• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 1995

To observe the production of IgA in Balb/c mice with neodiplostomiasis, 20 mice were infected with each 200 metacercariae of Neoniplostomum seoulenis. Sera and the duodenums were obtained 3, 7, 14, 28 days post-infection (PI) from five mice each group Neodipeostomum specific IgA in serum by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay increased from 7 days PI and persisted till 28 days PI. Immunohistochemistry for lgA was done with sections of the duodenum. The IgA-positive reaction was generally seen in the lamina propria and submucosa. Some of epithelial cells were positive at 7 and 14 days PI. The present finding showed that Neodiplostomun specific IgA antibody increased in serum and that there was local reaction of IgA in the mucosa and submucosa of the duodenum but not directly related with worm expulsion.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.269-273
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• 2009

A 57-year old man who was admitted to an emergency room of a tertiary hospital with hemoptysis developed malarial fever 19 days later and then died from severe falciparum malaria 2 days later. He had not traveled outside of Korea for over 30 years. Through intensive interviews and epidemiological surveys, we found that a foreign patient with a recent history of travel to Africa was transferred to the same hospital with severe falciparum malaria. We confirmed through molecular genotyping of the MSP-1 gene that Plasmodium falciparum genotypes of the 2 patients were identical. It is suggested that a breach of standard infection control precautions resulted in this P. falciparum transmission between 2 patients in a hospital environment. This is the first report of a nosocomial transmission of falciparum malaria in Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.111-115
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• 2000

Three cases of human infection by Trichinella spiralis were first confirmed by detecting encysted larvae in the biopsied muscle in December 1997, in Korea. The patients were one 35-and two 39-year-old males residing in Kochang-gun, Kyongsangnam-do. They had a common past history of eating raw liver, spleen, blood and muscle of a badger, Meles meles melanogenvs, and complained of high fever, facial and periorbital edema, and myalgia. Hematologic and biochemical examinations revealed leukocytosis and eosinophilia, and highly elevated levels of GOT, GPT, LDH and CPK. In the gastrocnemius muscle of a patient, roundly coiled nematode larvae were detected. The larvae measured 0.775-1.050 (av 0.908) mm in length, and 0.026-0.042 (av. 0.035) mm in maximum width. The specific IgG antibody levels in three patients' sera were significantly higher when compared with those of normal controls. The patients were treated with flubendazole and albendazole for 15-30 days, and discharged at 13-34 days post-admission. From the above findings, it was confirmed that T. spiralis is present in Korea, and the badger plays a role of as the natural host.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.79-80
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• 2010

This study was conducted to determine the distribution patterns and duration of stay of Toxocara cati larvae in organs of chickens and to investigate chronic phase and potential zoonotic risk of toxocariasis in chickens. Chickens were orally infected with 1,000 embryonated T. cati eggs and necropsied 240 days post-infection. Organs of the chickens were examined at gross and microscopic levels; tissues were digested to recover larvae. Peribronchiolitis with infiltration of lymphocytes, and hyperplasia of bronchiolar associated lymphatic tissues (BALT) and goblet cells, were evident in the lungs of infected chickens. There were mild hemorrhages and infiltration of lymphocytes and a few eosinophils in the meninges. Larvae were recovered from 30% of the exposed chickens. Larvae recovery indicated that T. cati larvae stay alive for at least 240 days in the chicken brain. Therefore, chickens may potentially act as a paratenic host in nature and transfer T. cati larvae to other hosts.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.467-470
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• 2013

The present study reports a human case of cutaneous gnathostomiasis with recurrent migratory nodule and persistent eosinophilia in China. A 52-year-old woman from Henan Province, central China, presented with recurrent migratory reddish swelling and subcutaneous nodule in the left upper arm and on the back for 3 months. Blood examination showed eosinophila (21.2%), and anti-sparganum antibodies were positive. Skin biopsy of the lesion and histopathological examinations revealed dermal infiltrates of eosinophils but did not show any parasites. Thus, the patient was first diagnosed as sparganosis; however, new migratory swellings occurred after treatment with praziquantel for 3 days. On further inquiring, she recalled having eaten undercooked eels and specific antibodies to the larvae of Gnathostoma spinigerum were detected. The patient was definitely diagnosed as cutaneous gnathostomiasis caused by Gnathostoma sp. and treated with albendazole (1,000 mg/day) for 15 days, and the subsequent papule and blister developed after the treatment. After 1 month, laboratory findings indicated a reduced eosinophil count (3.3%). At her final follow-up 18 months later, the patient had no further symptoms and anti-Gnathostoma antibodies became negative. Conclusively, the present study is the first report on a human case of cutaneous gnathostomiasis in Henan Province, China, based on the past history (eating undercooked eels), clinical manifestations (migratory subcutaneous nodule and persistent eosinophilia), and a serological finding (positive for specific anti-Gnathostoma antibodies).

