• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.531-540
• /
• 1989

A new sudden death in rabbits appeared in China and Korea in 1984 and 1985, respectively, and was recognized to be an acute infectious disease caused by a virus. The disease was reported as a "new viral disease," and thereafter, a tentative name of "viral hemorrhagic disease", "hemorrhagic pneumonia" or "viral hemorrhagic pneumonia" has been described in the case reports. But authors had called the viral disease "rabbit viral hepatitis" due to picornavirus infection, because the principal lesion of the disease was an acute hepatitis. The purpose of this report is to describe the electron microscopic findings on the livers in experimentally infected rabbits. All the livers of the affected rabbits were shown to have degenerative changes of a type that is characteristic of acute hepatitis. In the liver cells, there were dilation of rER and mitochondria, vacuole formation of various sizes, and appearances of many virus-like particles in the vicinity of rER, granular bodies and crystalline arrays of viral particles in the cytoplasm with necrotic changes of the nucleus. Clusters of virus-like particles and viral crystals appeared in the cytoplasm of sinusoid endothelial cells and Kupffer's cells with morphological changes of organelles. Also viral crystals were demonstrated in the cytoplasm of macrophages among the liver cells. On the whole, the liver cells had many virus-like particles and a few crystalline arrays of viral particles. Therefore, this implies that the liver cells are the main site of the viral replication in inducing the viremia. It was concluded that the liver was the primary target organ of this viral disease, and the pathological and the ultrastructural evidence suggest that the virus may be belong to genus enterovirus.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.317-325
• /
• 2012

The prevalence of foodborne trematode (FBT) metacercariae was investigated in fish from 2 localities of northern Vietnam in 2004-2005. Freshwater fish (9 species) were collected from local markets in Hanoi City (n=76) and Nam Dinh Province (n=79), and were examined for FBT metacercariae using the artificial digestion technique. Adult flukes were obtained from hamsters experimentally infected with the metacercariae at day 8 post-infection. Three (Haplorchis pumilio, Centrocestus formosanus, and Procerovum varium) and 6 (Haplorchis taichui, H. pumilio, C. formosanus, P. varium, Stellantchasmus falcatus, and Heterophyopsis continua) species of FBT metacercariae were detected in the 2 regions, respectively. Overall, among the positive fish species, H. pumilio metacercariae were detected in 104 (80.0%) of 130 fish examined (metacercarial density per infected fish; 64.2). C. formosanus metacercariae were found in 37 (40.2%) of 92 fish (metacercarial density; 14.7). P. varium metacercariae were detected in 19 (63.3%) of 30 fish (Anabas testudineus and Mugil cephalus) (metacercarial density; 247.7). S. falcatus metacercariae were found in all 10 M. cephalus examined (metacercarial density; 84.4). H. continua metacercariae (2 in number) were detected in 1 fish of Coilia lindmani. Morphologic characteristics of the FBT metacercariae and their experimentally obtained adults were described. The results have demonstrated that various FBT species are prevalent in northen parts of Vietnam.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.89-93
• /
• 2012

$Neodiplostomum$ $seoulense$ (Digenea: Neodiplostomidae) is an intestinal trematode that can cause severe mucosal pathology in the small intestines of mice and even mortality of the infected mice within 28 days after infection. We observed neuronal growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) expression in the myenteric plexus of the small intestinal wall of $N.$ $seoulense$-infected mice until day 35 post-infection (PI). BALB/c mice were infected with 200 or 500 $N.$ $seoulense$ metacercariae isolated from naturally infected snakes and were killed every 7 days for immunohistochemical demonstration of GAP-43 in the small intestines. $N.$ $seoulense$-infected mice showed remarkable dilatation of intestinal loops compared with control mice through days 7-28 PI. Conversely, GAP-43 expression in the mucosal myenteric plexus was markedly ($P$<0.05) reduced in the small intestines of $N.$ $seoulense$-infected mice during days 7-28 PI and was slightly normalized at day 35 PI. From this study, it is evident that neuronal damage occurs in the intestinal mucosa of $N.$ $seoulense$-infected mice. However, the correlation between intestinal pathology, including the loop dilatation, and depressed GAP-43 expression remains to be elucidated.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.121-128
• /
• 2004

