• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.85-91
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• 2009

About 83% of the total population of Lao PDR lives in rural areas. People living near forest are highly dependent on the forest resources closed to their villages. Especially non-timber forest products (NTFPs) provide a wide range of subsistence needs and are the main source of their cash income. They also make a significant contribution to the country economy. The annual export value of NTFPs is considerably high. 708 edible NTFP species (238 edible plants and 470 animals) have been recorded so far, and about 400 plants have been reported and used as medicinal plants by Lao people. One hundred NTFP species are considered as commercial forest products. The striking trend in NTFP resources is the decline of some commercial species due to increased demand on them for commercialization, and the loss of forest by rapid population growth. To sustainablely manage the NTFPs resources, a number of new management systems are under development and support in progress by the government.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.253-260
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• 2008

Freshwater fish from Vientiane Municipality and Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR were examined by the muscle compression and artificial digestion methods to know the infection status with trematode metacercariae. In the fish from Savannakhet, 2 species of metacercariae, Opisthorchis viverrini and Haplorchis taichui, were detected. O. viverrini metacercariae were found in 6 species of fish, Puntius brevis, Hampala dispar, Esomus metallicus, Mystacoleucus marginatus, Puntioplites falcifer, and Cyclocheilichthys armatus. H. taichui metacercariae were detected in 3 species of fish, P. brevis, P. falcifer, and M. marginatus. In the fish from Vientiane, 4 species of metacercariae, O. viverrini, H. taichui, Haplorchis yokogawai, and Centrocestus formosanus, were detected. Among them, O. viverrini metacercariae were found in 7 species of fish, Onychostoma elongatum, C. armatus, H. dispar, P. brevis, Cyclocheilichthys repasson, Osteochilus hasseltii, and Hypsibarbus lagleri. The metacercariae of H. taichui were detected in 6 species of fish, C. repasson, O. elongatum, C. armatus, H. dispar, Labiobarbus leptocheila, and Cirrhinus molitorella. The metacercariae of H. yokogawai were found in 9 species of fish, C. repasson, O. elongatum, C. armatus, H. dispar, Labiobarbus leptocheila, O. hasseltii. C. molitorella, Hypsibarbus wetmorei, and H. lagleri. The metacercariae of C. formosanus were detected in 4 species of fish, C. repasson, P. brevis, O. hasseltii, and C. molitorella. From these results, it is confirmed that fish borne trematode metacercariae, i.e. O. viverrini, H. taichui, H. yokogawai and C. formosanus, are prevalent in various species of freshwater fish from Savannakhet Province and Vientiane Municipality, Lao PDR.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제56권1호
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• pp.75-79
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• 2018

Adult specimens of Echinostoma ilocanum (Garrison, 1908) Odhner, 1911 (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) were recovered from 2 riparian people who resided along the Mekong River in Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR. In fecal examinations done by the Kato-Katz technique, they revealed echinostome eggs together with eggs of Opisthorchis viverrini (and minute intestinal fluke eggs) and hookworms. To recover the adult flukes, they were treated with praziquantel 30-40 mg/kg in a single dose and purged with magnesium salts. A total of 658 adult fluke specimens were recovered from the 2 people; 456 from case 1 and 202 from case 2. Specimens from case 1 consisted of 335 echinostomes (301 E. ilocanum and 34 species undetermined), 120 O. viverrini, and 1 Haplorchis taichui, and those from case 2 consisted of 36 E. ilocanum, 134 O. viverrini, and 32 H. taichui. Thus, the number of E. ilocanum specimens was 337 in total (average per person, 168.5). From this study, it is suggested that foodborne intestinal flukes and liver flukes are highly prevalent along the Mekong River in Savannakhet Province. The present report describes for the first time human infections with E. ilocanum in Lao PDR.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제54권4호
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• pp.543-547
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• 2016

