• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 2018

The giant roundworm Ascaris infects pigs and people worldwide and causes serious diseases. The taxonomic relationship between Ascaris suum and Ascaris lumbricoides is still unclear. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of 258 Ascaris specimens from humans and pigs from 6 sympatric regions in Ascaris-endemic regions of China using existing simple sequence repeat data. The microsatellite markers showed a high level of allelic richness and genetic diversity in the samples. Each of the populations demonstrated excess homozygosity (Ho0). According to a genetic differentiation index (Fst=0.0593), there was a high-level of gene flow in the Ascaris populations. A hierarchical analysis on molecular variance revealed remarkably high levels of variation within the populations. Moreover, a population structure analysis indicated that Ascaris populations fell into 3 main genetic clusters, interpreted as A. suum, A. lumbricoides, and a hybrid of the species. We speculated that humans can be infected with A. lumbricoides, A. suum, and the hybrid, but pigs were mainly infected with A. suum. This study provided new information on the genetic diversity and population structure of Ascaris from human and pigs in China, which can be used for designing Ascaris control strategies. It can also be beneficial to understand the introgression of host affiliation.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 1971

The authors examined the Ascaris eggs on the surface of the strawberries and in the soil of the strawberry yards. The results were as follows: 1. The number of Ascaris eggs detected from 870 strawberries grown on strawberry yards was 26, of which 17 eggs were found to be alive. 2. The mean number of Ascaris eggs detected in every 10gm of the soil of strawberry yards was 10.3. The Ascaris eggs were detected over 93% from the yards examined, which had been fertilized with both chemical fertilizer and night soil, or night soil only. 3. No Ascaris eggs was found from strawberries which were produced only with chemical fertilizer. 4. Ascaris eggs were detected 6 from 705 marketing strawberries studied, 3 of them developed to larval stage. 5. when the strawberries were washed by shaking 20 times after kept immersed in water for 10 minutes, the recovery rates of Ascaris eggs after first, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th washing were 60, 87, 96, 99 and 100%, respectively. 6. Besides Ascaris eggs of hook worm and Fasciolidae were also found from the strawberries examined.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.237-242
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• 2015

Analysis of ancient DNA (aDNA) extracted from Ascaris is very important for understanding the phylogenetic lineage of the parasite species. When aDNAs obtained from a Joseon tomb (SN2-19-1) coprolite in which Ascaris eggs were identified were amplified with primers for cytochrome b (cyt b) and 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) gene, the outcome exhibited Ascaris specific amplicon bands. By cloning, sequencing, and analysis of the amplified DNA, we obtained information valuable for comprehending genetic lineage of Ascaris prevalent among pre-modern Joseon peoples.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.466-471
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• 2011

Allergic asthma is complex inflammatory airway disorder caused by genetic and environmental factors. Sulfamethoxazole, a sulfonamide, is the cause of drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome. Parasites infection also related with eosinophilia and allergic diseases. In the present study, we investigated the modulating effects of parasitic derivative and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) on allergic airway inflammation in the ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine asthma model. Histopathological changes, cytokine secretion, and total and allergen-specific IgE were investigated. BALB/c mice were treated with Ascaris suum extract or SMX for 4 weeks before sensitized and challenged to ovalbumin. Pre-treatment of Ascaris suum extract decreased allergic inflammation in lung tissue and IL-4, total IgE, and OVA-specific IgE levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. However, pre-treatment of SMX did not show any effects on allergic airway inflammation. These results indicate that parasitic infection has protective effects on allergic asthma, but the sulfamamides may not relate with allergic asthma.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.28-33
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• 1980

