Epidemiological studies of Entameba histolytica and other intestinal protozoa in Taegu city; Korea

Keimyung Medical Journal 1988;7(1):7-17.

大邱市民들에서의 痢疾아메바 및 腸內原蟲類疫學的調査

김덕수; 주종윤

Abstract

In order to determine the epidemiological pattern of the Entameba histolytica and other intestinal protozoa among the residents of Taegu city; Korea; this studies were made from April to September; 1987. The method employed was formalin-ether sedimentation technique and one slide was stained with Lugol's iodine solution and examination was made for protozoan cysts. In a total of 2;381 individuals examined; 99 cases or 4.2 percent were revealed positive of E. histolytica. Of them; 35 cases had large race cysts: 52 small race cysts only: and 12 both large and small race cysts. The sex-specific rate of E. histolytica infections was a little higher in females than in males. In the age prevalence pattern; the rate tended to be higher with the increase of age and reached a maximum of 5.8 percent in the 30? 39 year age group of both sexes. In the familial prevalence; 76 or 13.3 percent of 573 famlies examined had one or more individuals with E. histolytica. In 76 families of infected individuals comprising 388 members; 99 infections by E. histolytica were found; an average of 1.30 cases of amebiasis per family; a prevalence of infection of 25.5 percent. The questionnaire studied failed to analyze any information attributed to E. histolytica infection between positive families or individuals and negative families or individuals. The results of this survey generally indicate clear evidence that the prevalence rates of E. histolytica and other intestinal protozoa are now much less prevalent; due to improvement of sanitation by New Community Movement; in combination with extensive public health education.