• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.233-238
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• 2012

The precise diagnosis of the acute toxoplasmosis in pregnant women and immunocompromsied patients has critical importance. Most of the commercially available assays use the whole Toxoplasma soluble extract as the antigen. However, the assays currently available for the detection of specific anti-Toxoplasma antibodies may vary in their abilities to detect serum immunoglobulins, due to the lack of a purified standardized antigen. The aim of this study was production and evaluation of the usefulness of the recombinant Toxoplasma gondii GRA7 antigen for the serodiagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii IgM and IgG by ELISA. A total of 70 T. gondii IgM positive sera, 74 T. gondii IgG positive sera, and 60 sera from subjects who were not infected with T. gondii were examined. These sera were shown different absorbance values in ELISA test. To control the specificity of the rGRA7 other parasitic diseases, for example, echinococcosis, malaria, leishmaniasis, fascioliasis, and strongyloidiasis were tested of which none showed positive results. Sensitivity and specificity of the generated recombinant IgG ELISA in comparison with commercial ELISA (com ELISA) were 89% and 90%, and the sensitivity and specificity of the generated recombinant IgM ELISA were 96% and 90%, respectively. The results obtained here show that this antigen is useful for diagnostic purposes.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2009

Zebrafish was firstly applied to an experimental model for scuticociliatosis caused by Philasterides dicentrarchi, a facultative parasitic ciliate in cultured marine fish. The susceptibility of zebrafish to infection of P. dicentrarchi was assessed by intraperitoneal injection of the ciliates, which produced typical symptoms of scuticociliatosis and significant mortality. The potential use of zebrafish as a model to evaluate the vaccine efficacy against scuticociliatosis was analyzed by immunization of zebrafish with the ciliates lysate. Furthermore, the effect of different adjuvants, such as Quillaja saponin (QS), Montanide, and Freund’s incomplete adjuvant (FIA) on the protective efficacy of the vaccine was investigated. Groups of zebrafish injected with QS or Montanide alone showed higher survival of fish against challenge test compared to control fish. The results suggest that adjuvant-mediated enhancement of innate immune responses play important roles in protection of fish against scuticociliatosis. The considerably high survival in the fish immunized with the antigen alone indicates that the ciliate lysate itself is highly immunogenic to zebrafish, which can elicit protective immune responses. The protective potential of the antigen, ciliate lysate, was enforced through combined administration with adjuvants including QS, Montinide and FIA. No or low mortalities in the groups of fish immunized with the antigen plus adjuvants suggests that the adaptive immune responses of zebrafish might be accelerated by the adjuvants or the protective potential of the antigen and adjuvants might synergistically interact. In spite of several shortcomings such as difficulties in sampling of serum and leucocytes enough to routine immunological analyses, zebrafsih might be the most convenient experimental animal for scuticociliatosis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.11-23
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• 1970

Recently Carter(1952) reported the capsule antigens of Pasteurella multocida could be divided into four serological types A,B,C and D by means of precipitation tests. Subsequently he showed that the most sensitive for identification of these types involved the use of capsule substance adsorbed by erythrocytes in hemagglutination test. It may be somewhat difficult to conduct the hemagglutination test in small laboratory, because relatively large amounts of antisera and erythrocytes of the human O type are required for the test. A simple method for serological typing of P. multocida was the slide agglutination test employed by Little et al. (1943) and Namioka et al. (1962), but this method is still in controversy. The author tried adapting Carter's hemagglutination method to the slide method so called "micromethod technique", and studied on the stabilization of erythrocytes for use of slide hemagglutination to P. multocida although many invesigators reported the stabilization of erythrocytes. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. A simplified method (slide method) for capsule typing of the organism was developed by adapting Carter's hemagglutination reaction(tube method). Antibody-containing serum can be diluted serially on Boerner's microtest slide with capillary or serological pipetts with a considerable accuracy. The slide reaction can be carried out with case on the slide by adding $0.05m{\ell}$ of antigen-sensitized erythrocytes suspension diluted to one percent on $0.05m{\ell}$ of serially diluted antibody-containing sera, and the final result can be read after 60 minutes at the room temperature ($15^{\circ}C$). 2. It is difficult to determine superiority of inferiority between the slide method and the tube method on the pattern of the reaction of hemagglutination. 3. The pH range of 6.6 to 8.3 is optimal for the slide hemagglutination reaction. 4. The antigen-sensitization against erythrocytes at $37^{\circ}C$ is optimal for the slide hemagglutination. 5. Both the doses and concentration of antigen do not influence the antigen-adsorbing capacity of erythrocytes. 6. The reduction of antigen-sensitizing hours does not influence the antigen-adsorbing capacity of erythrocytes even 30 minutes. 7. The tannic acid treatment against formalinized and non-formalinized erythrocytes showed no effect on the reaction of hemagglutination. 8. The erythrocytes preserved at $4^{\circ}C$ in the ACD solution do not decrease the reactivity on the reaction of hemagglutination for 60 days, while they begin slight hemolysis 30 days after preserving. 9. The stable preparation of erythrocytes can be obtained by treating the cells at $37^{\circ}C$ for 20 hours with from 4 to 8 percent of formalin in saline or buffer. These cells can be preserved at $4^{\circ}C$ for more than 8 months experimented without hemolysis. With low concentration of formalin, the cells were not sufficiently stabilized resulting in the hemolysis after short period of preservation at $4^{\circ}C$. 10. The erythrocytes treated with 16 percent of formalin remain constantly or increase the reactivity for the reaction of hemagglutination. On the contrary, the cells treated with I to 8 percent of formalin decrease the reactivity. 11. There is no difference between nontreated fresh erythrocytes and the erythrocytes preserved in the ACD solution on the reactivity against the hemagglutination, and the erythrocytes treated with 16 percent of formalin showed the reactivity of higher level than that of the above two kinds of erythrocytes. 12. There is no difference between the saline and the isotonic buffer solution on the reaction of hemagglutination.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.158-169
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• 2004

