• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.421-426
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• 1999

Objectives: An outbreak of dermatosis occurred at a city gas manufacturing factory in Pohang in Aug, 1998. The authors conducted a study to find the cause and prevent the dermatosis, Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey of 73 workers in the factory twice, once or Aug. 14th and then Sept. 11th, 1998. Also, a dermatologist examined their skin lesions. We suspected ants as the cause, so we collected them for identification. Results: Twelve cases of dermatosis were identified with an attack rate of 16.4%. The attack rates were not different by age, educational level or tenures. The attack rates were 66.6% among production workers, 2.0% among clerical workers, 16.7% among tank trailer drivers and 0% among guards. The attack rate among production workers was significantly higher than that of the others (<0.01). There were no histories of the same dermatosis for the past one year. Histories of other skin diseases and allergies were very rare in both cases with skin diseases and control. Multiple, pruritic, rice-grained to bean sized erythemafous macules or papules with a central biting point could be found after initial severe itching occurred, Three cases showed signs of dermatosis with an allergic nature. The onset of dermatosis was between July 30 and Aug 12 and the durations varied from 5 days to over a month. The most frequent sites of stir lesions were the chest and abdomen (60.6%), and they were also observed on the neck (33.3%), arms (33.3%), shoulders (16.7%) and back (16.7%). Over 10 ants with their wings were collected in the work place and identified as Pachycondyla chinensis, subfamily Ponerinae. Conclusions : We thought that the outbreak of dermatosis was brought about by the ants flying into the work place through the open windows. Further studies on the factors contributing to the prosperity of the ants in this area are needed.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.204-208
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• 2013

The ant fauna in Mt. Gariwangsan was composed of 39 species 24 genera 5 subfamilies. The collected ants in Mt. Gariwangsan were Subfamily Myrmicinae(16 species 11 genera), Subfamily Formicinae(15 species 5 genera), Subfamily Ponerinae(6 species 4 genera), Subfamily Amblyoponinae(1 species 1 genera), and Subfamily Dolichoderrinae(1 species 1 genera). Ant fauna by vegetation in Mt. Gariwangsan, 36 species 23 genera were collected in broadleaf tree areas in which Quercus mongolica, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Tilia amurensis, and Cornus controversa were dominant species. Paratrechina flavipes and Myrmica kotokui were dominant species. 13 species 12 genera were collected only in broadleaf tree areas. In the coniferous tree areas where Pinus densiflora, Pinus korainensis, and Larix kaempferi were dominant, 24 species 15 genera of ants in total were collected. Pachycondyla chinensis and Paratrechina flavipes were dominant species. 4 species 3 genera were collected only in the coniferous tree areas. Paratrechina flavipes was dominant even in the areas in which Camponotus japonicas and Formica japonica had been assumed to be dominant. Specifically, the higher the land was, the rarer Ponerinae and Dolichoderinae were observed. The common species observed in both areas were 20 species 13 genera. Of these ants, Paratrechina flavipes(Subfamily Formicinae) and Myrmica kotokui(Subfamily Myrmicinae) were distinctive ants. With regard to the current state of colony of these species, Paratrechina flavipes was dominant in lowland areas. Myrmica kotokui, on the other hand, was dominant in highland areas.