• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.159-164
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• 2012

Allergic skin inflammation such as atopic dermatitis (AD) is characterized by edema and infiltration with various inflammatory cells such as mast cells, basophils, eosinophils and T cells. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is produced mainly by epidermal keratinocytes, as well as dermal fibroblasts and mast cells in the skin lesions of AD. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish oil can reduce inflammation in allergic patients. Fermentation has a tremendous capacity to transform chemical structures. The antiinflammatory effects of fish oil have been described in many diseases, but the beneficial effects by which fermented olive flounder oil (FOF) modulates the allergic response is poorly understood. In this study, we produced FOF and tested its ability to suppress the various allergic inflammatory responses. The ability of FOF to modulate the immune system was investigated using a mouse model of AD. The FOF-treated group showed significantly decreased immunoglobulin E (IgE) and histamine in serum. Also, the increased TSLP expression was significantly inhibited in the FOF group; the FOF-treated group was not appreciably different from the hydrocort cream treatment group. In addition, FOF treatment resulted in a smaller spleen size with reduced the thickness and length compared to the induction group. Splenocytes from mice treated with FOF produced significantly less IFN-${\gamma}$, IL-4, T-box transcription factor (T-bet) and GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3) expression compared with the induction group. These results suggest that FOF may be effective in treating the allergic symptoms of AD. 5.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.15-25
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• 2020

The third stage larvae (L3) of Anisakis typica were detected in 2 species of threadfin bream, Nemipterus hexodon and N. japonicus, from the Gulf of Thailand, and were morphologically and molecularly characterized. Total 100 threadfin breams, 50 Nemipterus hexodon and 50 N. japonicus, were examined with naked eyes after the opening of abdominal cavity with scissors. Almost all infected larvae remained alive and active even the fish were transported for 1-2 days. Anisakid larvae were exclusively distributed in the body cavity and rarely in the liver. The prevalence of A. typica L3 were 68.0% and 60.0% in N. hexodon and N. japonicus and their infection intensities were 3.5 and 4.2 per fish infected each. Morphological and morphometric analysis were performed by viewing specimens under both a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope. Interestingly, the protruded mucron of Anisakis typica under SEM showed a distinct cylindrical shape that differed from the cone shape of A. simplex. The protruded mucron could be used to identify A. typica L3 larvae in the future. A comparison of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA nucleotide sequences of these species revealed high blast scores with A. typica. Conclusively, it was confirmed that A. typica L3 are prevalent in threadfin breams from the Gulf of Thailand, and their morphological and molecular characters are something different from those of other anisakid larvae, including A. simplex and A. pegreffii.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.879-889
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• 2015

The outbreak of viral diseases caused by viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) and red seabream iridovirus (RSIV) have been reported in cultured olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus. VHSV has been a serious viral disease that infects the olive flounders in South Korea. Clinical signs of VHSV infection are skin darkening, abdominal distension and haemorrhages. Outbreaks of fish iridoviral disease was first reported from red seabream, Pagrus major farms in Japan. Recently, iridovirus infection have occurred frequently from olive flounder farms in South Korea. In this study, disease surveillance was performed to monitor the prevalence of VHSV and RSIV in olive flounder in 2014. The samples were collected from 60 different olive flounder farms in Jeju from April, May, September, November and December in 2014. RT-PCR (VHSV) or PCR (RSIV) results showed that VHSV were detected in 5 farms, but RSIV has not been detected in any farms. The migration of olive flounder was restricted for the quarantine in 5 farms of VHS outbreak. The nucleocapsid protein (N) gene and glycoprotein (G) gene sequences of the 5 Korean VHSV isolates were successfully amplified and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using the VHSV sequences reported here together comparison with the nucleotide sequences available from the GenBank database. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that most of Korea VHSV belong to the genotype IVa and closely related to the strains from Japan and China.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.257-264
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• 2019

We tried a series of morphological and molecular approaches to identify a new species of Stellantchasmus (Digenea: Heterophyidae) originating from the wrestling half-beaked fish, Dermogenys pusillus of Thailand. Adult worm samples of the new species were recovered from hamsters experimentally infected with the metacercariae from D. pusillus in Thailand. Two isolates (Thai and Korean) of Stellantchasmus falcatus were used as comparative control groups. Worm samples of 3 Stellantchasmus groups were morphologically observed and molecularly analyzed with the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene. The morphological characteristics of S. dermogenysi n. sp. are similar to S. falcatus originating from brackish water fish, but minor difference was noted including the absence of the prepharynx, position of the ovary near the ceca end, smaller body size, and shorter esophageal length. A phylogenetic tree derived from neighbor-joining and maximum-likelihood methods suggests that S. dermogenysi n. sp. is separated from S. falcatus supported by high bootstrap values. The relative divergences persist between these host-specific trematodes, which we suggest should be recognized as 2 distinct species. Comparisons of S. dermogenysi n. sp. with S. falcatus isolated from mullets in Thailand and Korea indicate a genetic divergence of mitochondrial DNA of 19.4% and 21.7%, respectively. By the present study, a new species, Stellantchasmus dermogenysi n. sp. (Digenea: Heterophyidae), is proposed in Thailand based on molecular evidences, in addition to minor morphological differences between S. falcatus and the new species.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.6
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• pp.635-645
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• 2020

