Parasitic Diseases of Upper Gastrointestinal Tract

Korea was a hotspot for parasitic infections until modern times. However, following economic development, improved health and hygiene and farming methods, and successful implementation of active deworming programs, human parasites are rare. Currently, medical and scientific advances have improved the survival rate of elderly and immunocompromised hosts, and immunosuppressants are widely administered for treatment, which may predispose patients to parasitic and various opportunistic infections. Furthermore, globalization has led to the entry of an increasing number of individuals from various countries into Korea, which increases the risk of transmission of parasites from foreign countries into Korea. However, parasitic diseases will tend to disappear in Korea, which may lead to reduced proficiency and diagnostic rate of existing stool tests, and new diagnostic methods tailored to Korea are unavailable. Currently, endoscopy is widely used as a standard method for gastrointestinal disease evaluation in Korea, and endoscopically detected parasites or parasite-induced abnormalities are useful to establish diagnosis in many cases. In this article, the author summarize the current status of endoscopic detection of parasitic diseases affecting the upper gastrointestinal tract.