[Status of Parasitic Infection Diagnosed by Surgical Biopsy in Kwangju and Chollanam-do]

In order to know the species and frequency of human parasitic infection diagnosed by biopsy, 149 cases (0.18%) of parasitic infection were reviewed, which were selected from 80,947 biopsied materials submitted for routine histopathological examination during a period of 10 years from 1980 to 1989 at Department of Pathology, Chonnam National University Hospital. They consisted of 112 cases of cysticercosis, 17 paragonimiasis, 7 clonorchiasis, 4 amebiasis, 1 sparganosis, 1 enterobiasis, 1 anisakiasis, and 1 fascioliasis respectively. Based on morphological preservation of cysticercus, they could be divided into mild (20.2%), moderate (40.4%), and severe (39.4%) degeneration. Except 2 cases biopsied at the lungs, 15 cases of ectopic paragonimiasis were located at abdominal cavity (8 cases) and central nervous system (7 cases). One case of intrahepatic fascioliasis was observed. This is the 13th human fascioliasis reported in Korea. From the above results, the frequency of parasitic infections found in biopsied specimens was on the decrease as the year passed by, but biopsy is very useful diagnostic method on tissue parasites such as cysticercosis and ectopic paragonimiasis.