• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2012

Fascioliasis is one of the public health problems in the world. Cysteine proteinases (CP) released by $Fasciola$ $gigantica$ play a key role in parasite feeding, migration through host tissues, and in immune evasion. There has been some evidence from several parasite systems that proteinases might have potential as protective antigens against parasitic infections. Cysteine proteinases were purified and tested in vaccine trials of sheep infected with the liver fluke. Multiple doses (2 mg of CP in Freund's adjuvant followed by 3 booster doses 1 mg each at 4 week intervals) were injected intramuscularly into sheep 1 week prior to infect orally with 300 $F.$ $gigantica$ metacercariae. All the sheep were humanely slaughtered 12 weeks after the first immunization. Changes in the worm burden, ova count, and humoral and cellular responses were evaluated. Significant reduction was observed in the worm burden (56.9%), bile egg count (70.7%), and fecel egg count (75.2%). Immunization with CP was also found to be associated with increases of total IgG, $IgG_1$, and $IgG_2$ ($P$<0.05). Data showed that the serum cytokine levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-12, IFN-${\gamma}$, and TNF-${\alpha}$, revealed significant decreases ($P$<0.05). However, the anti-inflammatory cytokine levels, IL-10, TGF-${\beta}$, and IL-6, showed significant increases ($P$<0.05). In conclusion, it has been found that CP released by $F.$ $gigantica$ are highly important candidates for a vaccine antigen because of their role in the fluke biology and host-parasite relationships.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the life history, morphology, and maturation of larval stages and adult worms of Fasciola gigantica in experimental mice. Lymnaea auricularia rubiginosa was used as the intermediate host, and Oryza sativa was used for encystment of the metacercariae, while Mus musculus was used as the definitive host for maturation study. Fresh eggs from the gall bladder of water buffaloes fully developed into embryonated ones and hatched out at days 11-12 after incubation at about $29^{\circ}C$. Free-swimming miracidia rapidly penetrated into the snail host, and gradually developed into the next larval stages; sporocyst, redia, and daughter redia with cercariae. Fully-developed cercariae were separated from the redia and shed from the snails on day 39 post-infection (PI). Free-swimming cercariae were immediately allowed to adhere to rice plants, and capsules were constructed to protect metacercariae on rice plants. Juvenile worms were detected in intestines of mice at days 3 and 6 PI, but they were found in the bile duct from day 9 PI. Juvenile and adult flukes were recovered from 16 mice experimentally infected with metacercariae, with the average recovery rate of 35.8%. Sexually mature adult flukes were recovered from day 42 PI. It could be confirmed that experimentally encysted metacercariae could infect and develop to maturity in the experimental host. The present study reports for the first time the complete life history of F. gigantica by an experimental study in Thailand. The obtained information can be used as a guide for prevention, elimination, and treatment of F. gigantica at environment and in other hosts.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.173-178
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• 2021

The DM9 domain is a protein unit of 60-75 amino acids that has been first detected in the fruit fly Drosophila as a repeated motif of unknown function. Recent research on proteins carrying DM9 domains in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae and the oyster Crassostrea gigas indicated an association with the uptake of microbial organisms. Likewise, in the trematode Fasciola gigantica DM9-1 showed intracellular relocalization following microbial, heat and drug stress. In the present research, we show that FgDM9-1 is a lectin with a novel mannose-binding site that has been recently described for the protein CGL1 of Crassostrea gigas. This property allowed FgDM9-1 to agglutinate gram-positive and -negative bacteria with appropriate cell surface glycosylation patterns. Furthermore, FgDM9-1 caused hemagglutination across all ABO blood group phenotypes. It is speculated that the parenchymal located FgDM9-1 has a role in cellular processes that involve the transport of mannose-carrying molecules in the parenchymal cells of the parasite.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.42-45
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• 1967

From April to May 1967 3,275 Korean native cattle slaughtered at Taegu public slaughter house were investigated for infection rate of faciola and 222 adult fasciola species taken from the bile duct, of the patients were examined for morphological study. The results were as follows: 1. Among 3,275 Cattle 1,099 Cattle (32.5%) were infected with fasciola species. 2. Seasonal changes of infection rate were 34.7%(Winter). 33.2%(Spring), 30.9%(fall) and 29.1%(Summer). 3. Three different species(large, small and intermediate type) of fasciola were detected from the patients. These large, small and intermediate types were identified morphologically with fasciola gigantica, fasciola hepatica and fasciold indica respectivelly. Distribution of these three kind, were 52.4%(intermediate type), 28.4%(Small type) and 19.0%(large type).

