Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

The Korea Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (대한기생충학·열대의학회)
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Trichuris trichiura Infection Diagnosed by Colonoscopy: Case Reports and Review of Literature

  • Ok, Kyung-Sun (Departments of Internal Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, You-Sun (Departments of Internal Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine) ;
  • Song, Jung-Hoon (Departments of Internal Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Jin-Ho (Departments of Internal Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine) ;
  • Ryu, Soo-Hyung (Departments of Internal Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Jung-Hwan (Departments of Internal Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine) ;
  • Moon, Jeong-Seop (Departments of Internal Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine) ;
  • Whang, Dong-Hee (Departments of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Hye-Kyung (Departments of Pathology, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine)
  • Published : 2009.09.30
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Abstract

Trichuris trichiura, commonly referred to as a whipworm, has a worldwide distribution, particularly among countries with warm, humid climates. In Korea, trichuriasis was a highly prevalent soil-transmitted helminthiasis until the 1970s. However, the nationwide prevalence decreased to 0.02% in 2004 as a result of national control activities and improvement in the socioeconomic status of Koreans. Most infected individuals have no distinct symptoms, if lightly infected. The diagnosis is typically confirmed by detection of T. trichiura eggs on examination of a stool sample; few reports have described detection of the parasite during colonoscopy. Recently, we managed 4 patients with trichuriasis who were diagnosed by detection of the parasite on colonoscopy, and we reviewed the literature on the colonoscopic diagnosis of T. trichiura in Korea. We suggest that colonoscopy might be a useful diagnostic tool, especially when infected by only a few male worms with no eggs in the stool.

Keywords

References

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