Morphological and molecular characterization of clinostomid metacercariae (CMc) was performed with the specimens collected in fish from Korea and Myanmar. Total 6 batches of clinostomid specimens by the fish species and geographical localities, 5 Korean and 1 Myanmar isolates, were analyzed with morphological (light microscopy and SEM) and molecular methods (the cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene and internal transcribed spacer 1/5.8S rRNA sequence). There were some morphological variations among CMc specimens from Korea. However, some morphometrics, i.e., the size of worm body and each organ, ratio of body length to body width, and morphology of cecal lumens, were considerably different between the specimens from Korea and Myanmar. The surface ultrastructures were somewhat different between the specimens from Korea and Myanmar. The CO1 sequences of 5 Korean specimens ranging 728-736 bp showed 99.6-100% identity with Clinostomum complanatum (GenBank no. KM923964). They also showed 99.9-100% identity with C. complanatum (FJ609420) in the ITS1 sequences ranging 692-698 bp. Meanwhile, the ITS1 sequences of Myanmar specimen showed 99.9% identity with Euclinostomum heterostomum (KY312847). Five sequences from Korean specimens clustered with the C. complanatum genes, but not clustered with Myanmar specimens. Conclusively, it was confirmed that CMc from Korea were morphologically and molecularly identical with C. complanatum and those from Myanmar were E. heterostomum.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2021

The objective of this study was to determine comparative biochemical characteristics and RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) profiles of 18 strains of Edwardsiella tarda isolated from cultured olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) and eel (Anguilla spp) that showed diseases between 1996 and 2010 in Korea. In terms of biochemical properties, they showed four patterns with differences in citrate degradation and production of H₂S and indole. All strains were identified as E. tarda. Characteristics of isolates were not classified according to their host. As a result of PCR with E. tarda-specific primer, EDtT, the same band of about 270 bp was detected in all 18 isolates. However, no specific band was detected in type strains of E. tarda or Edwardsiella ictaluri. As a result of RAPD PCR performed with primer No. 5 and No. 6 of a Ready-To-Go-RAPD kit, the band profile showed clear differences among isolates of olive flounder, isolates of eel, and E. tarda and E. ictaluri type strains. It was possible to organize their characteristics according to the origin of host with possibility to develop tools for pathogen monitoring.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.320-326
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• 2022

Most of the emerging diseases that threaten humans are caused by RNA viruses which are extremely mutable during evolution. The fish RNA virus, viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) can infect a broad range of aquatic animal hosts, but the transmissibility of VHSV to mammals has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the potential adverse effects of VHSV in mammals. Briefly, the survival of VHSV was determined using only minimum essential media (MEM-2) and mammalian SNU-1411 and hepa-1c1c7s cells at 15℃ and 37℃. Mice (Mus musculus, 27.3 ± 1.9 g) were intravenously injected with VHSV (2.37E+05 TCID₅₀·mice^-1) in triplicate. Clinical signs and survival rates were examined at 14 days post-challenge, and infection was confirmed in the surviving mice. The 50% tissue culture infective dose (TCID₅₀) and polymerase chain reaction analysis were used to determine viral titers and the infection rate, respectively. The titer of VHSV suspended in MEM-2 at 15℃ was reduced by only one log after 8 days, whereas the virus maintained at 37℃ was inactivated 8 days post-inoculation (dpi). There were no recognizable cytopathic effects in either SNU-1411 or hepa-1c1c7s cells inoculated with VHSV at 15℃ and 37℃. VHSV in those cell lines at 37℃ was rapidly decreased and eventually inactivated at 12 dpi, whereas virus at 15℃ remained at low concentrations without replication. In vivo experiment showed that there were no signs of disease, mortality, or infection in VHSV-infected mice. The results of this study indicate that it is highly unlikely that VHSV can infect mammals including humans.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.259-265
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• 2018