Purpose : Although influenza is one of the most important cause of acute respiratory tract infections in children, virus isolation is not popular and there are only a few clinical studies on influenza and diagnostic methods. We evaluated the epidemiological and clinical features of influenza in children and rapid antigen detection test(QuickVue influenza test) on fist half of the year 2004 in Busan. Methods : From January 2004 to June 2004, throat swab and nasal secretion were obtained and cultured for the isolation of influenza virus and tested by rapid antigen detection test(QuickVue influenza test) in children with suspected influenza infections. The medical records of patients with influenza virus infection were reviewed retrospectively. Results : Influenza viruses were isolated in 79(17.2%) out of 621 patients examined. Influenza virus was isolated mainly from March to April 2004. The ratio of male and female with influenza virus infection was 1.2 : 1 with median age of 4 years 6month. The most common clinical diagnosis of influenza virus infection was bronchitis. There was no difference between influenza A and B infection in clinical diagnosis and symptoms. All patients recovered without severe complication. The sensitivity obtained for rapid antigen detection test (QuickVue influenza test) was 93.6% and the specificity was 80.2%, the positive predictive value 40.8%, the negative predictive value 98.8%. Conclusion : With rapid antigen detection test, it is possible early detection of influenza in children. reduction in use of antimicrobial agent and early use of antiviral agent.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.271-279
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• 1998

Background: Diagnosis by direct microscopy and/or by culture of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis from body fluids or biopsy specimens is "Gold standard". However, the sensitivity of direct microscopy after Ziehl-Neelsen staining is relatively low and culture of mycobacteria is time consuming. Detection of mycobacterial DNA in clinical samples by the polymerase chain reaction is highly sensitive but laborious and expensive. Therefore, rapid, sensitive and readily applicable new tests need to be developed. So we had evaluated the clinical significance of serologic detection of antibody to 38 kDa antigen, which is known as the most specific to the M. tuberculosis complex, and culture filtrate antigen by ELISA in sputum AFB smear negative patients. Method: In this study, culture tests for acid fast bacilli with sputa or bronchial washing fluids of 183 consecutive patients who were negative of sputum AFB smear were performed. Simultaneously serum antibodies to 38 kDa antigen and unheated culture filtrate of M. tuberculosis were detected by an ELISA method. Results: The optical densities of ELISA test with 38 kDa and culture filtrate antigen were significantly higher in active pulmonary tuberculosis cases than in non tuberculous pulmonary diseases (p<0.05), but in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis, those of the sputum culture positive patients for M. tuberculosis were not significantly different from those of the sputum culture negative cases(p>0.05). In the smear-negative active pulmonary tuberculosis patients, the sensitivity of the ELISA using 38 kDa antigen and culture filtrate was 20.0% and 31.4%. respectively. The specificity was 95.3% and 93.9%. respectively. Conclusion : In active pulmonary tuberculosis but smear negative, the serologic detection of antibody to 38 kDa antigen and culture filtrate by ELISA cannot substitute traditional diagnostic tests and does not have clinically significant role to differenciate the patient with active pulmonary tuberculosis from other with non-tuberculous pulmonary diseases.

• The Journal of the Korean life insurance medical association
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2010

The measurement of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in screening for prostate cancer is recently performed as a routine check-up in clinical medicine and insurance medicine. Several factors may affect serum PSA levels. As prostate size increases with increasing age, the PSA concentration also rises. Increasing body mass index (BMI) is associated with a lower mean PSA concentration. Inhibitors of 5-alpha-reductase such as finasteride and dutasteride produce a 50 percent or greater decrease in serum PSA during the first three months of therapy, which persists as long as the drug is continued. Men who are regularly taking non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetaminophen have lower PSA levels. Emerging concepts regarding PSA testing that may help refine the interpretation of an elevated concentration include: PSA density, PSA velocity, and Free versus complexed or bound PSA. With many insurance companies, PSA level has become part of a standard battery of blood tests, along with HIV, cholesterol, liver enzymes, and other predictors of premature death. But, there is no clear proof of benefit, so we have to monitor the value of PSA test as a prostate cancer screening test in insurance medicine.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9841-9846
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• 2014

