• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.91-93
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• 2000

This study was performed to evaluate the epidemiological status of toxoplasmosis among the residents of Cheju island. The sera of local students from 18 high schools (boys 2110, girls 2460) and those of adults (474 admitted to Cheju Chungang General Hospital) were collected and checked for the IgG antibody titers against Toxoplasma gondii. Serum samples collected from both the students and adults showed sero-positive rate of 5.5% and 12.9%, respectively Although the rates were not significantly different between the sexes (5.4% for the boys and 5.5% for the girls attending school), the geographical difference showed a significant difference between the urban (4.6~6.9%) and rural areas (5.6-8.8%) (p<0.05) Based on the high positive rates, it should be necessary to control toxoplasmosis in Cheju island.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.129-138
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• 1991

Tetrahymena pyriformis is a free-living ciliate protozoan in the freshwater system. Experiments were carried out to determine whether intraperitoneal administration of T. pyriformis (GL strain) to mice activates macrophages to be able to kill Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites in vitro. Mice were also injected intraperitoneally with several synthetic activators; dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DDA), dextran sulfate, complete Freund's adjutant (CFA) as well as Toxoplasma and Tetrehymena Iysates in order to activate mouse peritoneal macrophages. One week after the administration of activators, peritoneal cells were harvested and the adherent macrophages were challenged with Toxoplasma tachyzoites. Macrophage monolayers were then fixed with absolute methanol after washing, and stained with Giemsa solution. The percentage of the adherent cells infected and total number of organisms per 100 macrophages were calculated to make toxoplasma-cidal activity of macrophages according to the cultivation time. Peritoneal macrophages from mice administered with Tetrahymena exhibited significant protection against target parasites as compared with those treated with synthetic activators. Among non-biological synthetic activators, DDA was evaluated as an ellcellent activator.