Comparison of egg positive rates of Enterobius vermicularis among preschool children in three Korean localities.

This survey was performed to investigate and compare egg positive rates (EPRs) of Enterobius vermicularis among preschool children in 3 Korean localities (Chuncheon-si, Inje-gun, and Paju-si) in 2008. A total of 7,048 preschool children were examined. Overall, the total EPR was 4.0%; the EPR was the highest in Chuncheon-si (5.6%), followed by Inje-gun (4.5%) and Paju-si (3.4%). The EPR of boys (4.9%) was higher than that of girls (3.1%). The EPR significantly increased with age, with the highest observed in 5~7-year-olds. These findings demonstrate that E. vermicularis infection is widely prevalent among preschool children in Chuncheon-si, Inje-gun, and Paju-si, Republic of Korea.