1Cancer Cohort Study Branch, Research Institute for National Cancer Control & Evaluation, National Cancer Center, Korea. 2Department of Parasitology and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Korea. 3Department of Occupational Medicine, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Korea.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of Clonorchis sinensis infestation and to determine the associated risk factors among a population in a part of the rural area of Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea, which is an area known to have a high mortality from liver cancer and a high infection of C. sinensis. METHODS: The study population consisted of those people who have lived in rural areas and who were over 40 years old. This study was performed in 5 areas during the period from 1999 to 2003. Informed consents were obtained from the 2, 381 study participants, and these people were interviewed about their life style habits with using the structured questionnaire that was administered by trained staff members. The subjects underwent blood sampling and their stool specimens were examined by using the Formalin-ether sedimentation technique. RESULTS: Among the study subjects (N=2, 381), the positivity for C. sinensis in the stool was 34.4% (95% CI= 36.3-42.5) ; it was 39.4% (95% CI=36.3-42.5) in the males and 30.9% (95% CI=28.5-33.3) in the females. The positivity for C. sinensis was associated with current alcohol drinking (odds ratio=1.8, 95% CI: 1.5-2.1) and raw fish consumption (odds ratio 1.2, 95% CI: 0.9-1.6). CONCLUSION: The present study confirmed the high prevalence of C. sinensis in the study subjects. It is necessary to establish consistent medical management and education programs for the treatment and prevention of C. sinensis infestation in the rural inhabitants of Korea.
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