• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.85-91
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• 2003

Gentiana scabra var. buergeri (G. scabra) is a herb known to have therapeutic effect in infection diseases. We studied cellular activation and antitoxoplasmosis in macrophages after G. scabra stimulation. Macrophage activation was detected by nitrite production. Macrophages were treated with G. scabra extracted with water or methanol. Maximal nitrite production was detected in macrophages after stimulation of G. scabra extract 0.1 mg/ml. Maximal nitrite concentration was 23.22 0.003 uM/L in macrophages after water extract of G. scabra and was 24.07 1.41 uM/L after methanol extract of G. scabra. Effect of G. scabra in the phagocytic capacity of macrophages was monitored by using PI (percentage of macrophage infected by T gondii) method. The minimum PI (42.5 2.31) was detected in macrophages treated by water extract of G. scabra 0.1 mg/ml before infection of T gondii. We also examined toxoplasmastatic capacity of macrophage using FI (fold increase) method. The minimum FI (4.46 1.16) was shown in macrophages after water extract of G. scabra 0.1 mg/ml pretreatment before infection. Under electron microscope, proliferation of T gondii was inhibited by extract of G. scabra treatment in macrophages and the mitochondrion and lysosomal vacuoles within cells were increased. Taken together, G. scabra extract activates macrophages and induces toxopalsmastatic activity after T gondii infection. It is suggested that G. scabra may be used as a therapeutic drug against toxoplasmosis.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.583-593
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• 1995

The present study was conducted to develop a toxoplasma latex agglutination test antigen(Test-MT) and evaluate the toxoplasma latex agglutination(LA) test using a newly-made "Test-MT kit" by comparing with the Toxo-MT kit(Eiken chemical co, Tokyo). Also, the specifity and sensitivity test were made by comparing with IFA test and IgG-ELISA. Tachyzoite suspensions of Toxoplasma gondii(RH strain) were ultracentrifuged for 30min at $60,000{\times}g(4^{\circ}C)$ and the supernatant was used as a water-lysate antigen. Polystyrene latex particles of $1.0{\mu}m$ in diameter(Polyscience co) were used for the preparation of sensitized latex-antigen supension(Test-MT). The frequency distribution of LA titers in Test-MT showed two peaks at <1:32 and 1:128. The borderline titer for positive test in Test-MT was determined to be 1:64. But the frequency distribution of LA tites in Toxo-MT showed two peaks at <1:16 and 1:64. The positive borderline was determined to be 1:32. Agreement of reactions between Test-MT and Toxo-MT kit by LA test was shown 92.5% in bovine sera and 97.0% in swine sera, respectively. From the results obtained here it was determined that the sensitized latex-antigen, Test-MT kit, for the microtiter agglutination test prepared as same as by the procedure described in the previous paper(Suh and Lee, 1993) was useful as a highly specific, sensitive and stable immunotiteration reagent for serodiagnosis of toxoplasma infection in animal sera.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.199-201
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• 2008

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular zoonotic protozoan with a worldwide distribution. It infects humans as well as a broad spectrum of vertebrate hosts. Cats and wild felidae play crucial roles in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis. This study was performed to survey the prevalence of T. gondii infection among stray cats in the Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. A total of 174 stray cat blood samples were collected from Gwacheon-si (n = 20), Bucheon-si (82), and Yangju-si (72). Positive sera for T. gondii were identified in 14 samples (8.1%) exclusively via the latex agglutination test, 28 (16.1%) via ELISA, and 23 (13.2%) via PCR analysis. The overall infection rate of female stray cats (29.2%) presented as higher than that of male cats (24.0%). This study suggests that T. gondii is widespread in the stray cat population of Gyeonggi-do, Korea. It is urgently needed to control urban stray cat population and to reduce the risk of zoonotic transmission of toxoplasmosis to other animal hosts and humans.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제61권4호
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• pp.418-427
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• 2023

Toxoplasma gondii infections are primarily diagnosed by serological assays, whereas molecular and fluorescence-based techniques are garnering attention for their high sensitivity in detecting these infections. Nevertheless, each detection method has its limitations. The toxoplasmosis detection capabilities of most of the currently available methods have not been evaluated under identical experimental conditions. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic potential of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF) in BALB/c mice experimentally infected with various doses of T. gondii ME49. The detection of toxoplasmosis from sera and brain tissues was markedly enhanced in mice subjected to high infection doses (200 and 300 cysts) compared to those subjected to lower doses (10 and 50 cysts) for all the detection methods. Additionally, increased B1 gene expression levels and cyst sizes were observed in the brain tissues of the mice. Importantly, IHC, IF, and ELISA, but not RT-PCR, successfully detected T. gondii infections at the lowest infection dose (10 cysts) in the brain. These findings may prove beneficial while designing experimental methodologies for detecting T. gondii infections in mice.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.441-445
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• 1996

A case of necrotizing meningoencephalitis was described in a 3-year-old female pug dog. Significant histopathological changes were confined to the brain. Histopathologically, brain lesion of the pug dog was characterized by (1) severe lymphocyte, plasma cell and macrophage infiltration in the meninges and gray and white matter of the cerebral hemisphere, (2) perivascular mononuclear cell cuffing and (3) focal polioencephalomalacia in the gray matter of cerebrum. Replicate sections of the brain and lung were negative for fungal infection, canine distemper and toxoplasmosis on PAS stain and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Based on clinical signs, histopathological and immunohistochemical studies, this case was diagnosed as necrotizing meningoencephalitis in pug dog that had not been preriously described in Korea.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.36-41
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• 1995