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.95-98
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• 2017

Fasciola hepatica is a trematode that causes zoonosis, mainly in cattle and sheep, and occasionally in humans. Few recent studies have determined the infection status of this fluke in Korea. In August 2015, we collected 402 samples of freshwater snails at Hoenggye-ri (upper stream) and Suha-ri (lower stream) of Song-cheon (stream) in Daegwalnyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun in Gangwon-do (Province) near many large cattle or sheep farms. F. hepatica infection was determined using PCR on the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS-2). Among the 402 samples, F. hepatica 1TS-2 marker was detected in 6 freshwater snails; thus, the overall prevalence in freshwater snails was 1.5%. The prevalence varied between collection areas, ranging from 0.0% at Hoenggye-ri to 2.9% at Suha-ri. However, F. gigantica ITS-2 was not detected in the 6 F. hepatica-positive samples by PCR. The nucleotide sequences of the 6 F. hepatica ITS-2 PCR-positive samples were 99.4% identical to the F. hepatica ITS-2 sequences in GenBank, whereas they were 98.4% similar to F. gigantica ITS-2 sequences. These results indicated that the prevalence of F. hepatica in snail intermediate hosts was 1.5% in Gangwon-do, Korea; however the prevalence varied between collection areas. These results may help us to understand F. hepatica infection status in natural environments.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.317-331
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• 1990

Chromosomes of gonadal tissues from Fasciola spp, Eurytrema pancreaticum and Calicophoron calicophorum occurred Korean cattle were egamined using modified air-drying method. To compare their phenotype with three different genotypes among Fasciola spp, the adult and egg si2e were measured since they have been known as important taxonomical characters. The results obtained were as followed; Cattle liver fluke, Fasciola spp were classified into three types based on their chromosomal complements such as individual with 2o chromosome(diploid), 30 chromosome(triploid) and 20/30 mosaic constitution(mixoploid). The propotions of appearance of three types were 40.00%, 54.29% and 5.71%, respectively. The frequency of three types in type I which was regarded as F gigantica were 58.82% for diploid, 35.29% for triploid and 5.88% for mixoploid, but in type II which was regarded as F hepatica were 72.2% for triploid, 22.22% for diploid and 5.56% for mixoploid. Egg length of triploid forms was significantly larger than that of diploid forms and egg size of mixoploid forms was similiar to that of triploid forms. Worm size of triploid forms was larger than that of diploid forms and was more similar to that of mixoploid forms, but the statistical data were not significant. Diploid chromosome consisted of one pair of metacentric chromosome(m), four pairs of submetacentric chromosomes(sm), five pairs of subtelocentric chromosomes(st), while triploid chromosome consisted of one pair of metacentric chromosome, seven pairs of submetacen.tric chromosomes, one pair of subtelocentric chromosome and telocentric chromosome(t), respectively. In mixoploid chromosome, constitution of the chromosomes of diploid or triploid cell was consistent with that of diploid or triploid. Chromosomes of gonadal tissues from pancreatic fluke, Eurytrema pancreaticum consisted of 13 pairs of homologs(2n=26, n=13). The mitotic and meiotic divisions were observed frequently. In the mitotic metaphase, Karyotype consisted of five pairs of metacentric chromosomes, four pairs of submetacentric chromosomes, three pairs of subtelocentric chromosomes and one pair of telocentric chromosome. Chromosomes of gonadal tissues from stomach fluke, Calicvphoron calicophorum consisted of 9 pairs of homologs(2n=18, n=9). The meiotic divisions was frequently observed, but mitotic divisions was rare. In the mitotic metaphase, Karyotype consisted of two pairs of metacentric chromosomes, three pairs of submetacentric chromosomes and four pairs of subtelocentric chromosomes. Karyotype of Calicophoron calicophorum differed from that of Japanese C calicophorum which was similar to that of Paramphistomum cervi of Korean cattle. Though that of Calicophoron calicophorum of Korean cattle was similar to that of Paramphistomum explanatum of Korean cattle, that have been recognized to be a different species of fluke.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.291-299
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• 1987

