Trichuris trichiura Infection in North Korean Defector Resulted in Chronic Abdominal Pain and Growth Retardation
Trichuris trichiura infection is a common helminth infection, which is transmitted via soil, with worldwide distribution, especially in rural areas of developing countries. Occasionally, sporadic cases occur in non-endemic, developed areas due to the widespread of immigration. We experienced a case...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Jin Publishing & Printing Co.
2017-04-01
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| Series: | The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.kjg.or.kr/journal/view.html?doi=10.4166/kjg.2017.69.4.243 |
| _version_ | 1818487507139952640 |
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| author | Jong Bin Kim Kwang Il Seo Won Moon |
| author_facet | Jong Bin Kim Kwang Il Seo Won Moon |
| author_sort | Jong Bin Kim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Trichuris trichiura infection is a common helminth infection, which is transmitted via soil, with worldwide distribution, especially in rural areas of developing countries. Occasionally, sporadic cases occur in non-endemic, developed areas due to the widespread of immigration. We experienced a case of Trichuris dysentery syndrome in a young North Korean defector, who had been suffering from chronic abdominal pain for 10 years. He is relatively short and thin compared with his older brother. Unexpectedly, the diagnosis, made by a colonoscopy, revealed numerous, small, white, and gently moving worms at the cecum and ascending colon. After 3 days of albendazole (400 mg once daily) administration, clinical symptoms subsided dramatically. On the follow-up colonoscopy, which was performed two months after the completion of his treatment, complete eradication was identified. Soil-transmitted helminths, including Trichuris trichiura, are disappearing becoming less prevalent in South Korea as a result of both national driving force and environmental improvement. However, these diseases should be considered when we meet foreign patients from developing countries, like North Korea, presenting chronic abdominal pain. Moreover, proper treatment of North Korean defectors and performing cohort studies of them would help to prepare for the possible unification era in the field of gastroenterology. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T16:38:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9daeda710a1f4a91962f851850897e92 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1598-9992 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T16:38:34Z |
| publishDate | 2017-04-01 |
| publisher | Jin Publishing & Printing Co. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology |
| spelling | doaj.art-9daeda710a1f4a91962f851850897e922022-12-22T01:41:18ZengJin Publishing & Printing Co.The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology1598-99922017-04-0169424324710.4166/kjg.2017.69.4.243kjg.2017.69.4.243Trichuris trichiura Infection in North Korean Defector Resulted in Chronic Abdominal Pain and Growth RetardationJong Bin Kim0Kwang Il Seo1Won Moon2Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, KoreaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, KoreaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, KoreaTrichuris trichiura infection is a common helminth infection, which is transmitted via soil, with worldwide distribution, especially in rural areas of developing countries. Occasionally, sporadic cases occur in non-endemic, developed areas due to the widespread of immigration. We experienced a case of Trichuris dysentery syndrome in a young North Korean defector, who had been suffering from chronic abdominal pain for 10 years. He is relatively short and thin compared with his older brother. Unexpectedly, the diagnosis, made by a colonoscopy, revealed numerous, small, white, and gently moving worms at the cecum and ascending colon. After 3 days of albendazole (400 mg once daily) administration, clinical symptoms subsided dramatically. On the follow-up colonoscopy, which was performed two months after the completion of his treatment, complete eradication was identified. Soil-transmitted helminths, including Trichuris trichiura, are disappearing becoming less prevalent in South Korea as a result of both national driving force and environmental improvement. However, these diseases should be considered when we meet foreign patients from developing countries, like North Korea, presenting chronic abdominal pain. Moreover, proper treatment of North Korean defectors and performing cohort studies of them would help to prepare for the possible unification era in the field of gastroenterology.http://www.kjg.or.kr/journal/view.html?doi=10.4166/kjg.2017.69.4.243Trichuris trichiuraGrowth retardationAbdominal pain |
| spellingShingle | Jong Bin Kim Kwang Il Seo Won Moon Trichuris trichiura Infection in North Korean Defector Resulted in Chronic Abdominal Pain and Growth Retardation The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology Trichuris trichiura Growth retardation Abdominal pain |
| title | Trichuris trichiura Infection in North Korean Defector Resulted in Chronic Abdominal Pain and Growth Retardation |
| title_full | Trichuris trichiura Infection in North Korean Defector Resulted in Chronic Abdominal Pain and Growth Retardation |
| title_fullStr | Trichuris trichiura Infection in North Korean Defector Resulted in Chronic Abdominal Pain and Growth Retardation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trichuris trichiura Infection in North Korean Defector Resulted in Chronic Abdominal Pain and Growth Retardation |
| title_short | Trichuris trichiura Infection in North Korean Defector Resulted in Chronic Abdominal Pain and Growth Retardation |
| title_sort | trichuris trichiura infection in north korean defector resulted in chronic abdominal pain and growth retardation |
| topic | Trichuris trichiura Growth retardation Abdominal pain |
| url | http://www.kjg.or.kr/journal/view.html?doi=10.4166/kjg.2017.69.4.243 |
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