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.573-577
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• 2013

A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay allows rapid diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection. In the present study, the LAMP assay was evaluated using blood from both naturally and experimentally infected pigs. The sensitivity of the LAMP assay was compared with that of Q-PCR. Both assays detected T. gondii in the blood of experimentally infected pigs, with 100% agreement. In infected blood samples, the parasite was detected as early as 2 days post-infection and reached a peak in 3-5 days. In 216 field serum samples, the detection rates of LAMP and Q-PCR assays were 6.9% and 7.8%, respectively. This result indicates that the sensitivity of the LAMP assay was slightly lower than that of the Q-PCR assay. However, the LAMP may be an attractive diagnostic method in conditions where sophisticated and expensive equipment is unavailable. This assay could be a powerful supplement to current diagnostic methods.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.329-332
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• 2001

More than 1,500 clams of Corbicula fluminea, the most favorable food source of freshwater bivalves in Korea, were collected from 5 localities to examine cercarial and metacercarial infection with Echinostoma cinetorchis. Although 3 clams infected with suspicious E. cinetorchis metacercariae out of 200 specimens collected at Kangjin, Chollanam-do were detected, no cercarial and metacercarial infections with E. cinetorchis were observed in field-collected Corbicula specimens. In the susceptibility experiments with laboratory-reared clams, those infected with miracidia of E. cinetorchis did not release their cercariae up to 60 days after infection. To confirm the identity of second intermediate host of E. cinetorchis experimentally, a total of 30 clams were exposed to the cercariae from Segmentina hemisphaerula that had been infected with miracidia of E. cinetorchis. The clams were susceptible to cercariae of E. cinetorchis with an infection rate of 93.3%. Metacercariae from clams taken more than 7 days after cercarial exposure were fed to rats (S/D strain), and adult worms of E. cinetorchis, characterized by 37-38 collar spines on the head crown, were recovered from the ileocecal regions. This is the first report of C. fluminea as a possible second intermediate host of E. cinetorchis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.135-138
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• 1997

This study was performed to observe intestinal patholoay ill early Infection by Centrocestus crnlctus. The flukes were in the lowermost part of the intfrvillous space of the duodenum and jejunum from 1 day to 7 days postinfection (PI). Thr stroma of villi around the young fluke was edematous and infiltrated by inflanlrllatory knells Luch as Iymphocytes, plasma cells and eosinophils. The crypt became mildly llyperplastic and villi were moderately atrophied at 4 days Pl. The intestinal lesion produced was confillrd to the areas around the fluke. The pathologic findings were not significarltly different between 1,000 and 5,000 metacercariae infection groups. It is suggested that the lesion should be produced by mechanical destruction of the fluke on the enteroepithelial cells.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.282-290
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• 2008

The malting process of rice (OM4080 variety from Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute) was studied under pilot condition plan by means of the second-order experimental design. Processing parameters, such as the steeping time (0-60 hrs), steeping temperature ($5-45^{\circ}C$), germination time (0-8 days), germination temperature ($5-45^{\circ}C$) and gibberellin concentration (0-2 mg/kg) were investigated. As a result, all germination conditions, especially germination time, germination temperature, and gibberellin concentration had a significant effect on the malting loss, amylase activity and starch content. The protein content was not clearly affected by any conditions. The optimum conditions for malting process (with highest amylase activity) were as follows: 30 hrs of steeping time, $30-35^{\circ}C$ of steeping temperature, 5-5.5 days of germination time, $25^{\circ}C$ of germination temperature, and 1.5 mg/kg of giberrellin concentration.

• Mycobiology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.263-275
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• 2020

Phlebopus spongiosus is a well-known edible ectomycorrhizal mushroom indigenous to southern Vietnam. The mushroom specimens collected from northern Thailand in this study were identified as P. spongiosus. This identification was based on morphological characteristics and the multi-gene phylogenetic analyses. Pure cultures were isolated and the relevant suitable mycelial growth conditions were investigated. The results indicated that the fungal mycelia grew well on L-modified Melin-Norkans, and Murashige and Skoog agar all of which were adjusted to a pH of 5.0 at 30 ℃. Sclerotia-like structures were observed on cultures. The ability of this mushroom to produce fruiting bodies in the absence of a host plant was determined by employing a bag cultivation method. Fungal mycelia completely covered the cultivation substrate after 90-95 days following inoculation of mushroom spawn. Under the mushroom house conditions, the highest amount of primordial formation was observed after 10-15 days at a casing with soil:vermiculite (1:1, v/v). The primordia developed into a mature stage within one week. Moreover, identification of the cultivated fruiting bodies was confirmed by both morphological and molecular methods. This is the first record of P. spongiosus found in Thailand and its ability to form fruiting bodies without a host plant.