In the present study, we report on the occurrence of paramphistomes, Fischoederius cobboldi and Paramphistomum epiclitum, in Lao PDR with the basis of molecular data. Parasite materials were collected from bovines bred in Ban Lahanam area, Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR at Lahanam public market. Morphological observations indicated 2 different species of paramphistomes. The mitochondrial gene cox1 of the specimens was successfully amplified by PCR and DNA sequencing was carried out for diagnosis of 11 specimens. Pairwise alignment of cox1 sequences were performed and confirmed F. cobboldi and P. epiclitum infecting bovines in Laos. Although there were many limiting points, as the small number of worm samples, and the restricted access of the animal host materials, we confirmed for the first time that 2 species of paramphistomes, F. cobboldi and P. epiclitum, are distributed in Lao PDR. More studies are needed to confirm the paramphistome species present in Savannakhet and its hosts to clear the natural history of these parasites of ruminants in the region and measure the impact of this parasite infection in the life and health of the local people.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제51권2호
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• pp.191-196
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• 2013

The echinostome metacercariae encysted in Cipangopaludina sp. snails that were purchased from a market in Vientiane Municipality, Lao PDR, were identified as Echinostoma macrorchis (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) through recovery of adult flukes after experimental infection to rats and a cat. The metacercariae were round, $113-128(121){\times}113-125(120){\mu}m$, having a thick cyst wall, a head collar armed with collar spines, and excretory granules. The adult flukes recovered from the rats and cat at day 14 and 30 post-infection, respectively, were elongated, ventrally curved, and $3.9-6.3{\times}0.7-1.1mm$ in size. The head collar was distinct, bearing 43-45 collar spines with 5 angle spines on each side. Two testes were large (as the name implies), tandem, and slightly constricted at the middle, with irregular margins. Eggs were operculated, ovoid to elliptical, and $88-95{\times}56-60{\mu}m$. In scanning electron microscopy, the head collar was prominent, with 43-45 collar spines. Scale-like tegumental spines were densely distributed on the ventral surface between the oral and ventral suckers. Sensory papillae were distributed mainly on the tegument around the 2 suckers. It is confirmed that E. macrorchis is distributed in Lao PDR using Cipangopaludina sp. snails as the second intermediate host.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제48권4호
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• pp.339-342
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• 2010

Phongsaly Province, located in the northernmost area of Lao PDR, was previously suggested to be endemic for the liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini infection. To confirm, or rule out, this suggestion, the Phonxay village in the Khoua District, Phongsaly Province, was selected for a survey. Ten volunteers (8 men and 2 women aged 31-57 years) who consumed raw freshwater fish and had gastrointestinal troubles were treated with a single dose of praziquantel (40 mg/kg) and pyrantel pamoate (10 mglkg) and purged with magnesium sulfate to recover any worm parasites. Eight of the 10 volunteers expelled 1 or more species of trematodes, nematodes, or cestodes (worm positive rate; 80%). The worms were morphologically identified as H. taichui (861 worms from 8 people), H. yokogawai (59 from 6 people), Phaneropsolus bonnei (1 from 1 person), Trichostrongylus sp. (2 from 2 people), Ascaris lumbricoides (2 from 1 person), Enterobius vermicularis (11 from 3 people), and Taenia saginata (1 strobila with scolex from 1 person). The results indicate that the mountainous area of Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR, is not endemic for the liver fluke but endemic for intestinal flukes, in particular, Haplorchis taichuiand H. yokogawai.

• 농촌지도와개발
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.143-154
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• 2017

본 연구의 목적은 라오스 정부가 농업 농촌 발전을 목적으로 2012년부터 국가 정책으로 추진하고 있는 삼상(Sam Sang, 정치적 실천공약, 분산-분권, 국가적 목표) 농촌발전 프로그램을 소개하고, 한국의 1970년대 새마을운동의 교훈을 분석하여, 라오스 삼상모델에 적용할 수 있는 가능성을 제시하는 것이다. 본 연구의 결과 라오스 정부가 추진하고 있는 삼상 농촌개발정책에 적용할 수 있는 교훈을 다음과 같이 제시하고 있다. 상-하향식의 통합적 개발 접근은 한국 농촌발전에 매우 중요한 영향을 미친 것으로 평가하고 있으며, 놀라운 정책결과를 가져온 요인으로 분석하고 있다. 그리고 주민참여의 중요성을 부각하고 있으며 정책을 집행하는 초기단계에는 마을과 마을주민들의 역량강화를 위해서 정부의 적절한 개입과 역할을 강조하며 이를 통한 주민참여를 유도하여 궁극적으로는 자립적 의지를 통한 지속가능한 농촌개발접근이 되어야 한다고 주장하고 있다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권5호
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• pp.3029-3035
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• 2013