Objectives: To compare the metabolic indices, lipid profile, androgens, and prostate specific antigen between prostate cancer and BPH and between grades of prostate cancer in a cross-sectional study. Materials and Methods: The study enrolled 95 cases of prostate cancer and 95 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Prostate gland volume was measured using transrectal ultrasound. We compared insulin, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, prostate specific antigen levels and lipid profile between prostate cancer of different grades and BPH. Further, prostate cancer patients were classified into low grade and high grade. Unpaired t-test for normally distributed variables and Man-Whitney U test for non-normal variables were used to assess differences. Results: We found that prostate cancer patients had significantly higher levels of insulin, testosterone, PSA, cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) in comparison to their BPH counterparts. Higher levels of these parameters also correlated with a higher grade of the disease. Conclusions: We conclude that higher levels of insulin, testosterone, PSA, and cholesterol correlate with a higher risk of prostate cancer, and also with a higher grade of the disease.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2019

The objective of this study was to assess the possibility of detecting Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) from the herd-based oral fluids specimens collected by the cotton ropes from pig farms that were found as FMDV nonstructural protein (NSP) antibodies positive. The cotton ropes were applied to detect FMDV in the selected pig farms which NSP antibodies were continuously detected in 2016, including the one pig farm which FMDV antigen were detected at the specimens from the pigsty environment. As the result, FMDV antigen were not detected in the oral fluid specimens collected by the cotton ropes. Theoretically, to detect FMDV antigen from the pigs with NSP antibodies has very low possibility because FMDV antigen disappeared at the time when NSP antibodies were produced by FMDV. Therefore, in order to detect FMDV antigen from the oral fluids using the cotton rope, it would be more effective to be applied to target the FMDV infected pigs rather than the NSP antibodies positive pigs. The collected oral fluids using cotton rope could be useful test specimens to monitor high-density pig populations for FMDV infection. Then, oral fluids sampling using cotton rope will be used for the efficient FMDV surveillance to detect FMDV antigen.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 1989

To develop more specific and sensitive diagnostic methods for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, 7-C-2 monoclonal antibody specific to polypeptides of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV) was applied in indirect immunofluorescence antibody assay (IFA), indirect immunoperoxidase assay(IPA) and radial immunodiffusion enzyme assay (RIDEA). It was found that IBRV infected in MDBK cells could be detected as early as 8 hours post infection by IFA, and that IFA was more rapid and specific to identify IBRV antigen than IPA. The diagnostic efficacy of RIDEA and SN test was studied with 88 bovine sera. It was evident that RIDEA could eliminate the false positive reaction encountered in serum neutralization(SN) test, being more rapid and sensitive than the latter. Highly significant correlation coefficiency (r=0.76, p<0.01) was evaluated between the titers of sera and the diameters of RIDEA. Tracheal membranes and sera collected from 96 slaughtered cattle with lesions in respiratory organs were examined to detect IBRV antigen and antibody by IFA, RIDEA and SN test. It was presented that positive rates were 32.3% in IFA, 20.8% in RIDEA and 21.9% in SN test, and that coincidence rate between RIDEA and SN test were 100% in positive sera and 98.7% in negative sera. In conclusion, it was assumed that application of monoclonal antibody could improve the diagnostic efficacy of IBR by enhancing sensitivity and specificity of IPA, IFA and RIDEA.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 1981

Paragonimus infection is prevalent in Korea, establishing several endemic foci. Kim(1969) reported an endemic area in Hyeonbuk Myeon. Yangyang-Gun, but thereafter no further epidemiologic study of Paragonimus infection was performed in the Gangweon-Do. Hoengseong-Gun is mountainous area which is located in the southwestern part of Gangweon-Do and borders with Hongcheon-Gun on the east, with Pyeongchang-Gun on the east, with Yeongweol-Gun and Weonseong-Gun on the south, and with Yangpyeong-Gun on west. The author carried out an epidemiologic study of Paragonimus infection by intradermal test with V.B.S antigen, and of intermediate host (crayfish) in Hoengseong-Gun, Gangweon-Do. The results are summarized as follows: 1. The positive skin test reaction to Paragonimus antigen was 14.5% from 2,807 examiness; 16.0% in male and 11.6% in female and no sex or age difference on the skin test positive reactions was noticed among the villages. 2. The positive skin test reactions were 31.3% in Gapcheon-Myeon, 20.5% in Cheongil-Myeon and 19.8% in Woocheon-Myeon. Primary school children in Byeongjibang-ri, Gapcheon-Myeon showed positive in 36.4%. 3. The prevalence by skin test reaction by social strata was 16.1% (226 out of 1,408) in primary school children, 12.8% out of 725) in middle school, 6.4% (11 out of 172) in high school students, and 15.3% (77 out of 502) in inhabitants of Heongseong-Gun. 4. Metacercarial positives of Paragonimus in crayfish were 20.9%. Through the survey results, it is postulated that Heongseong-Gun, Gangweon-Do is to be categorized as an endemic area of Paragonimus infection.