitants in the upper stream of Kumgang (River) and 0.02% among the patients who had visited Seoul Paik Hosptial (Kim et al, 1994;Lee et al, 1994 (Kim et al, 1991). Since the life cycle of the parasite and children's habits affect the control of E. vermicularis, a strict control or extermination of enterobiasis is difficult.…”

Human echinostomiasis: a case report

“…A study in Thailand by Peng et al showed that, among the total (1364) stool sample, 18% (245) were positive for one or more parasites and Echinostoma species accounted to 0.1% [ 10 ]. According to Lee et al from Seoul Paik Hospital revealed egg positivity rate of Echinostoma species as 0.03% (12) out of total 53,552 fecal specimens [ 11 ]. An epidemiological survey by Ryang from Korea in 473 junior high school students and 169 inhabitants revealed 3 (0.5%) positive cases of echinostomiasis [ 12 ].…”