Mast cells and goblet cells have the ability to protect against parasites by increasing mucus production that traps and excludes worms and prevents their intimate contact with the gut mucosa in the host. In this study, we investigated the function of mast cells and goblet cells for the rejection of Echinostoma hortense (E. hortense). In addition, we used both C3H/HeN and BALB/c mice in order to examine whether mast cells and goblet cells function differentially according to the strains of mice. After an oral infection with 30 E. hortense metacercariae, the number of mucosal mast cells and goblet cells, as well as worm recovery rate, were observed in experimentally infected mice between 1 week and 8 weeks post-infection (PI). Worm recovery rates in C3H/HeN and BALB/c mice were 65.7％ and 23％, respectively, in week 1 P.I., indicating that worm expulsion in C3H/HeN mice was higher than in BALB/c mice. Our results demonstrate that the period (week 3 P.I.) in which worm recovery falls rapidly is the same period that the number of goblet cells and mast cells reaches a peak. These results indicate that worm recovery significantly correlates with the growth rate of goblet cells and mast cells (P=0.0482). However, worm expulsion is not associated with goblet cells or mast cells in BALB/c mice.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.85-118
• /
• 2001

Studies on Gymnophalloides seoi (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) and human infections are briefly reviewed. This minute intestinal fluke was first discovered from a Korean woman suffering from acute pancreatitis and gastrointestinal troubles. It was described as a new species by Lee, Chai and Hong in 1993. The southwestern coastal village where the patient resided was found to be a highly endemic area, and additional endemic areas have been identified. The parasite is very small, 0.33-0.50 mm long and 0.23-0.33 mm wide. and characterized by the presence of a ventral pit. The first intermediate host remains unknown, but the second intermediate host has been found to be the oyster Crassostrea gigas. Man and the Palearctic oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus have been shown to be natural definitive hosts , and wading birds including the Dentish plover Charadrius alexandrinus are highly susceptible to experimental infection. Gerbils, hamsters, cats, and several strains of mice were also susceptible laboratory hosts. In experimentally infected mice, the parasites inhabit the small intestine, pinching and sucking the root of villi with their large oral suckers, but they did not invade beyond the mucosa in immunocompetent mice. However, they were found to invade the submucosa in immunosuppressed mice. Human G. seoi infections have been found in at least 25 localities; 23 islands on the Yellow Sea or the South Sea, and 2 western coastal villages. The highest Prevalence was found in a village on Aphaedo. Shinan-fun (49% e99 Positive rate) : other areas showed 0.8-25.3% prevalence. Infected people complained of variable degrees of gastrointestinal troubles and indigestion. The infection can be diagnosed by recovery of eggs in the feces; however, an expert is needed to identify the eggs. Praziquantel, 10mg/kg in single dose, is effective for treatment of human infections. Eating raw oysters in endemic areas should be avoided.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.793-807
• /
• 1997

We tried to develop detection system of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus(PRRSV) by in situ hybridization(ISH) in the piglets experimentally infected with KPRRS-2, the Korean isolate(12 piglets) or Mn-1b, the American isolate(4 piglets), and in the natural infection suspected 6 piglets. Twelve 30-days-old piglets(two pigs per each inoculated group) were inoculated by nasal instillation of KPRRS-2 virus(total dose $10^{4.5}TCID_{50}$), Six piglets(one pig per each group) were induced contact infection with inoculated piglets, during the experiment, and two piglets were used as control. Inoculated or contacted piglets were euthanized at 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 21 days postinoculation(DPI). The respiratory signs such as coughing and nasal discharge were observed on day 3 DPI, and ear cyanosis were on day 5 DPI, including contacted piglets. Through the necropsy, purple discolorization of dorsal part of lung, and hypertrophy of local lymph nodes were observed. The histopathological lesions of lung were interstitial pneumonia characterized by type 2 pneumocyte hyperplasia. We prepared the probe for ISH by RNA isolation from KPRRS-2, RT-PCR, and biotin labeling. We performed the ISH within only 1~2 hours using $Microprobe^{TM}$ capillary action system. As the results, the strong red specific positive signals, means PRRSV distribution, was mainly observed in the cytoplasm of alveolar macrophages. And also signals were detected in some type 2 pneumocytes and bronchiolar epithelium of lung, myocardium, liver, kidney, tonsil, spleen, gastrointestinal mucosa, testis and lymph nodes.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.355-361
• /
• 1986

