• Title/Summary/Keyword: population fluctuation

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Semi-daily Variations in Populations of the Dinoflagellates Dinophysis acuminata and Oxyphysis oxytoxoides and a Mixotrophic Ciliate Prey Mesodinium rubrum in Masan Bay (마산만에서 와편모류 Dinophysis acuminata 및 Oxyphysis oxytoxoides와 먹이생물 섬모류인 Mesodinium rubrum의 단주기적 개체군 변동)

  • KIM, SUNJU;YOON, JIHAE;KIM, MIRAN;PARK, MYUNG GIL
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.20 no.3
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    • pp.151-157
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    • 2015
  • Recent laboratory studies have documented that mixotrophic dinoflagellates Dinophysis spp. and heterotrophic dinoflagellate Oxyphysis oxytoxoides share a common prey, i.e. the mixotrophic ciliate Mesodinium rubrum. Nonetheless, very little is known about the population dynamics and species interactions among these protists in natural environments. To investigate the interactions between the dinoflagellate predators and their ciliate prey in the field, we took the samples twice a day from 26 July to 28 August, 2011 at a fixed station in Masan Bay and analyzed their abundances. During this study, salinity was highly variable, ranging from 5 to 28, due to the periodic input of rainfalls to the sampling station. Water temperature was on average $26.5^{\circ}C$ until 20 August and thereafter was about $21^{\circ}C$ by the end of the sampling period. The ciliate M. rubrum occurred persistently throughout the sampling period, ranging from 13 to $492\;cells\;mL^{-1}$. Cell densities of D. acuminata and O. oxytoxoides ranged from undetectable level to $19,833\;cells\;L^{-1}$ and from undetectable level to $100,333\;cells\;L^{-1}$, respectively. The high abundance of D. acuminata mostly followed the blooming of the ciliate M. rubrum, but it often did not peak even during heavy blooms of the prey, probably due to sensitivity to large salinity fluctuation and also presumably overlapped grazing by other mixotrophic dinoflagellates. The abundance of O. oxytoxoides was detected only when water temperature was lower than $24^{\circ}C$, indicating that water temperature is an important environmental factor to control the population dynamics of the dinoflagellate species.

The Detection and Density Fluctuation of Mulberry Dwarf Phytoplasma using Nested-PCR and Competitive-PCR Methods (Nested-PCR법과 Competitive PCR법을 이용한 뽕나무 오갈병(MD) Phytoplasma의 검출과 밀도변화)

  • Chae, Seungmin;Lee, Sol;Cha, Byeongjin;Lee, Hyokin;Han, Sangsub
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.100 no.4
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    • pp.623-629
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    • 2011
  • The detectable levels and population fluctuations of phytoplasmas infecting dwarf mulberry trees were investigated using nested-PCR and competitive-PCR methods. Samples of five different types were studied : A. petiole of a leaf that displays dwarf symptoms, B. petiole from apparently healthy leaf residing on a branch also supports a leaf with dwarf symptoms, C. the branch portion that supports a leaf with dwarf symptoms, D. the leaf petiole from healthy appearing leaves on branch with no dwarf symptoms, and branch portion of branch with no dwarf symptoms, E. the rootlets of trees with dwarf symptoms. These 5-parts were collected from each tree during June - April, once in every two months. The phytoplasma was detected from all parts of collected mulberry samples during all seasons using nested-PCR with AS-1/AS-2 primer pairs. The phytoplasma was detected until $10^4$ dilution using direct-PCR method, but it was detected until $10^{13}$ dilution by the nested-PCR method. The density of pytoplasma was found to be $7.94{\times}10^{18}-10^{12}copies/{\mu}L$ in mulberry trees. The density of phytoplasma was observed throughout the year in all samples of mulberry trees. The highest rates of phytoplasma was found in the samples B and C during the early growing season followed by the sample A and D during the dormant season. Samples C and E displayed the highest phytoplasma density followed sample D. The density of phytoplasma appeared stable during all the seasons for samples C and A. The result of the present study demonstrates the utility of nested-PCR and competitive-PCR for detection and determination of population fluctuations of phytoplasmas in plant tissues.

