Intestinal parasite survey of Kyungpook National University Hospital patients

ABSTRACT

For seven years from 1962 to 1968, fecal specimens of the patients were examined not only for the discovery of intestinal protozoa and helminths, but also to provie data on the incidence of intestinal parasites among the residents of Kyungpook Province, Korea. The Formalin-ether sedimentation, Lugol solution, and Heidenhain's iron-hematoxylin stained films were prepared for the recovery of intestinal parasites. Of 2,414 samples of feces examined, 35.7 percent were found to be infected with one or more species of protozoa. Among six species of protozoa detected, Entamoeba coli was observed most frequently(15.3%) followed by Entamoeba histolytica (11.9%), and then the Enteromonas hominis least often(1 case). For the survey of helminth, of a total of 5,288 fecal specimens examined, 86.7 percent were positive for one or more species of helminths. Trichocephalus trichiurus revealed the highest infection rate (83.6%), while Trichostrongylus orientalis was next (61.6%), and Ascaris lumbricoides was unexpectedly low(40.9%). The incidence for hookworm and Clonorchis sinensis was 22.4 percent and 29.8 percent respectively. Triple infections were found more frequently than double infections, and mixed infections of six or more species of helminths were observed in 3.8 percent of specimens.