Socio-economic and cultural aspects of human trematode infections in Korea

Abstract

Liver, lung and intestinal trematode infections in Korea are a public health problem, as 3 to 4 million individuals appear to be infected. Corresponding with recently developed and established strategies to control the major endemic trematode infections, also a country specific national control project in Korea is being considered. It concerns the three human trematode infections prevalent in this country, namely clonorchiasis, paragonimiasis and metagonimiasis. In addition to chemotherapy, approaches based on local conditions may be included in such strategies in order to achieve the best possible results. The present paper tries to identify the human socio-economic and cultural factors traditionally involved in the transmission of these trematode infections in Korea. It also describes the changes of patterns of agricultural practices and general environmental modifications that have been achieved by the socio-economic development even in rural communities as concerns the transmission of these parasitic infections. Based on these behavioural and environmental factors, the prevalence of these infections decreased even without any application of mass chemotherapy. Consequently, it can be expected that further health educational and mass chemotherapy programmes will drastically reduce transmission. Cooperation of communities involved will certainly contribute to making control measures a success.