Infection status of dragonflies with Plagiorchis muris metacercariae in Korea

Plagiorchis muris has been found in both been found in both house and field rats as well as in humans. The infection status of th second intermediate hosts of P.muris is prerequisite in understanding their biological features in an ecosystem. Six species of dragonflies were caught in a wide range of areas in Korea;and they were Sympertrum darwinianum, S.eroticum, S. pedomontanum, S. infuscatum, Pantala flavoscens, Caloteryx atrata, and Othertrum albistylum speciosum. The occurrence of P. muris metacercariae in dragonflies was nationwide with various infection rates. The metacercarial burden of P. muris in the surveyed areas was the highest in S. eroticum followed by S. darwinianum, S. pedomontanum, and C. atrata. The highest infection rate by P. muris metacercariae was found in S. darwinianum followed by S. eroticum. The metacercarial buredn was particularly heavy in the dragonflies found in Hamyang-gun and Kosong-gun, Kyongsangnam-do. It is, therefore, likely that dragonflies play a significant role as the second intermediate hose in the life cycle of P. muris in Korea.