To investigate the infection status of zoonotic trematode metacercariae in yellowfin goby, Acanthogobius flavimanus, from coastal areas of the Republic of Korea (Korea), we examined total 344 gobies from 21 localities with an artificial digestion method from 2013 to 2017. The metacercariae of Stictodora lari were most frequently detected in 45.3% goby from 7 localities, i.e., Taean-gun (Chungcheongnam-do), Gochang-gun (Jeollabuk-do), Muan-gun, Shinan-gun, Haenam-gun (Jeollanam-do), Hadong-gun and Goseong-gun (Gyeongsangnam-do). Their infection rates were 90.0%, 66.7%, 46.7%, 8.0%, 3.3%, 26.7%, and 86.7% and intensities were 1,090, 6.2, 1.6 1.0, 2.0, 2.0, and 7.2 metacercariae per fish infected respectively. Heterophyopsis continua metacercariae were found in 38.2% goby from 6 localities, i.e., Gochang-gun, Muan-gun, Shinan-gun, Gangjin-gun, Boseong-gun (Jeollanam-do) and Goseong-gun, and their intensities were relatively low, 1-21 metacercariae. Stictodora fuscata metacercariae were detected in 61.3% goby from 4 localities, i.e., Taean-gun, Gochang-gun, Hadong-gun and Goseong-gun. Their infection rates were 90.0%, 53.3%, 5.9%, and 73.3% and intensities were 1,081, 3.1, 3.0, and 10.2 metacercariae per fish infected respectively. Heterophyes nocens metacercariae were found in 55.0% goby from Muan-gun and Shinan-gun. Total 3 metacercariae of Isthmiophora hortensis were detected in 2 (8.0%) gobies from Shinan-gun. Total 15 metacercariae of Centrocestus armatus were detected in 5 gobies (33.3%) from Gyeongpo-ho (ho means lake) in Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do. The present study suggests that yellowfin goby, A. flavimanus, acts as the infection sources of zoonotic intestinal flukes in western and southern coastal areas than in eastern coastal areas of Korea.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.265-274
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• 2013

The growth, reproduction, gametophyte(G)/tetrasporophyte(T) ratio, and diseases of Chondrus ocellatus populations were examined at 3 sites (Samcheok, Youngduk, Pohang) of East coast and at 2 sites (Hakampo, Manripo) of West coast in between July and August, 2013. Average plant lengths were 6.10~9.69 cm and it was minimum at Manripo and maximum at Pohang population. In general, average plant length and weight of C. ocellatus were greater on East coast than West coast populations. The proportion of vegetative plant was between 26.7~66.7 %, and G/T ratio of total plants including vegetative plants after testing resorcinol method was 3:2 on the East coast where is gametophyte dominant area. However, G/T ratio was 1:1 at Hakampo and 1:2.3 at Manripo representing tetrasporophyte dominance. In the present study, Korean C. ocellatus have various diseases (white colour and green colour), an endophytic alga(Ulvella sp.), and many epiphytic macroalgae and diatoms. Healthy C. ocellatus plants were about 20~40 % in summer population and most of plants had disease. Chondrus ocellatus had a filamentous green alga, endophytic Ulvella sp. which was not identified. The endophyte is easily observed in C. crispus growing in Europe and Canada and it is recognised as a pathogen destroying population and reducing yield of C. crispus. Thus more interest and research on the endophytic algae and disease of C. ocellatus are required.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.84-94
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• 2014

Periodontal disease is one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases in the oral cavity, and this is the leading cause of loss of teeth. Studies on the association between diet and periodontal diseases are very limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between food and nutrient intakes and the prevalence of periodontitis. Subjects were 13,391 adults participating in the 2008-2010 Korea Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Periodontitis was diagnosed by dentists using the Community Periodontal Index. Nutrient intakes were estimated by the 24-hour dietary recall. Consumption frequencies of foods were from the food frequency questionnaire. Subjects were categorized into 'smoking' or 'non-smoking' groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the association between diet and periodontitis. The proportions of subjects having periodontitis were 26% in the non-smoking group and 37.5% in the smoking group. In the nonsmoking group, intakes of fruits, dairy products, green tea, energy and vitamin C were inversely associated with the prevalence of periodontitis, but fish and coffee intakes were positively associated with the prevalence of periodontitis after adjusting for covariates. In the smoking group, protein and retinol intakes were inversely associated with the prevalence of periodontitis after adjusting for covariates. These results suggest that certain food and nutrient intakes such as fruits, dairy products, green tea, vitamin C, protein, or retinol intakes may affect the prevalence of periodontitis among Korean adults. Further studies are required to confirm these findings in other research settings.