The Influence of the Dissolved Oxygen of Bottom Water on the Temporal Variation of the Benthic Polychaetous Community Structure in Dangdong Bay (저층수 용존산소가 당동만 저서다모류군집 구조의 시간적 변동에 미친 영향)

  • Yang, Jin Kyeong;Shin, Hyun Chool
    • Ocean and Polar Research
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    • v.42 no.3
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    • pp.233-247
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    • 2020
  • This study was carried out at 5 sites 11 times over two years to identify the variation of benthic environments and benthic polychaetous community and analyze the benthic healthiness in Dangdong Bay, a small semi-enclosed inner bay of Jinhae Bay. The temperature of bottom water showed the typical temporal fluctuation of a temperate zone and was in the range of 5.94 ~ 23.94℃. The salinity did not change significantly during the study period and was in the range of 32.93 ~ 35.72 psu. The concentration of dissolved oxygen of bottom water fluctuated a great deal and was in the range of 0.31 ~ 10.20 mg/L. The lowest DO value was recorded in July 2015, as 0.31±0.04 mg/L corresponding to the hypoxic water mass. The hypoxic water mass was formed continuously at some sites also in July and August 2016. The mean grain size was in the range of 7.57 ~ 9.81Ø and the average was 8.89±0.20Ø. The surface sediments were mainly composed of fine sediment (mud) above 85%. The mean of TOC was 3.09±0.22% and LOI was 13.30±0.47%, showing very high levels in Korean coastal waters. The concentration of AVS was in the range of 0.33 ~ 1.28 mgS/g-dry. The high values of organic contents and AVS indicated that there had been the serious organic enrichment in Dangdong Bay. The number of species and the density of the benthic polychaetous community in Dangdong Bay were in the range of 2 ~ 38 species and 2 ~ 2,185 ind./㎡ during the study period. The number of species and density were highly sustained in winter and spring, and then decreased gradually with the formation of a hypoxic water mass in summer, and the lowest number of species and density were recorded in autumn. In September and November 2015, the dead zone expanded to almost the whole study area. Dominant polychaetous species were Capitella capitata, Lumbrineris longifolia, Paraprionospio patiens and Sigambra tentaculata, each known as opportunistic species and potential organic pollutant indicator species. In particular, Paraprionospio patiens showed a very high population density of 2,019 ind./㎡ in December 2016. Polychaetous communities at each sampling time were classified into 4 temporal groups according to dominant species in each period by cluster analysis and nMDS. 'Period Group AI' was formed in winter and spring of 2015, dominated by Capitella capitata, 'Period AII' in summer dominated by Lumbrineris longifolia, 'Period B' in autumn with no fauna in the dead zone, and particularly 'Period C' in winter of 2016 dominated by Paraprionospio patiens. As a result of analysis of benthic healthiness, the study area was estimated to be in a Fair~Very Poor condition by AMBI and in a Poor~Very Poor condition by BPI during the study period. Both AMBI and BPI showed that the study area was in a Very Poor condition in September and November 2015, and when the dead zone occurred. In Dongdong Bay, the fact that the formation of a hypoxic water mass occurred in summer and a dead zone in autumn were confirmed. In addition, the dominance of opportunistic and organic pollutant indicator species was also observed clearly. The benthic healthiness indexes such as AMBI and BPI showed that organic enrichment was serious in Dangdong Bay.

The impact of anthropogenic factors on changes in discharge and quality of water in the Hadano basin, Japan (인위적인 요인이 하천의 유량과 수질변화에 미친 영향 - 일본 하다노 분지를 사례 로 -)

