Soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) are now no longer public health problems in the Republic of Korea (South Korea), but their status are unavailable in the residents of North Korea (NK) despite the expectation of large scale traffic and future reunification of the Korean Peninsula. A total of 20 female refugees from NK who had been admitted to the Division of Gastroenterology, Dankook University Hospital, were subjected in this study. Among them, 15 refugees were examined by the colonoscopy and 10 ones were examined with the stool examination (formalin-ether sedimentation). Both diagnostic methods were commonly adopted in 5 patients. Eggs of Trichuris trichiura were detected in 7 out of 10 refugees in the stool examination. In the colonoscopy, T. trichiura worms were found in 6 (40.0%) out of 15 refugees. Total 9 (45.0%) peoples were confirmed to be infected with human whipworms. Additionally, 1 case of clonorchiasis was diagnosed in the stool examination and a worm of Ascaris lumbricoides was discovered from a trichuriasis case. These findings suggested that STH is highly prevalent in NO, in which living conditions are not so good in the aspect of general hygiene and medical care. © 2018, Korean Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine.

North Korea Helminth Trichuris trichiura Ascaris lumbricoides Colonoscopy Clonorchis sinensis Stool examination Refugees

hospital admission parasitology South Korea Trichuris trichiura Republic of Korea refugee transmission Democratic People's Republic of Korea human Refugees middle aged feces analysis statistics and numerical data Animals ethnology animal Young Adult Ascaris lumbricoides Humans Ascariasis Adolescent colonoscopy female North Korea clinical article prevalence isolation and purification Article adult soil Feces clonorchiasis soil transmitted helminthiasis Trichuris trichuriasis intestine infection helminthiasis Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic