• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.61-64
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• 1995

Gymnopholloides seoi, a new intestinal trematode of humans transmitted by oysters on a southwestern island of Korea, dry medical attentions because of its possible relationship with evoking pancreatitis or other pancreatic diseases. We experienced ho interesting cases of G. seoi infection who were accompanied with diabetes mellitus. In routine stool examination, eggs of a gymnophallid were detected from two patients, and after treatment with praziquantel and purgation, 772 and 10 adult flukes were recovered respectively. They were identified as G. seoi The first patient was a 62-year old man who lived in Mokpo, nearby the known endemic area, and the second patient, a 54-year old woman who lived in Inchon. They used to eat raw oysters. It should be ruled out that G. seoi infection has some relationship with pancreatic diseases.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.154-159
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• 1983

A Gymnophallid cercaria was found in the gonadal tissue of Tapes philippinarum, and was described as a new species, Cercaria tapes n. sp. The host clams were collected from the intertidal zone of Seo-myon, Seo-chon gun, Korea from September 1980 to August 1981. The size of sporocysts was $380-650{\times}130-160{\mu}m$. The anterior part of the cercaria bears a subterminal opening and pharynx. The sporocyst bears ca. 30 cercariae and germ balls. The cercaria is elliptical in shape. The dimension of body is $160-187{\times}62-77{\mu}m$. the tail stem is $47-52{\times}17{\mu}m$, and the tail furcae is $67-72{\times}12-15{\mu}m$. Excretory bladder is Y-shaped, and the flame cell formula is 2(1)+(1)=4. The infection rate of the cercaria to the host clam was $2.01\%$ (42 infected/2,086 short-necked clams observed). The highest infection rate ($5.74\%$) was found in March, and the lowest one ($0.4\%$) observed in January. No infection was detected in May and June. The infection rates varied with the size of the short-necked clam. It was the clams of host of 2.1-3.0 cm, 3.1-4.0 cm and 4.1-5.0 cm in shell length are $0.38\%,\;15.3\%$ and $0.09\%$ respectively. The cercaria was not observed in the specimens smaller than 2.0 cm in shell length.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.87-91
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• 2020

Gymnophallid metacercariae found in the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum ('Banjirak' in Korean) from Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do, Korea were morphologically and molecularly confirmed to be Parvatrema duboisi (Dollfus, 1923) Bartoli, 1974. The metacercariae were morphologically characterized by having a large oral sucker, small ventral sucker, genital pore some distance anterior to the ventral sucker, no ventral pit, and 1 compact or slightly lobed vitellarium, which were all compatible with P. duboisi. Some of the metacercariae were experimentally fed to mice, and adult flukes were recovered at day 7 post-infection. The morphology of the adult flukes was basically the same as that of the metacercariae except for the presence of uterine eggs; the uterus was filled with up to 40 eggs. The nucleotide sequences (1,193 bp) from ITS regions (ITS1, 5.8S rDNA, and ITS2) of the metacercariae showed 99.7% identity with P. duboisi and 75.7% identity with Gymnophalloides seoi deposited in GenBank. These results confirmed the presence of P. duboisi metacercariae in the Manila clam R. philippinarum in an estuary region of Gochang-gun, Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.45 no.2 s.142
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• pp.115-120
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• 2007

Parvatrema chaii n. sp. (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) is described using the worms recovered from experimentally infected mice in Korea. The metacercariae were collected from surf-clams, Mactra veneriformis, from a tidal flat in Sochon-gun, Chungchongnam-do. The metacercariae were elliptical ($0.262{\times}0.132 mm$), and the genital pore had an anterior arch of 16-17 sensory papillae in scanning electron microscopic view, Adult worms were ovoid to foliate (0.275-0.303 by 0.140-0.150 mm), and their characteristic features included the presence of lateral lips, short esophagus, genital pore located some distance anterior to the ventral sucker, club-shaped seminal vesicle, a compact to slightly lobed vitellarium, elliptical eggs (0.018-0.020 by 0.010-0.013 mm), and absence of the ventral pit. This gymnophallid is classified as a member of the genus Parvatrema because of the location of the wide genital pore some distance from the ventral sucker, and the absence of the ventral pit. It differs from previously reported Parvatrema species, including the type species, P. borinquenae. In particular, the morphologies of the vitellarium and the genital pore with an anterior arch of 16-17 sensory papillae are unique features. Therefore, we propose it as a new species, Parvatrema chaii n. sp. (Digenea: Gymnophallidae).

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1995

Gymnophalkides seoi has drawn medical attentions since the discovery of the first human case and a highly endemic area on a southwestern coastal island of Shinan- gun, Korea. Marine bivalves especially oysters were strongly suspected as the source of infection. In this study the oysters, Crassostrea girns, naturally produced (rom the endemic area were examined whether they contain gymnophallid metacercariae. All of 50 oysters examined were infected with the metacercaviae of a gymnophallid, with the metacercarial density per oyster of 610 on average (2-4,792 in range). Later they were identified as G. seoi by obtaining adult worms from experimental mice. The metacercariae were unencysted, and firmly attached on the mantle surface of the oysters with their oral sucker. In sectioned specimens they were equipped with the ventral pit, a peculiar organ of the genus Gymophalloides, and non-muscular genital pore which was connected dorsally to the seminal vesicle. The seminal vesicle was in a great majority mono-sac. By this study, it has been confirmed that the oyster is a 2nd intermediate host of G. seoi as well as the major source of human infection with this fluke.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2001