  • ;Yang, Hea-Kun
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.30 no.3
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    • pp.242-254
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    • 1995
  • The Hadano Basin is located at a distance of about 70kms and 60kms from Tokyo and Yokohama and lies in the south-west part of the Kanto region in Japan. The basin area, which correspoends to the catchment of the Kaname River, is about areal size of 60.7$\textrm{km}^2$ and extends about length of 8kms in E-W direction and about width of 5kms in N-S direction (Fig.1). The Hadano basin is filled with thick pile of the alluvum from deposits composed of volcanic materials, mostly came from the Hakone Volcano and overlain by Fuji Volcanic ashes. Fluvial deposits form the good aquifer, therefore water resources of Handano City has been largely depending upon the eroundwater. Urbanization and industrialization of the basin has been rapid in the last thirty years, after activation of "Factory Attraction Policy of Hadano City" in 1956. Growth in population and number of factory due to urbanization changed the land-use pattern of the basin rapidly and increased the water demands. Therefore, Hadano City exploited a new source of water supply, and have introduced the prefectureal waterworks since 1976. On the other hand, the rapid urbanization has brought about the pollution of streams in the basin by domestic sewage and industrial waste water. Diffusion rate of sewerage systems in Hadano City is 38% in 1993. In ordcr to examine the impact of anthropogenic factors on river environments, the author took up the change of land-use and diffusion area of sewerage as parameters, and performed field surveys on water discharge and quality. The survey has been made at upstream and downstream of the main stream regularly per month, to get informati ons about the variation of discharge and water quality aiong the stream and its diurnal fluctuation. Annual variation has been analyzed based the data from Hadano City Office. The results are summarized as follows. 1. Stream discharge has been increasing by urbanization (Fig.3). Water quality (C $l^{-10}$ , N $H^{+}$$_{ 4}$-N, BOD) has been improving gradually after the application of sewerage service, yet water pollution load at the lower station has increased than that at the upper one because of the larger anthropogenic discharge volumes (Fig.4). 2. Corrclation coefficient of discharges between upper and lower was 0.81-0.92. Pollutant loads of the R. Kamame after the confluence with R. Kuzuha grew up by 2.4-3.7 times as compared with its upper reaches, and it increased to 3.7-6.9 times after the confluence with the R. Muro (Fig.5). 3. The changes of water quality along the stream can be divided into two groups (Fig.6a). First: water quality of the R. Kaname and R. Shijuhachisse is becoming worse towards the lower reaches because the water from branches are polluted. Second: water quality are improved in the lower where spring and small branch streams supply clear water, for example R. Mizunashi, R. Muro and R. Kuzuha. 4. Measured discharge at the upper station in the R. Shijuhachisse is 0.153㎥/sec, and about 55% of this is recharged until it reaches to the lower point. The R. Mizunashi has a discharge of 1.155㎥/sec at the upper point, is recharged 0.24㎥/sec until the midstream and groundwater spring 0.2㎥/sec at the lower reaches. R. Kuzuha recharged all the mountain runoff (0.2㎥/sec) at the upper reaches. The R. Muro is supplied by many springs and the estimated discharge of spring was 0.47㎥/sec (Fig.6b). 5. Diurmal variations in discharge and water quality are influenced clearly by domestic and industrial waste waters (Fig.7, 8).ed clearly by domestic and industrial waste waters (Fig.7, 8).

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A New Understanding on Environmental Problems in China - Dilemma between Economic Development and Environmental Protection - (중국 환경문제에 대한 재인식 -경제발전과 환경보호의 딜레마-)

  • Won, Dong-Wook
    • Journal of Environmental Policy
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    • v.5 no.1
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    • pp.45-70
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    • 2006
  • China has achieved great economic growth above 9% annual since it changed to more of a market economy system by its reform and open-door policy. At the same time, China has experienced severe ecological deterioration, such as air and water pollutions caused by its rapid urbanization and industrialization. China is now confronted with environmental pollution and ecological deterioration at a critical point, at which economic development in China is limited. Moreover, environmental problems in China have become a lit fuse for social fluctuation beyond pollution problems. The root and background of environmental problems in China, firstly, are its government's lack of understanding of these problems and incorrect economic policies affected by political and ideological prejudice. Secondly, the plundering of resources, 'the principle of development first' which didn't consider environmental sustainability is another source of environmental deterioration in China. In addition, a huge population and poverty in China have increased the difficulty in solving its environmental problems, and in fact have accelerated them. The Chinese government has established many environmental laws and institutions, increased environmental investments, and is enlarging the participation of NGOs and the general public in some limited scale to solve its environmental problems. However, it has not obtained effective results because of the lack of environmental investments owing to the government's limit of the development phase, a structural limit of law enforcement and local protectionism, and the limit of political independency in NGOs and the lack of public participation in China. It seems that China remains in the stage of 'economic development first, environmental protection second', contrary to its catch-phrase of 'the harmony between economic development and environmental protection'. China is now confronted with dual pressure both domestically and abroad because of deepening environmental problems. There are growing public's protests and demonstrations in China in response to the spread of damage owing to environmental pollution and ecological deterioration. On the other hand, international society, in particular neighboring countries, regard China as a principal cause of ecological disaster. In the face of this dual pressure, China is presently contemplating a 'recycling economy' that helps sustainable development through the structural reform of industries using too much energy and through more severe law enforcement than now. Therefore, it is desirable to promote regional cooperation more progressively and practically in the direction of building China's ability to solve environmental problems.

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Collection of Adult and Larval Mosquitoes in U.S. Army Compounds in the Republic of Korea During 1979~1983 (한국에 주둔한 미군지역내에서의 모기 성충과 유충 채집(1979~1983))

  • ;R.K
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.22 no.1
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    • pp.102-108
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    • 1984
  • This paper is the result of adult female mosquito and larval collection in U.S. Army Installations in Korea from 1979 to 1983. New Jersey light traps were operated for adult collection from May to October. The primary concern of this surveillance is to determine when to recommend insecticide spraying for mosquito control in the Army areas. The 5th Preventive Medicine Unit have developed an "index" level of female mosquitoes in a light trap similar to other U.S. Army Agencies in other parts of the world. When 10 female mosquitoes are reached on two consecutive trap-night, or 5 known vector females are collected, fogging is recommended in the trap areas. 1. Mosquito collections were conducted in 12 U.S. Army areas by operating 39 New Jersey light traps. Mosquitoes collected from the areas were identified to be 17 species comprising 3 genera. Anopheles sinensis (40%), Culex tritaeniorhynchus (31%), Aedes vexans nipponii (19 %) and Culex pipiens pallens (10%) appeared to be the most common species in the areas. 2. The species, population density and monthly appearance of adult mosquitoes were found to be almost the same in the all provinces involved. And Japanese Encephalitis vector mosquitoes, Culex tritaeniorhynchus, showed their seasonal fluctuation from July to September with a peak in August each year. 3. Larval habitats confirmed in the Army areas were categorized into 16 types as shown in Table 3. The mosquito larvae collected in those habitats were identified to be 15 species representing 4 genera. Most breeding sites in the Army areas were those which are activated during the wet season. 4. More mosquitoes were collected from the Kyungki Province than from the other Provinces. The reason for more collection of mosquitoes from military installations in the Kyungki Province appears to be the geographic characteristics surrounded by rice fields, marshes and other stagnant water areas.

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Estimation and Methods Estimating Daily Food Consumption of Agrammus agrammus (노래미, Agrammus agrammus의 일간섭식량 추정법과 추정)

  • KIM Chong-Kwan;KANG Yong-Joo
    • Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.25 no.4
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    • pp.241-250
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    • 1992
  • This study was covered the amount of food consumed per day as well as methods estimating the daily food consumption per fish of Agrammus agrammus in natural population to understand flow of food organisms among trophic levels in bio-community of the coastal waters, Shinsudo, Samchonpo. The estimating formulas were induced from the mathematical models that representing the diurnal fluctuation of the stomach fullness of the fish. The daily food consumption could be estimated by both feeding rates and gastric evacuation rates, but it was more reasonable method that based on gastric evacuation rates than feeding rates. The daily food consumption in wet weight per fish by gastric evacuation rates were 1.9856g/day, 3.4725g/day, 4.4418g/day, 5.8168g/day, and 7.2113g/day in the order of age groups from 0 to 4. The daily rations as percentage of body weight were $9.35\%,\;6.65\%,\;5.76\%,\;4.72\%\;and\;5.31\%$ in the order of ages. The daily food consumption was proportional to the body weight of fish, but the daily food consumption per specific body weight was reciprocal to the body weight. Annual food consumption in wet weight. per fish by gastric evacuation rates were 529.98g from the age of 0.25 to 1.0, 1,269.28g from the age of 1.0 to 2.0, 1,622.76g from the age of 2.0 to 3.0, 2,125.57g from the age of 3.0 to 4.0, 1,316.09g from the age of 4.0 to 4.5 The amount of food consumed per fish during 4.25 years, from the age of 0.25 to 4.5, was 6,863.68g in wet weight. the relationships between the daily food consumption(Dr) by gastric evacuation rates and the total length(L, cm) or the body weight(W, g) were as follows: $$Dr=0.036L^{1.702}$$ $$Dr=0.254W^{0.664}$$

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Temporal Variation in the Distributions of the Benthic Heterotrophic Protozoa and Their Grazing Impacts on Benthic Bacteria and Microalgae in the Ganghwa Tidal Flat, Korea (강화도 펄 갯벌에서 저서성 원생동물 분포의 시간적 변이와 박테리아 및 미세 조류에 대한 포식압)

  • Yang, Eun-Jin;Choi, Joong-Ki;Yoo, Man-Ho;Cho, Byung-Cheol;Choi, Dong-Man
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.10 no.1
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    • pp.19-30
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    • 2005
  • To investigate the seasonal distribution and grazing impacts of benthic protozoa in mud flat, their abundance, biomass and grazing rates of benthic protozoa were evaluated at interval of two or three month in Gangwha Island from April, 2002 to April, 2004. Heterotrophic flagellates and ciliates accounted for an average 98% of benthic protozoa biomass. Abundance and carbon biomass of heterotrophic flagellates ranged from $0.2{\times}10^5$ to $5.9{\times}10^5\;cells\;cm{-3}$ and from 0.02 to $9.2\;{\mu}gC\;cm^{-3}$, respectively. Biomass of heterotrophic flagellates was high in spring and fall, and showed no differences among stations. Abundance and biomass of heterotrophic flagellates decreased with the depth and were high within the surface 2.5 m sediment layer. The majority of heterotrophic flagellates were less than $10\;{\mu}m$ in length, and few euglenoid flagellates were larger than $20\;{\mu}m$. Abundance and carbon biomass of ciliates ranged from $0.1{\times}10^3$ to $17.8{\times}10^3\;cells\;cm^{-3}$ and from 0.02 to $9.1\;{\mu}gC\;cm^{-3}$, respectively, and those of ciliates were high in spring and fall. Biomass of ciliates was high within the surface 2.5 mm sediment layer and was higher at st. J2 and st. J3 than st. J1. Among the revealed benthic ciliates, the hypotrichs were the most important group in terms of abundance and biomass. During the sampling periods, an average 66% of benthic protozoa biomass was covered by ciliates. The seasonal distribution of benthic protozoa showed an almost similar fluctuation pattern to that of chlorophyll-a. The results suggest that the biomass of benthic protozoa were mainly controlled by prey abundance, for example, diatoms. Based on ingestion rates, benthic protozoa removed from 13.4 to 40.7% of bacterial production and from 20.1 to 36.4% of primary production. Ingestion rates of benthic protozoa on bacteria and microphytobenthos were high in April. Benthic protozoa in this study area may play a pivotal role in the carbon flow of the benthic microbial food web during spring.

Dynamics of Inorganic Nutrients and Phytoplankton in Shihwa Reservoir (시화호에서 무기영양염과 식물플랑크톤의 동태)

