A historical review and prospects of medical entomology research in Korea

Abstract

Research activities of medical entomology in Korea can briefly be divided into three periods. During the first period (1910-1959), medical entomology research was initiated by Japanese workers, and then by U.S. Army Medical Unit personnels and a few Korean pioneers, who greatly contributed to establishing a foundation for medical entomology in Korea. During the second period (1960-1979), research activities were intensively carried out by the entomology team of the Central Malaria Eradication Service and staffs of the Division of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Health, who collaborated with WHO-Vector Ecology and Control Research Unit. During the third period (1980-present), studies were expanded to different research laboratories, such as Departments of Biology in College of Natural Sciences and Departments of Parasitology or others in Medical Schools, and study topics also became diverse. Out of 313 papers on Korean arthropods of medical importance, the majority were on mosquitoes (142 papers, 45.4%) and, next, on flies (53 papers, 16.9%). It is hard to see the future prospect of medical entomology research in Korea, since it looks pessimistic in some respects but optimistic in others. Korean medical entomologists may be quantitatively lacking, but not qualitatively behind.