Elimination of lymphatic filariasis in the Republic of Korea

초록

The lymphatic filariasis had been prevalent in Korea more than 1,000 years before. Scientific identification of lymphatic filariasis including elephantiasis was conducted in 1927 for the first time in Korea. The positive rate for microfilaria in southern region of Korea and Jeju-do was 12.1%, and the highest positive rate in Jeju-do in which it reached 26.6% in the 1950s. All the affected species were identified as Brugia malayi in Korea. Cemotherapy with diethylcarbamazine in endemic areas of Jeollanam-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do and Jeju-do had been started from the 1960s. In the 1980s, epidemiological surveys in Jeju-do revealed that the microfilaria positive rate had been signifiocantly reduced to low levels of 0.3%. In inland Korea, there has also been marked decrease of microfilaremia from 12.4% in 1973 to 0% in 1987. In 2002 to 2006, KCDC carried out for microfilaria surveys in three past endemic areas in order to conformation of elimination of lymphatic filariasis in Korea, and there was no positive case (0 case/9,426 examinee). A seroepidemiological survey was also carried out for 3,049 elementary school children aged 10-13 and 1,526 residents in past endemic areas. No case was found to be positively reacted. These data reflect the transmission of filariasis was terminated and eliminated in the Republic of Korea. These results were reported to WHO as final report for elimination of lymphatic filariasis in the Republic of Korea on September 1, 2007, and WHO verified free-filariasis in Korea on March 28, 2008.