  • Kim, Dong-Sup;Cho, Kyung-Je;Shin, Jae-Ki
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.33 no.2 s.90
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    • pp.109-118
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    • 2000
  • The dynamics of inorganic nutrients and phytoplankton population were examined at eight stations of Shihwa Reservoir, which situated near the cities newly constructed and the industrial complex of West-sea in Korea, from January to December 1999. Among environmental factors, average concentration of $NH_4$, SRP and SRSi were $522.7\;{\mu}g\;N/l$, $9.8\;{\mu}g\;N/l$ and $0.26\;{\mu}g\;Si/l$, respectively. Water quality was extremely deteriorated by a great amount of pollutants load into inner reservoir after the event of rainfall. Nutrients concentration was suddenly decreased toward the lower part. While $NO_3$ concentration did not much varied among stations, but it was relatively high in winter season. Chlorophyll-a concentration was high at the upper part of the reservoir, with average of $37.2\;{\mu}/l$, and closely related to the fluctuation of $NH_4$, SRP and SRSi concentrations. The phytoplankton development in the water column was dominated by diatom (autumn), prasinoid (winter) and dinoflagellate (summer). Dominant phytoplankton were composed to Skeletonema costatum of diatom, Prorocentrum minimum of dinoflagellate, Chroomonas spp. of cryptomonad, Eutreptiella gymnastica of euglenoid and Pyramimonas spp. of prasinoid. The large bloom of phytoplankton at the upper zone of the Shihwa Reservoir after inflow of a seawater were consistently observed. In consequence, water quality management of the inlet stream was assessed to be very important and urgent.

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Epidemiological Studies of Clonorchiasis. - I. Current Status and Natural Transition of the Endemicity of Clonorchis sinensis in Gimhae Gun and Delta, a High Endemic area in Korea (간흡충증(肝吸虫症)의 역학(疫學) - I. 고도유행지(高度流行地) 김해지방(金海地方)에 있어서의 간흡충감염(肝吸虫感染)의 현황(現況)과 자연추이(自然推移))

