Feline heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection is an uncommon but clinically significant disease in Korea. A retrospective review of electronic medical records from a secondary referral animal hospital in Ulsan, Korea, identified 2 antigen-positive (1.5%) cases among 130 stray cats tested between 2019 and 2023, while no infections were detected in 298 client-owned cats. As antigen testing may yield false-negative results in cats with male-only infections, the true prevalence is likely underestimated. This report describes the clinical and echocardiographic findings of 2 infected stray cats. Case 1 involved successful long-term management of heartworm-associated respiratory disease, with the cat remaining healthy for 4 years following diagnosis. Case 2 demonstrated persistent evidence of adult heartworms and sudden death after an asymptomatic period of 1 year. Echocardiography in Case 2 revealed multiple hyperechoic double lines within the pulmonary arteries, consistent with intraluminal adult worms. These cases illustrate the diagnostic challenges and variable clinical outcomes of feline heartworm infection, emphasizing the need for increased awareness in Korea.

To determine whether pinworm infections and head lice infestations spread among children in orphanages, 117 children from 4 orphanages in Busan-si and Ulsan-si, Korea, were examined for enterobiasis and head lice infestation between January and February 2014. The overall rate of Enterobius vermicularis egg positivity was 0.85%, whereas none of the children had head lice infestations. The rate of pinworm infection was much lower among the orphanage children compared to the rates observed in previous studies among kindergarten and primary school students. Moreover, the risk factors for enterobiasis were less frequent among these subjects than previously reported. The personal hygiene and health of the orphanage children were supervised by a regular, employed nurse through a health education program. In conclusion, pinworm infection was efficiently controlled among the children in orphanages, and this might be related to good personal hygiene practices in Korea.