Survey on the Status of Helminthic Infections in Rural Area

농촌주민(農村住民)의 기생충(寄生虫) 감염현황(感染現況) 조사(調査)

This study was undertaken to evaluate the present status of intestinal helminthic infection in rural areas of Korea from Dec. 1976 to Feb. 1979.The 4,311 stool specimens collected from 4 mountainous areas, 2 plain areas and 4 ri ver basins were examined. The methods employed were Kato's cellophane thick smear technique and brine fletation technique. The results are as follows. 1. The positive rate of intestinal helminch of any kind was 73.4%. It was 82.9% in river basins, 70. 2% in plain areas and 70. 4% in mountainous areas. 2. The positive rates of intestinal helmint.h were; Ascaris lumbricoides 42.5%, Trichocephalus trichiurus 51.4%, Hookworm 4.2%, Clonorchis sinensis 4.0%, Meta-gonimus yokogawai 5.7%, Hymenolepis nana 1.3%, Taenia species 1.0%, and Trichostrongyllus orientalis 1.2% respectively. 3. Sexual distribution of heiminthic infections showed higher rate in female than that of male except C. sinensis, H. nana, Taenia species, and. M. yokogawai. 4.Infection rates of T. trichiurus, Hook-worm and C. sinensis increased with age, but conversely H. nana were more prominent in younger age. 5. No geographical differen=e was noticed except that, M. yokogawai (20.9%), C sinensis (14.2%) in river basins ancl Taenia species (2.3%, by applying only stool examination) in mountainous areas were higher than the other 2 areas.