A survey of Enterobius vermicularis infection among children on western and southern coastal islands of the Republic of Korea

• Published in: Korean journal of parasitology Vol. 43; no. 4; pp. 129 - 134
• Main Authors: Park, J.H. (Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Han, E.T. (Kangwon National University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea), Kim, W.H. (Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Shin, E.H. (Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Guk, S.M. (Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Kim, J.L. (Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Chai, J.Y. (Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea), E-mail: cjy@snu.ac.kr
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) 대한기생충학열대의학회 01.12.2005; The Korean Society for Parasitology
• Subjects: Animals; cello-tape anal swab; Child; Child, Preschool; CHILDREN; ENFANT; enterobiasis; Enterobiasis - epidemiology; Enterobiasis - parasitology; Enterobius - isolation & purification; Enterobius vermicularis; Feces - parasitology; Female; Geography; Humans; ILE; ISLANDS; ISLAS; Korea - epidemiology; KOREA REPUBLIC; Male; NINOS; Original; Parasite Egg Count; Prevalence; REPUBLICA DE COREA; REPUBLIQUE DE COREE; Korea
• ISSN: 0023-4001; 1738-0006
• DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2005.43.4.129

To determine the status of Enterobius vermicularis infection among children living on western and southern coastal islands of the Republic of Korea,children (3-10 years)in 39 kindergartens and primary schools were examined using the cello-tape anal swab method,during July and August 2000. Of 1,661 children examined, 307 (18.5%) were found to be positive for E. vermicularis eggs. The highest infection rate (59.3%) was found in a kindergarten and a branch school of Shinyang primary school on Chujado, Jeju-do (Province). Remarkable differences in egg positive rates were observed in different localities. The egg positive rate for boys (21.3%) was significantly higher than that of girls (15.4%) (P = 0.02). However, positive rates were not significantly dependent on age.