This study was undertaken to evaluate the present status of A. lumbricoides infection in a rural area of Korea. The 307 residents of all age group in Gumsa Myun, Yeo Ju Gun were examined by Kato's cellophane thick smear technique. Pyrantel pamoste was administered to the Ascaris infection cases by a single dose of 5mg/kg of body weight. The whole amount of 24 hour stool during two or three consecutive days were collected sepatately. The expelled A. lumbricoides worms from the unfiltered stool remnants were collected. They were measured by the length and weight, and the sex of the worms were differentiated. The results are as follows: 1) The incidence of A. lumbricoids infection of the 307 specimens examined was 40.1%(male: 40.9%, female:39.0%). The difference according to guman sex distribution was not statistically significant. 2) Seventy two Ascaris infected cases expelled 163 worms of various size. The mean number of worms per infected case were calculated as 2.3. The sex ratio of examined female and male Ascaris was 1.5:1 3) Among the expelled 97 female worms, the genital girdle were found in 60 female worms(61.9%). Genital girdle of gemale worm was located from the head in the position of $38{\pm}4$ of total length 100. 4) The average body length of male Ascaris was $16.3{\pm}3.1cm$ and female Ascaris was $21.7{\pm}3.5cm$ 5) The relationship between the weight(Y) and the length(X) of individual Ascaris worm was plotted. Y(gm).0.32$\fallingdotseq$(cm)-3.1 in female and Y(gm)$\fallingdotseq$0.1X(cm)-0.1 in male.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.107-117
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• 1998

The cultivation for development of Ascaris suum from the second-stage larvae($L_2$) embryonated egg and the third-stage of rat-derived larvae($L_3$) recovered from lung of rats were performed to use the screening test of anthelmintics in vitro. The preparations of larvae for cultivation were that the artificially-hatched $L_2$ incubated the embryonated eggs of Ascaris suum in 0.1% formalin solution at $25^{\circ}C$ for 28 days and the rat-derived larvae($L_3$) recovered from the lung of rat infected with the embryonated eggs of Ascaris suum on 7 days after infection(DAI). The cultivation for development of Ascaris suum from the embryonated eggs($L_2$) and the rat-derived larvae($L_3$) for 14 days in RPMI medium 1640(with 5% bovine calf serum) were as follows : 1. The sizes of the liberated larvae($L_2$) which were artificially hatched from embryonated eggs with glass beads(diameter 5mm) were $190{\sim}250{\mu}m$ on 1 days in culture(DIC). The second-stage larvae were molted into third-stage larvae(early $L_3$; $250{\sim}300{\mu}m$) and the features of these larvae were first observed such as cephalic cuticle, esophageal lumen and anus etc. on 5 DIC and the sizes of late third-stage larvae were $250{\sim}450{\mu}m$ on 10 DIC. The sizes of early fourth-stage larvae($L_4$) were $500{\sim}700{\mu}m$ and the features of these larvae were more pronounced in internal organs on 15 DIC. 2. The sizes of third-stage larvae($L_3$) recovered from the lung of rats were $1,340{\sim}1,370{\mu}m$ and the feartures of cephalic cuticle, esophageal lumen, intestine, rectum, anus were visualized by inverted microscope on 1 DIC. The fourth-stage larva($L_4$) completed by third ecdysis were recognizable and sizes of early fourth-stage larvae were developed as $1,400{\sim}2,200{\mu}m$ on 5 DIC. The sizes of middle fourth-stage of larva were $1,900{\sim}2,300{\mu}m$ and the thickened epithelial rectum was observed on 10 DIC. The rectum and anus of late fourth-stage larva($L_4$ $2,500{\sim}3,200{\mu}m$) had developed completely in RPMI medium 1640 on 15 DIC.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.589-594
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• 1998

The in vitro screening tests against the in vitro cultivated $L_3$ of Ascaris suum (in vitro $L_3$), which were cultivated from the embryonated egg to third-stage larva on 7 days in culture(DIC) and the in vivo rat's lung-derived $L_3$ of Ascaris suum (in vivo $L_3$), which were recovered from the lungs of rat on 7 days after infection, carried out in order to compare the anthelmintic efficacy of in vitro $L_3$ and that of in vivo $L_3$ in RPMI medium 1640 with 5% bovine calf serum. And also a screening test of efficacy against adult worms of Trichuris suis performed. The efficacies of screening tests were as follows : 1. The screening efficacies of abamectin and ivermectin against the in vitro $L_3$ were all 100% at the 10ppm concentration in RPMI medium 1640 on 5 DIC. 2. The screening efficacies of abamectin and ivermectin against the in vivo $L_3$ were all 100% at the 20ppm on 5 DIC or at 40ppm on 3 DIC. 3. The screening efficacies of abamectin and ivermectin against the adult worms of Trichuris suis were all 100% at 20ppm on 4 DIC. And therefore, the in vitro cultivated $L_3$ of Ascaris suum were used in the screening test as well as the in vivo rat's lung-derived $L_3$ of Ascaris suum. And also the adult worms such as Trichuris suis and filaroids which is small size and difficult to cultivate to vitro, were used in the screening test in vitro.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.247-252
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• 1985