Vibrio vulnificus, a halophilic Vibrio has gained worldwide attention as a cause of severe and frequently fatal wound infections and life-threatening septicemia. For this reason V. vulnificus is thought to produce extreme hemoconcentration and rapid death after infection, and because V. vulnificus is thought to be less susceptible to bactericidal activity of normal human serum, the present study was undertaken to assess the susceptibility of V. vulnificus to human serum bactericidal activity with that of V. parahemolyticus and V. cholerae and to assess the effect of Vibrio species, Salmonella typhimurium and E. coli on hematocrit values in experimentally infected mice. Serum bactericidal activity against both V. vulnificus and V. cholerae was higher than against V. parahemoltyicus. Survival of the test strains in heat-inactivated human serum was greater than that in heat-uninactiveted serum. Both V. parahemolyticus and V. cholerae produced slight hemoconcentration within 2 to 6 hr after intraperitoneal injection of $10^7$ viable bacteria into mice. In contrast, V. vulnificus, S. typhimurium and E. coli produced hemodilution rather than hemoconcentration after 4 or 6 hr after infection. With these results the author can conclude that V. vulnificus is more susceptible to serum bactericidal activity than other Vibrio species, and V. vulnificus did not produce hemoconcentration.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.175-182
• /
• 1990

The metacercariae of Pharyngostomum cordatum were found naturally infected in the European grass snake, Rhabdophis tigrina, purchased from a local snake collector in Jinju, Kyongsangnam-do. They were experimentally fed to several kinds of animals such as mice, rats, hamsters, ducklings, a dog, and cats. The adult worms were recovered from the cats 5 weeks after the infection, but none from other animals. The measurements and other morphological characters of the metacercariae and adults were both compatible with those of p. cordatum described by previous authors. The present study confirmed that the snake, Rhabdophis tigrina, serves as a second intermediate (or paratenic) host of p. cordatum in Uorea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.191-196
• /
• 2013

The echinostome metacercariae encysted in Cipangopaludina sp. snails that were purchased from a market in Vientiane Municipality, Lao PDR, were identified as Echinostoma macrorchis (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) through recovery of adult flukes after experimental infection to rats and a cat. The metacercariae were round, $113-128(121){\times}113-125(120){\mu}m$, having a thick cyst wall, a head collar armed with collar spines, and excretory granules. The adult flukes recovered from the rats and cat at day 14 and 30 post-infection, respectively, were elongated, ventrally curved, and $3.9-6.3{\times}0.7-1.1mm$ in size. The head collar was distinct, bearing 43-45 collar spines with 5 angle spines on each side. Two testes were large (as the name implies), tandem, and slightly constricted at the middle, with irregular margins. Eggs were operculated, ovoid to elliptical, and $88-95{\times}56-60{\mu}m$. In scanning electron microscopy, the head collar was prominent, with 43-45 collar spines. Scale-like tegumental spines were densely distributed on the ventral surface between the oral and ventral suckers. Sensory papillae were distributed mainly on the tegument around the 2 suckers. It is confirmed that E. macrorchis is distributed in Lao PDR using Cipangopaludina sp. snails as the second intermediate host.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Pathology
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.43-54
• /
• 2003

The purpose of this study was to investigate protective effects against transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) infection in piglets by administration of the TGEV antiserum orally at 2hrs, 24hrs and 36hrs after birth. Five piglets administered with the TGEV antiserum were experimentally challenged with TGEV at four-day-old. Control group was four piglets challenged with TGEV only. Clinical signs and gross, histopathological and immunohistochemical findings were examined. In clinical signs, piglets of the control group appeared the typical signs such as severe watery diarrhea, depression and anorexia but piglets of the TGEV antiserum adminstered group recovered progressively. In clinical signs, piglets of the control group appeared the typical signs such as severe watery diarrhea, depression and anorexia but piglets of the TGEV antiserum adminstered group recovered progressively. In mortality, control group showed 75%, but TGEV antiserum adminstered group showed 20.0 %, respectively. In gross findings, piglets of the control group appeared the typical findings of congestion, distension of lumen, contaning curdes of undigested milk in stomach. But gross findings of piglets of the TGEV antiserum adminstered group appeared milder than them of control group. In histopathological findings, piglets of the control group appeared the typical findings of villous atrophy and fusion, congesion, exfoliation, vacuolation, squamation, loss of cilia and proliferation of crypt. But histopathological findings of piglets of the TGEV antiserum adminstered group appeared milder than them of control group. In immunohistochemical findings, piglets of the TGEV antiserum adminstered group showed more intensive in reaction for IgA and IgG than them of control group. The recation for IgA was stronger than that of IgG. It was concluded that oral administration of TGEV antiserum to piglets was effective to prevent TGEV infection and reduce their mortality.