Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

The Korea Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (대한기생충학·열대의학회)
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Successful Control of Lymphatic Filariasis in the Republic of Korea

  • Cheun, Hyeng-Il (Division of Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Health) ;
  • Kong, Yoon (Department of Molecular Parasitology and Samsung Research Institute, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine) ;
  • Cho, Shin-Hyeong (Division of Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Health) ;
  • Lee, Jong-Soo (Division of Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Health) ;
  • Chai, Jong-Yil (Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Center) ;
  • Lee, Joo-Shil (Center for Immunology and Pathology, National Institute of Health) ;
  • Lee, Jong-Koo (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) ;
  • Kim, Tong-Soo (Division of Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Health)
  • Published : 2009.12.31
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Abstract

A successful experience of lymphatic filariasis control in the Republic of Korea is briefly reviewed. Filariasis in the Republic of Korea was exclusively caused by infection with Brugia malayi. Over the past several decades from the 1950s to 2006, many investigators exerted their efforts to detection, treatment, and follow-up of filariasis patients in endemic areas, and to control filariasis. Mass, combined with selective, treatments with diethylcarbamazine to microfilaria positive persons had been made them free from microfilaremia and contributed to significant decrease of the microfilarial density in previously endemic areas. Significant decrease of microfilaria positive cases in an area influenced eventually to the endemicity of filariasis in the relevant locality. Together with remarkable economic growth followed by improvement of environmental and personal hygiene and living standards, the factors stated above have contributed to blocking the transmission cycle of B. malayi and led to disappearance of this mosquito-borne ancient disease in the Republic of Korea.

Keywords

References

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