HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Jun, G. Articles by Park, J.-W. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Jun, G. Articles by Park, J.-W.

Resurgence of Plasmodium vivax Malaria in the Republic of Korea during 2006–2007

Gyo Jun, Joon-Sup Yeom, Jee-Young Hong, E-Hyun Shin, Kyu-Sik Chang, Jae-Ran Yu, Sejoong Oh, Hyeok Chung, AND Jae-Won Park^*

Plasmodium vivax malaria, which re-emerged in the Republic of Korea (ROK) in 1993, had decreased since 2001. However, case numbers began to increase again in 2005. The number of cases rose 54.0% in 2006, but the rate of increase slowed down in 2007. Among the total of 4,206 cases of P. vivax malaria during 2006–2007, 756 cases (18.0%) were ROK military personnel, 891 cases (21.2%) were veterans, and 2,559 cases (60.8%) were civilians. The rapid increase during this period was mostly contributed by the western part of the malaria-risk areas that is under the influence of adjacent North Korea. Local transmission cases in ROK have also increased gradually and the transmission period seemingly became longer. Chemoprophylaxis in the military should be re-assessed in view of chloroquine-resistance. Continuous surveillance and monitoring are warranted to prevent further expansion of P. vivax malaria caused by climate change in ROK.

Received February 27, 2009. Accepted for publication June 29, 2009.

Acknowledgments. We thank Young-A Kwon and Hye-Jin Kim for drawing the maps.

Financial support: This study was supported by a grant from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Republic of Korea (no. 2009-E00457-00) and a grant from the Samsung Biomedical Research Institute (no. C-A8-218-1).

^* Address correspondence to Jae-Won Park, Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, 534-2 Yeonsu-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 406-799, Republic of Korea. E-mail: jw.moses.park{at}gmail.com

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors’ addresses: Gyo Jun, Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, 534-2 Yeonsu-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 406-799, Republic of Korea. Joon-Sup Yeom, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 108 Pyung-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul 110-746, Republic of Korea. Jee-Young Hong, Department of Preventive Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, 685 Gasuwon-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon 302-718, Republic of Korea. E-Hyun Shin and Kyu-Sik Chang, Division of Medical Entomology, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 194 Tongil-lo, Eunpyung-gu, Seoul 122-701, Republic of Korea. Jae-Ran Yu, Division of Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 194 Tongil-lo, Eunpyung-gu, Seoul 122-701, Republic of Korea. Sejoong Oh, Korean Armed Forces Medical Command, P.O.B. (No.) 100, Yool-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 463-040, Republic of Korea. Hyeok Chung, Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, 534-2 Yeonsu-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 406-799, Republic of Korea. Jae-Won Park, Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, 534-2 Yeonsu-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 406-799, Republic of Korea, Tel: 82-32-460-2184, Fax: 82-32-421-5537, E-mail: jw.moses.park{at}gmail.com.