The cattle liver flukes were collected at daughter house and classified with gross morphology. The hepatica type was only 14 flukes (4.7%) and the gigantica type was 284 flukes (95.3%) among total 298 flukes collected. In order to determinate the intermediate host of the flukes, artificial infection with the miracidia to snail hosts, Radix auricularia and Austropelea ollula, were successfully carried out, but the development in the later was terminated at the sporocyst stage. Intermediate host of the cattle flukes used to hibernate in deep part of the stubbles of rice pady. The number of A. ollula that has been collected from a rice stubble was ranged 0 to 19. Their mean number was 7 snails per the stubble. In artificial infection with miracidia, the reasonable number of them were 1 to 9 and the snail size was 2 to 5mm in length. The productivility of metacercaria in the intermediate host was observed. The metacercarial production per snail was ranged 5.5 to 48.0 per one miracidium.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.601-604
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• 1992

A total of 480 live buffaloes and 180 visceral samples from Dhaka, Mymensingh, Bogura and Rajshahi were examined for the presence of parasites of water buffaloes in Bangladesh during September, 1988 to August, 1989. The recorded parasites were eight trematodes, two cestodes, fourteen nematodes, two protozoa and two arthropods. The trematodes were Fasciola gigantica (18.9%-46.4%). Paramphistomes (Gigantocotyl explanatum, Ceylonocotyl scoliocoelium, Cotylophoron cotylophorum and Gastrothylax crumenifer (29.5%-48.3%). Schistosoma indicum (1.6%-31.6%), S. spindale (13.9%-27.7%) and S. nasalis (4.6%-8.3%). The cestodes were Hydatid cyst (24.4%), Cysticercus tenuicollis (11.1%). The nematodes were Strongyloides papillosus (14.8%-21.6%), Capillaria spp. (C. bilobata, C. bovis) (8.5%-20.0%), Setaria digitata (7.2%), Onchocerca armillata (27.2%), Thelazia rhodesii (2.3%), Gongylonema pulchrum (3.9%), Oesophagostomum radiatum (6.6%-41.6%), Hookworms (Agriostomum vryburgi, Bunostomum phlebotomum) (8.1%-17.2%), Trichostrongylus axei (11.2%-21.6%), Mecistocirrus digitatus & Haemonchus contortus (15.2%-25.5%) and Toxocara vitulorum (1.1%-9.8%). The protozoa were Eimeria zuerni (2.3%) and Trypanosoma theileri (0.4%). The arthropods were Haemaphysalis bispinosa (8.1%) and Haematopinus tuberculatus (34.6%).

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 1996

Radix auricularia coreana, the intermediate host of Fasciola gigantica, is the most common pulmonate snail in Korea, This species is often found intermingled with Austropeplea ollula, the intermediate host of F. hepatica, in their natural habitats. In the present study. the life history of Radix auricularia coreana was examined under three different laboratory conditions. Egg-masses were taken from the field-collected adult R. auricularia coreana and incubated in the temperature ramges of 22-26$^{\circ}C$. The hatching began after 11 days from spawned eggs, and complete hatching took about 12 days. The hatching rate was about 88%. The juvenile snails were cultured at three different laboratory conditions. When the juvenile snails were cultured in the aquarium fed on lettuce leaves at 22-26$^{\circ}C$, the snails reached 20 mm in shell length at 86 days after hatching. The bottom of each aquarium was filled up with washed sand(1.5 cm) and decomposing ark shells were put on the sand. The aquarium was then filled with four litres of distilled water and continuously aerated. Most of snails (93%) survived until the experimenta period. The dggs are laid in 40 days after hatching; the averge number of eggs per egg-mass was 40.8.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2015

Serine proteases form one of the most important families of enzymes and perform significant functions in a broad range of biological processes, such as intra- and extracellular protein metabolism, digestion, blood coagulation, regulation of development, and fertilization. A number of serine proteases have been identified in parasitic helminths that have putative roles in parasite development and nutrition, host tissues and cell invasion, anticoagulation, and immune evasion. In this review, we described the serine proteases that have been identified in parasitic helminths, including nematodes (Trichinella spiralis, T. pseudospiralis, Trichuris muris, Anisakis simplex, Ascaris suum, Onchocerca volvulus, O. lienalis, Brugia malayi, Ancylostoma caninum, and Steinernema carpocapsae), cestodes (Spirometra mansoni, Echinococcus granulosus, and Schistocephalus solidus), and trematodes (Fasciola hepatica, F. gigantica, and Schistosoma mansoni). Moreover, the possible biological functions of these serine proteases in the endogenous biological phenomena of these parasites and in the host-parasite interaction were also discussed.