Recent patterns of intestinal helminth infections among the residents in Taegu City, Korea

In order to estimate the recent pattens of intestinal helminth infections among the residents in Taege City, Korea, a survey based on discovery of helminth eggs by formalin-ether sedimentation and modified Graham's scotch-tape anal swab techniques, were performed during the period from March to September in 1983. A total of 1,697 fecal specimens were collected from 854 male and 843 female residents from 5 villages(Dong), each of whom were selected randomly to represent 1,000 persons referred to the census in 1982. Among the specimens examined, one or more species of helminth parasites were found in 473, revealing the overall positive rate of 27.9 pre cent. Of them, Trichuris trichiura was found most frequently, in 13.2 percent, followed by Enterobius vermicularis in 7.0 per cent. Hookworm was the least prevalent. The sex-specific rate of overall helminth infections was a little higher in females than in males, while in cases of Clonorchis sinensis, Metagonimus yokogawai and Taenia species, the infection rates in males was higher than in females. T.trichiura was most prevalent in the 20~29 age group and showed about the same prevalence in males and females of all age groups. C. sinensis infection rate increased with age while those of Ascaris lumbricoides decreased. Single infections were 82.5 per cent of all positive cases. Of cource, T. trichiura revealed the highest prevalence in 31.7 per cent followed by E. vermicularis in 20.1 per cent and A. lumbricoides in 14.8 per cent. Of the double infections, the percentage of T. trichiura in combination with other intestinal helminths was higher than that of A. lumbricoides. It was concluded that although the infection rates of intestinal helminths among the residents in Taegu City, Korea is still high, eradication of these parasitic diseases seems to be possible with twice-a-year administration of specific anthelmintics, in combination with extensive public health education and improvement of the dietary life.