Background: Most developing countries have been unable to implement well-organized health care systems, especially comprehensive Pap smear screening-based programs. One of the reasons for this is regional differences in medical services, and a low-cost portable cervical screening system is necessary. To improve regional discrepancies in cervical screening systems, we investigated the usefulness and acceptability of cervical selfsampling by liquid-based cytology (LBC) for 290 volunteers in the Lao PDR. Materials and Methods: Following health education with comprehensive documents, cervical self-sampling kits by LBC were distributed in three provincial, district, and village areas to a total of 290 volunteers, who were asked to take cytology samples by themselves. Subsequently, the acceptability of self-sampling was evaluated using a questionnaire. Results: The documents were well understood in all three regions. Regarding the acceptability of self-sampling, the selections for subsequent screening were 62% self-sampling, 36% gynecologist-sampling, 1% either method, and 1% other methods. The acceptability rates were higher in the district and the village than in the province. For the relationship between acceptability and pregnancy, the self-sampling selection rate was higher in the pregnancy-experienced group (75%) than in the pregnancy-inexperienced group (60%). For the relationship between selection of self-sampling and experience of screening, the self-sampling selection rate was higher in the screening-inexperienced group (62%) than in the screening-experienced group (52%). Conclusions: Our data show that this new way forward, involving a combination of self-sampling and LBC, is highly acceptable regardless of age, educational background, and residence in rural areas in a developing country.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제51권1호
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• pp.107-114
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• 2013

Fishborne trematode (FBT) metacercariae were investigated in fish from 3 Provinces of Lao PDR. Total 242 freshwater fish of 40 species were collected in local markets of Luang Prabang (59 fish of 16 species), Khammouane (81 fish of 19 species), and Saravane (97 fish of 14 species), and each of them was examined by artificial digestion method. Four species of metacercariae (Opisthorchis viverrini, Haplorchis taichui, Haplorchis yokogawai, and Centrocestus formosanus) were detected. O. viverrini was detected in 35 fish (14.5%), and their density was 252 per infected fish (Luang Prabang, 88 metacercariae in 5 fish; Khammouane, 187 in 6 fish; Saravane, 303 in 24 fish). H. taichui was found in 102 fish (42.1%), and their density was 485 per infected fish (Luang Prabang, 260 metacercariae in 38 fish; Khammouane, 1,084 in 23 fish; Saravane, 359 in 41 fish). H. yokogawai was detected in 92 fish (38.0%), and their density was 222 per infected fish (Luang Prabang, 362 metacercariae in 17 fish; Khammouane, 126 in 20 fish; Saravane, 214 in 55 fish). Metacercariae of C. formosanus were found in 8 fish (3.3%), and their density was 3 per infected fish. In the present study, it has been confirmed that FBT metacercariae, in particular, H. taichui, H. yokogawai, and O. viverrini, are highly prevalent in fish from Luang Prabang, Khammouane, and Saravane Province, Lao PDR.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제57권4호
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• pp.451-456
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• 2019

Adult specimens of Echinochasmus caninus n. comb. (Verma, 1935) (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) (syn. Episthmium caninum Yamaguti, 1958) were recovered from 11 riparian people who resided along the Mekong River in Khammouane Province, Lao PDR. In fecal examinations done by the Kato-Katz technique, the cases revealed eggs of Opisthorchis viverrini/minute intestinal flukes, hookworms, and in 2 cases echinostome eggs. To recover the adult helminths, praziquantel 30-40 mg/kg and pyrantel pamoate 10-15 mg/kg in a single dose were given and purged with magnesium salts. Various species of trematodes (including O. viverrini and Haplorchis spp.), cestodes, and nematodes were recovered from their diarrheic stools. Among the trematodes, small echinostome flukes (n=42; av. 3.8 specimens per case) of 0.7-1.2 mm in length are subjected in this study. They are morphologically characterized by having 24 collar spines interrupted dorsally and anterior extension of vitellaria from the cirrus sac or genital pore level to the posterior end of the body. Particularly based on this extensive distribution of vitellaria, the specific diagnosis was made as Echinochasmus caninus. The cases were co-infected with various other helminth parasites; thus, clinical manifestations specific for this echinostome infection were difficult to determine. The present paper describes for the first time human E. caninus infections in Lao PDR. Our cases marked the 4-14th human infections with this echinostome around the world following the 3 previous cases reported from Thailand.