On the status of hookworm infection in rural areas in korea

농촌(農村)에 있어서의 구충감염현황(鉤虫感染現況)

In order to evaluate the present status of hook-worm infection in the rural areas in Korea, stool examinations were undertaken in several selected rural villages in each year of 1970 and 1977. The methods employed were cellophane thick smear technique and brine floatation technique in 3,454 specimens collected from 7 different rural villages for the prevalence rate of hookworm infection and Stoll's dilution egg counting technique for the intensity of hookworm infection. The incidences of Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus infections were determind by polyethylene tube coproculture and by the evacuated adult worms after treatment with anthelmintics to the patients who were infected by hookworms. The results are as follows : 1) In 1970, 323(18.6%) out of 1,737 specimens collected from 4 different rural areas were positive for hook worm infection and the ranges of prevalence rates in those suveyed areas were shown as 6.9 to 38.2 per cent. On the other hand, 144(8.2%) out of 1,717 specimens collected from 3 different rural areas in 1977 were shown as positive for hookworm infection and 7.5 to 10.6 per cent of prvalence rates were shown in the surveyed areas. 2) In the age group under 10 years, there was no infection of hookworm in the studied areas in 1977, however in 1970 the prevalence of the hookworm infection was shown as very low in the age group of 5~9. On the whole, the hookworm prevalence steadily increased from the age of 15 in the studied areas in 1970, however in 1977 the prevalence increased from the age of 20 to the older age groups. 3) There was not observed much differences in the intensity of hookworm infection among the studied areas in 1970 and 1977. The mean EPG in each studied areas were shown under 1,000 EPG and mean numbers of evacuated worms per infected persons were counted as 9.4 to 15. 1. 4) Both A.duodenale and N.americanus have been found in all studied areas but the incidences and st-ate of distribution of two species of hookworn were shown as different in each localities.