[An Epidemiological Study On Zoonoses In Korea]

Helminthic zoonoses are of significant importance to the public health and to the socioeconomic consequences especially in lost-meat, animal products and animal labor. For past several decades in Korea, it has been recognized that endoparasitic infections among domestic animals are extremely common and many of the helminth parasites of man have been acquired from, or are shared with domestic animals. However, there was no survey of a nationwide scale on the prevalence of animal helminthiasis; and control measures are also not satisfactory. Furthermore, because of the remarkable increase in the demand, number of domestic animals and pets is rapidly increasing in these days. Therefore, an extensive study on zoonotic helminths was carried out from July 1980 throughout August 1981 to understand the present status and parasite-host relationship from the epidemiological viewpoont. A total of 13,685 fecal specimens of cattles, sheeps, pigs, dogs and cats was collected from 26 localities in the country. The specimens were examined by formalin-ether centrifugal sedimentation technique. The results are summarized as follows: 1. Of 13,685 specimens examined, 9,808(71.7 %) were positive for helminth parasites. The positive rates were 99.0 % in cattles, 86.5 % on sheeps, 85.4 % in pigs, 35.4 % in dogs, 15.1 % in cats. 2. Single infection showed the highest rate (60.0 %), and double infection(27.5 %), triple(8.1 %), quadruple(2.8 %), quintuple(1.5 %) and hexad(0.1 %) were in decreasing order. 3. In the present study, 18 species zoonotic helminths were found: 11 nematodes, 6 trematodes and 1 cestode. 4. According to province, Cheju revealed the highest rate 84.8 %, then Kyungnam 77.5 %, Jeonnam 75.6 %, Jeonpuk 75.4 %, Kyonggi 75.2 %, Chungnam 71.7 %, Chungpuk 70.6 % and Kangwon 64.2 % were in decreasing order and Busan and Seoul showed 70.4 % and 58.1 %, respectively. 5. Rural area showed slightly higher rate (74.7 %) than urban area (68.5 %), and rates of mountainous area (70.4 %) and plain area (71.1 %) are very similar. 6. According to animal, helminths species and positive rates appeared in: Cattles: 6 nematodes and 3 trematodes; Strongyles 26.4 %, Neoascaris vitulorum 24.1 %, Trichuris ovis 12.0 %, Nematodirus sp. 6.3 %, Srongyloides papillosus 5.1 %, Capillaria bovis 0.02 %, Paramphistomum sp. 41.5 %, Fasciola hepatica 33.2 % and Eurytrema pancreaticum 29.7 %. Sheeps: 3 nematodes and 2 trematodes: Strongyles 33.0 %, S. papillosus 26.9 %, Nematodirus sp. 14.6 %, F. hepatica 31.7 % and E. pancreaticum 19.6 %. Pigs: 5 nematodes and 2 trematodes: Strongyles 43.1 %, Ascaris suum 29.0 %, Metastrongylus apri 20.3 %, Trichuris suis 14.0 %, Strongyloides ransomi 12.1 %, Clonorchis sinensis 1.4 % and Paragonimus westermani 0.9 %, Dogs: 4 nematodes and 3 trematodes and 1 cestode: Toxocara canis 14.4 %, Trichuris vulpis 9.5 %, Ancylostoma caninum 8.0 %, Toxascaris leonina 4.0 %, C. sinensis 2.4 %, Metagonimus yokogawai 1.3 %, P. westermani 0.8 % and Spirometra sp. 0.9 %, Cats: 2 nematodes, and 3 trematodes and 1 cestode: Toxocara cati 7.7 %, Ancylostoma tubaeforme 3.1 %, C. sinensis 1.9 %, P. westermani 1.4 %, M. yokogawai 1.2 % and Spirometra sp. 0.7 %.