In the present study, the effect of primary infection to reinfection with Ascaris suum larvae was experimented in mouse model. Mice were challenged with 1,000 infective stage eggs of Ascaris suum. The embryonated eggs were directly introduced into stomach of mice. Reinfection was performed at 50 days after the primary infection with same method as primary infection. Mice were sacrificed 3, 5, 7, 10, 15 and 20 days after infection in both groups respectively. Larvae collected from livers and lungs with Baermann's apparatus were enumerated and measured after sacrifice. Sera of mice were also collected at same time. The results of the experiment were as follows: With antigen prepared from coelomic fluid of adult Ascaris suum and sera collected from mice before reinfection, the production of antibody in experimental mice was confirmed by the gel-diffusion technique. In the livers of reinfected mice, the larvae were recovered up to 10 days after challenge, otherwhile in the primary infected mice, the larvae were observed up to 7 days. The maximum number of larvae were observed in the lungs of primary infected mice on 10 days after inoculation. In the lungs of reinfected mice, maximum number of larvae were recovered on 7 days after, only few larvae were recovered on 10 days after reinfection. As regards the growth of the larvae, the third stage larvae, over $500{\mu\textrm{m}}$ in length, appeared in livers at 5 days after reinfection, but it couldn't be found on 7 days and 10 days after challenge. The third stage larvae continuously developed were observed in lungs of mice from 5 days after reinfection. In conclusion, it was found that development of larvae in livers of immune mice were probably repressed by the immune mechanisms being rises in livers and defence mechanism is also acting by interfering with the process of larval penetration into the lung from the liver.

• Journal of the korean veterinary medical association
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• v.48 no.9
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• pp.540-543
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• 2012

Livestock excretes are frequently used in organic farming to produce vegetables and crops. However, zoonotic parasite eggs can be contaminated into such products and people can be infected with parasites of animal origin. Sporadic zoonotic infections with Ascaris suum have been reported even in developed countries, such as North America, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. Ascaris eggs are resistant to most adverse environmental conditions, and pigs and humans become infected by ingestion of fecally excreted eggs through contaminated food, water, or soil. This article discusses the resistant nature of ascarid eggs against harsh environment, and conditions of kimchi to be safe from consuming viable A. suum eggs.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.177-185
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• 2006

Soil-transmitted helminths (STH), namely Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworms (Ancylostoma and Necator), present a global health problem to about a half of the earth's population. In the Republic of Korea, STH were highly prevalent and were considered a high priority target for national control. To promote the control, a non-governmental organization named Korea Association for Parasite Eradication (currently Korea Association of Health Promotion) was founded in 1964, and mass fecal examination followed by selective mass chemotherapy with anthelmintics was performed twice a year from 1969 to 1995 targeting whole nationwide schoolchildren. Meanwhile, decreasing patterns of national STH infections have been monitored by 7 times' quinquennial national surveys targeting general population. In 1971, the overall intestinal helminth egg positive rate was 84.3% (Ascaris 58.2%, Trichuris 65.4%, and hookworms 10.7%), which became 63.2% in 1976, 41.1% in 1981, 12.9% in 1986, 3.8% in 1992, 2.4% in 1997, and 4.3% (Ascaris 0.03%, Trichuris 0.02%, and hookworms 0%) in 2004. During the control period, national economy rapidly developed, and living standards including environment, sanitation, and agricultural technology greatly improved, which undoubtedly boosted the STH control effects. Our experience indicates that social driving force to establish an eligible national control system to conduct repeated mass chemotherapy, together with improvement of environment and sanitation, is important for initiating and achieving STH control in a developing community.