  • Kim, D.C.;Lee, O.Y.;Lee, J.S.;Ahn, J.S.;Chang, Y.M;Son, S.C.;Moon, I.S.
    • Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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    • v.8 no.1
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    • pp.44-65
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    • 1983
  • As a part of the epidemiological studies of clonorchiasis, this study was conducted to evaluate the current endemicity and the natural transition of the Clonorchis infection in Gimhae Gun and delta area a high endemic area in Korea in recent years, prior to the introduction of praziquantel which will eventually influence the status of the prevalence. The data obtained in this study in 1983 were evaluated for natural transition of the infection in comparison with those obtained 16 years ago in 1967 by the author(Kim, 1974). The areas of investigation, villages and schools surveyed, methods and techniques used in this study were the same as in 1967, except for the contents of the questionnaire for raw freshwater fish consumption by the local inhabitants. 1) The prevalence rate of clonorchiasis in the general population of the villages was 48.1% on the average out of a total of 484 persons examined. The average of those of the riverside-delta area was 65.2% and 43.0% in the inland area. Among the schoolchildren, the prevalence rate was 8.2% on the average out of a total of 1,423 examined. By area, the prevalence rate was 10.8% in the riverside delta area and 2.8% in the inland area. By sex, difference in the prevalence was seen only in the inhabitants of the inland area showing 52.4% in the male and 33.5% in the female. 2) In the natural transition of the infection, the prevalence rate among the inhabitants has decreased from 68.8% in 1967 to 48.1% in 1983, and in the schoolchildren from 56.4% in 1967 to 8.2% in 1983. The reduction rate was higher in the riverside-delta area than in the inland area. 3) In the prevalence rate by age, 11.9% was first seen in the 5-9 age group and the rate gradually increased up to 75.0% in the 50-59 age group. By sex, the rate was higher in the male than in the female in the 20-29 age group and over. 4) In the natural transition of the prevalence rate by age, the reduction rate of the infection during the past 16 years was greater in the younger age groups up to the 40-49 age group and reached the same level in the age group 50-59. Reduction was seen again in the age group over 60s. By sex, the reduction rate was greater in the female than in the male in the 20-29 age group and over. By area, the reduction rate was greater in the riverside delta area than in the inland area, particularly in the young age groups. 5) In the intensity of the infection among the cases, the mean egg out-put per mg feces per infected cases(EPmg) in the inhabitants was 6.3. EPmg of those of the river-side-delta area was 15.4 and that of the in-land was 2.8. On the other hand, in the schoolchildren, EPmg was 3.2, and no difference was seen between the two areas, the river-side-delta area and the inland area. 6) In the transition of the intensity of the infection by area, EPmg among the inhabitants inexplically increased from 7.8 in 1967 to 15.4 in 1983. This was probably caused by uneven specimen collection in the process of sampling the population. EPmg of the inhabitants in the inland area and those of the schoolchildren of both riverside delta and inland areas showed a similar decrease in the past 16 years. 7) The intensity of the infection by age showed a relatively low level in the 20-29 age group and below, and EPmg 5.1-9.5 was seen in the 30-39 age group and over. Sex, Epmg was 5.8 in the male and 4.7 the female. By in 8) In the transition of the intensity of the infection, EPmg decreased from 6.2 in 1967 to 5.4 in 1983. By age, in contrast to the figures of 1967 in which EPmg gradually increased with some fluctuation from 1.1 in the 0-4 age group to peak 10.5 in the 50-59 age group, in 1983 lower intensity of the infection was seen in the age group from 10-14 to 20-29 with the EPmg range of 0.6-2.7. 9) In the distribution of the clonorchiasis cases by the range of EPmg value, 43.2% of the cases were in 0.1 0.9 and 34.6% in 1.0-4.9. As a whole by cumulative percent, 44.6% of them were under 0.9 as light infection and 86.1% of them under 9.9 up to moderate infection. By sex, no difference was seen in Epmg. 10) In the transition of the distribution by the range of Epmg, the cases were distributed up to the range 80.0-99.9 in 1967 and to 60.0-79.9 in 1983. By cumulative percent, in the range of 0.1-0.9 and less, light infection, 34.3% of them were distributed in 1967 and 44.6% in 1983 with about 10% increase. In the range of 5.0-9.9 and less, up to moderate infection, 83.2% in 1967 and 86.1% in 1983 of the cases were seen, respectively. 11) The practice of raw freshwater fish consumption among the inhabitants seems to have decreased in recent years. Those who admitted to raw freshwater fish consumption in the last two years among the infected inhabitants were 59.3%, although 86.8% of them professed to have experience with raw freshwater fish consumption. 31.7% of those who have had experience of the raw freshwater fish consumption denied any further consumption in recent years. From an interview of 543 school-children, 24.1% of them admitted to an experience of raw freshwater fish consumption. However, those who have practised in the past two years comprized 17.9%. Those who denied raw freshwater fish consumption in recent years among those who had such experience were 26.0% out of 131 interviewed. The rate of raw freshwater fish consumption in both inhabitants and schoolchildren were higher in the male than in the female. On the contrary, the rate of those who did not practise in recent years among those who had experience of raw freshwater fish consumption was higher in the female than in the male. 12) The major reason for the reduction of raw freshwater fish consumption among the local inhabitants was the risk of the fluke infection. However, it has become apparent that such change of taste has resulted from water pollution impact which has affected throughout the areas of the freshwater systems in this locality since last several years. 13) In animal survey, Clonorchis infection was seen in 14.8% of 88 dogs examined and 3.7% of 27 house rats examined. It was noted that populations of dogs and cats have increased in the villages surveyed. Although the prevalence rate was lower in the present survey than those of 1967, the significance of the animals as the reservoir host has not changed. 14) Prevalence rate of Clonorchis infection by cercariae in the first intermediate host, Parafossarulus manchouricus, was 0.6% out of 517 snails examined. The infection rate was lower in comparison with 2.3% out of 2,124 examined in 1967. Moreover, sharp decreases in number and distribution of the intermediate host snails in many watershed areas of the huge freshwater systems in this locality seemed to reduce transmission of Clonorchis in connection with the intermediate host stage of its life cycle. 15) Clonorchis infection in the second intermediate fish hosts was relatively low. The mean number of Clonorchis metacercaria per fish in Pseudorasbora parva was 517 in 1983, whereas it was 1943 in 1968 through 1969. Environmental water pollution has also caused the decreased fish population density in these areas, and this has also apparently affected to the practice of raw freshwater fish consumption among the local inhabitants. 16) In conclusion, endemicity of Clonorchis infection in Gimhae Gum and delta area of the Nagdong River has sharply decreased during the past 16 years. The major cause of the regressive transition of the infection was the water pollution of the land water systems of this locality. The pollution has upset the ecosystems comprizing of the intermediate hosts of Clonorchis in many areas, and also affected to a significant extent to the discontinuance of the local inhabitants for raw freshwater fish consumption.

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