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

Gyo Jun Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Divisions of Medical Entomology and Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Korean Armed Forces Medical Command, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea

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Joon-Sup Yeom Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Divisions of Medical Entomology and Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Korean Armed Forces Medical Command, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea

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Jee-Young Hong Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Divisions of Medical Entomology and Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Korean Armed Forces Medical Command, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea

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E-Hyun Shin Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Divisions of Medical Entomology and Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Korean Armed Forces Medical Command, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea

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Kyu-Sik Chang Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Divisions of Medical Entomology and Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Korean Armed Forces Medical Command, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea

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Jae-Ran Yu Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Divisions of Medical Entomology and Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Korean Armed Forces Medical Command, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea

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Sejoong Oh Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Divisions of Medical Entomology and Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Korean Armed Forces Medical Command, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea

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Hyeok Chung Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Divisions of Medical Entomology and Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Korean Armed Forces Medical Command, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea

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Jae-Won Park Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Divisions of Medical Entomology and Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Korean Armed Forces Medical Command, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea

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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.

Author Notes

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    Yeom JS, Ryu SH, Oh S, Lee WJ, Kim TS, Kim KH, Kim YA, Ahn SY, Cha JE, Park JW, 2005. Status of Plasmodium vivax malaria in the Republic of Korea during 2001–2003. Am J Trop Med Hyg 73 :604–608.

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    Yeom JS, Ryu SH, Oh S, Choi DH, Song KJ, Oh YH, Lee JH, Kim YA, Ahn SY, Yang HY, Cha JE, Park JW, 2005. Evaluation of anti-malarial effects of mass chemoprophylaxis in the Republic of Korea Army. J Korean Med Sci 20 :707–712.

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    Lim HS, Im JS, Cho JY, Bae KS, Klein TA, Yeom JS, Kim TS, Choi JS, Jang IJ, Park JW, 2009. Pharmacokinetics of hydroxy-chloroquine and its clinical implications in the chemoprophylaxis against vivax malaria. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 53 :1468–1475.

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    Lee KS, Kim TH, Kim ES, Lim HS, Yeom JS, Jun G, Park JW, 2009. Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium vivax in the Republic of Korea. Am J Trop Med Hyg 80 :215–217.

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