This study was conducted to determine the serum antibodies against toxoplasma in bovine from gyeongnam district by latex agglutination(LA) test. LA test was carried out with Toxo-MT kit(Eikon chemical co). The result obtained were summerized as follow： 1. Positive rates of toxoplasma antibodies in 1,488 bovine sera was 5.0%(75 cases) by LA test. 2. The toxoplasma antibody detection rates against 823 korean cattle and 865 dairy cattle were 1.8%(11 cases) and 7.4%(64 cases) respectively. 3. In LA test serum antibody titers in 75 positive sera were shown as 54 cases(72.0% in 1：32, 9(12.0%) in 1：64, 7(9.4%) in 1：128, 3(3.40%) in 1：256, 1(1.3%) in 512 and 1(1.3%) in 1：2,048 respectively. 4. Positive rates of toxoplasma antibodies in cattls sera from each area were 0.2∼22.0%.

• 한국건강관리협회지
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.26-32
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• 2003

The current status and future prospects of parasitic infections in Korea is briefly reviewed. Soil-transmitted helminth infections including ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm infections decreased remarkably. owing to the national control activities excuted by the Korea Association of Health Promotion(formerly Korea Association of parasite Eradication) using mass heath education. Important recent trends include reemergence of vivax malaria since 1993, persistence of food-borne trematode infections including clonorchiasis and intestinal trematode infections, increased detection of zoonotic parasitosis, close-up of infection with opportunistic parasites including cryptosporidiosis, toxoplasmosis, and pneumosytosis, increase of imported tropical infectious disease, appearance of new parasitic disease such as gymnophalloidiasis, and increase of accidental infections with free-living amoebae. These trends represent greatly changed overall patterns of parasitic infections in Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제61권2호
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• pp.210-215
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• 2023

Toxoplasmosis is a major public health concern, with raw or undercooked meat being the primary source of human infection. Knowledge regarding the molecular epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii in cattle destined for human consumption in Korea is lacking. The present study aimed to genetically characterize the infectious strains of T. gondii. Overall, 455 cattle blood samples from 84 farms in the Gyeongnam-do (Province) were randomly collected in 2017. Nested PCR analysis revealed that only 3 (0.7%) samples were infected with T. gondii. The B1 gene sequence of T. gondii was observed to be similar (97.3-99.6%) to that of other T. gondii isolates. This is the first study to perform the molecular detection of T. gondii in cattle in Korea. Although the prevalence of infection was low, our findings suggest that cattle present a potential public health issue. It may be crucial to recognize the importance of T. gondii infection in cattle meat.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제50권3호
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• pp.191-197
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• 2012

Seroepidemiological changes of Toxoplasma gondii infection among the residents of the islands of Gangwha-gun, Incheon for 2 years were surveyed and evaluated by ELISA using a crude extract antigen. In 2010, sera of 919 adult residents in Gyodong-myeon and 313 adults in Samsan-myeon were collected and checked for IgG antibody titers, which showed 14.5% (133 sera) and 19.8% (62 sera) positive rates, respectively. In 2011, sera of 955 adults in Gyodong-myeon and 341 adults in Samsan-myeon were examined, which showed an increase of positive rates to 23.8% (227 sera) and 31.7% (108 sera), respectively. Totally, the seroprevalence of the first year was 15.8% and it increased rapidly to 25.8% in the second year. The positive rates of both sexes increased simultaneously with the significant ratio of males to females by 1.7-2.2 fold (P<0.05). In both myeons, 661 sera were collected every year and showed changes in optical density (OD) in 177 sera; newly found as positives in 73 persons (11.0%), negative conversion in 10 persons (1.5%), and maintained or increased in 94 persons (14.2%). This rapid increase in the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in Gangwha islands may be due to in part peculiar changes in the toxoplasmic environment of the islands and presumably the consumption of the pork bred domestically within the islands or imported from high endemic nations. It is necessary to find out symptomatic toxoplasmic patients and confirm the risk factors for further infection in the islands of Gangwha-gun.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제57권3호
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• pp.303-308
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• 2019

Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan parasite that can cause toxoplasmosis in a wide range of warm-blooded animals including humans. In this study, we analyzed seroprevalence of T. gondii among 467 school children living in the rural areas of Pyin Oo Lwin and Naung Cho, Myanmar. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii among school children was 23.5%; 22.5% of children were positive for T. gondii IgG, 0.4% of children were positive for T. gondii IgM, and 0.6% of children were positive for both T. gondii IgG and IgM. Geographical factors did not significantly affect the seroprevalence frequency between Pyin Oo Lwin and Naung Cho, Myanmar. No significant difference was found between males (22.2%) and females (25.0%). The overall seroprevalence among school children differed by ages (10 years old [13.6%], 11-12 years old [19.8%], 13-14 years old [24.6%], and 15-16 years old [28.0%]), however, the result was not significant. Polymerase chain reaction analysis for T. gondii B1 gene for IgG-positive and IgM-positive blood samples were negative, indicating no direct evidence of active infection. These results collectively suggest that T. gondii infection among school children in Myanmar was relatively high. Integrated and improved strategies including reinforced education on toxoplasmosis should be implemented to prevent and control T. gondii infection among school children in Myanmar.