A nationwide survey was performed to know the distribution and prevalence of human Gymnophalloides seoi infection on western and southern coastal islands in the Republic of Korea. A total of 4,178 fecal specimens were collected Iron) residents on 45 (24 western and 21 southern) islands, and examined by Kato-Katz and formalin-ether sedimentation techniques. Eggs of G. seoi were detected from 160 (3.8%) people living on 22 (13 western and 9 southern) islands. The prevalence varied by the location of islands; higher on western islands than on southern islands . The highest prevalence was found on Amtaedo (25.3%), followed by Cheungdo (25.0%), and Anchwado (20.9%) (Shinan-gun). A little lower prevalence was observed on Munyodo (13.3%), Shinshido (12.9%), and Sonyudo (10.3%) (Kunsan-shi). Of the remaining islands, tile regions showing the prevalence greater than 5% included Kohado, Dallido (Mokpo-shi) . Pyeongildo, Kogumdo (Wando-gun) and Keogumdo (Kohung-gun). A strong age predilection was noted (p < 0.05): 95% of the infected people were over 40 years old. Females showed a little higher prevalence than males. The results indicate that human G. seoi infection is more widely distributed than previously considered. Nine of 11 islands (excluding the 2 known areas Munyodo and Sunyudo) that showed greater prevalence than 5% are regarded as new endemic foci of G. seoi.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.157-162
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• 1994

A highly endemic focus of human infection with Heterophves nocens (Heterophyidae) was discovered from a small coastal village of Shinan-gun, Chollanam-do, for the first time in Korea. Fecal examinations by cellophane thick smear and formalin- ether sedimentation techniques revealed 42.9% heterophyid egg Positive rate out of 98 inhabitants examined. It was difficult to confirm the species of heterophylds only by eggs. In order to collect the adult flukes, the egg Positive cases were treated with 10 mg/kg single dose of praziquantel and purged with magnesium sulfate, and the adult worms were collected from the diarrheic stools. From each of 18 cooperative patients 1 to 1,124 (total 4,730) H. nocens worms were recovered, together with a few to large numbers of heterophyids (Pvginiopsis summa, Stictonora juscatunl and for gymnophallids (Gvmopholloides stool) . It is speculated that H. nocen might be widely distributed along the southwestern coastal areas where the brackish water fish such as the mullets or gobies are popularly eaten raw.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.289-296
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• 1995

The surface ultrastructure of metacercariae and adults of Gymnophallokles seoi, the only known gymnophallid infecting humans, was observed by scanning electron microscopy. Metacercariae were ovoid or pyriform in shape and slightly concave ventrally. The oral sucker had two sizes of type I papillae, small and large, encircling its lip. Type I papillae were arranged in a row on both side oi the body. The ventral pit had several type I papillae on its inner surface. The ventral sucker was covered with cobble-stone like cytoplasmic processes and had 6 type I papillae on its lip. The surface of the body was covered with the tegumental spines except for the ventromedian area between the two suckers. The spines at anterior body were digitated into 3-5 points, and their size decreased at posterior one third or the body. Adult worms were rhomboid or ellipsoid in shape and covered with tegumental spines except for the ventromedian area. The shape and distribution of the tegumental spines and sensory papillae were similar to those of metacercariae. However, sensory papillae arranged in a row on the ventral surface of metacercariae were not observed in adults. The ventral pit became larger and more prominent as the fluke grew. It is suggested that the ventral pit function as an additional adhesive organ to the host tissue.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.83-88
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• 2021

Life cycle stages, including daughter sporocysts, cercariae, and metacercariae, of Parvatrema duboisi (Dollfus, 1923) Bartoli, 1974 (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) have been found in the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum from Aphae-do (Island), Shinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea. The daughter sporocysts were elongated sac-like and 307-570 (av. 395) ㎛ long and 101-213 (av. 157) ㎛ wide. Most of the daughter sporocysts contained 15-20 furcocercous cercariae each. The cercariae measured 112-146 (av. 134) ㎛ in total length and 35-46 (av. 40) ㎛ in width, with 69-92 (av. 85) ㎛ long body and 39-54 (av. 49) ㎛ long tail. The metacercariae were 210-250 (av. 231) ㎛ in length and 170-195 (av. 185) ㎛ in width, and characterized by having a large oral sucker, genital pore some distance anterior to the ventral sucker, no ventral pit, and 1 compact or slightly lobed vitellarium, strongly suggesting P. duboisi. The metacercariae were experimentally infected to ICR mice, and adults were recovered at day 7 post-infection. The adult flukes were morphologically similar to the metacercariae except in the presence of up to 20 eggs in the uterus. The daughter sporocysts and metacercariae were molecularly (ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2) analyzed to confirm the species, and the results showed 99.8-99.9% identity with P. duboisi reported from Kyushu, Japan and Gochang, Korea. These results confirmed the presence of various life cycle stages of P. duboisi in the Manila clam, R. philippinarum, playing the role of the first as well as the second intermediate host, on Aphae-do (Island), Shinan-gun, Korea.