• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 1996

A nationwide survey was performed to know the geographical distribution of Gymnophalloides seoi (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) metacercariae in Korea, by examining the infection status of locally produced oysters, Crassosden gillu. A total of 24 coastal areas (myons) of 14 guns (=counties) in Kyonggi-do, Chollabuk-do, Chollanam-do, Kyongsangnam-do, Kyongsangbuk-do, or Kangwon-do, where natural oysters are produced but G. seoi has never been reported, and 13 areas (myons) of Shinan-gun, Chollanam-do, nearby the known endemic area, were surveyed. Oysters from non- endemic areas were free from G. seoi infection, except Byonsan-myon of Buan-gun, Chollabuk-do, where one of 50 oysters examined was infected with 15 metacercariae of G. seoi. In Shinan-gun, oysters from 10 areas including Aphae-myon (= township) and Anjwa-myon were infected with the metacercariae, with the infection rate ranging from 1.7% to 100% by areas. The intensity of infection was the highest in Aphae-myon, 785.9 metacercariae per oyster. The results indicate that high prevalence of G. seoi is confined to Shinan-gun, but low grade prevalence is also present in adjacent areas such as Buan- gun, Chollabuk-do.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.449-455
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• 2011

We detected metacercariae of Echinostoma revolutum in Filopaludina sp. snails purchased from a local market in Nam Dinh Province for the first time in Vietnam. Adult flukes were harvested from experimentally infected hamsters at days 14 and 17 post-infection. The metacercariae were round, $170-190{\mu}m$ (n=15) in diameter, with a cyst wall thickness of about $12{\mu}m$. A total of 37 collar spines were arranged around the head collar, and large excretory granules were seen in 2 canals of the excretory bladder. The 14-day old adult flukes were elongated, ventrally curved, and $5.0-7.2{\times}0.8-1.3mm$ (n=20). The head collar had a total of 37 collar spines arranged in 2 alternating rows, including 5 corner spines on each side. The cirrus sac contained a saccular seminal vesicle, a prostatic gland, and an unarmed cirrus. Two tandem testes were smooth or slightly lobed. Eggs were ovoid to elliptical, $110-118{\times}70-75{\mu}m$. These morphological characters were similar to those of E. revolutum and E. jurini. We tentatively identified it as E. revolutum because the validity of E. jurini remains to be elucidated. The taxonomic relationship of E. revolutum and E. jurini is discussed.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.49-53
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• 2008

The metacercariae of Centrocestus formosanus, a minute intestinal trematode of mammals and birds, were detected in the freshwater fish, Puntius brevis, from Vientiane Municipality, Lao PDR. The metacercariae were experimentally fed to mice, and adult flukes were recovered in their small intestines 7 days later. The adult flukes were morphologically characterized by having 32 (rarely 34) circumoral spines arranged in 2 alternative rows, a large bipartite seminal vesicle, an oval-shaped ovary, and an X-shaped excretory bladder. Based on these characters, the adults were identified as Centrocestus formosanus (Nishigori, 1924). The taxonomic significance of C. formosanus, in relation to a closely related species, C. caninus (Leiper, 1913), is briefly discussed. It has been first verified by adult worm recovery that C. formosanus is prevalent in Vientiane areas of Lao PDR, taking the freshwater fish, P. brevis, as a second intermediate host.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.537-541
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• 2016

Stellantchasmus falcatus (Digenea: Heterophyidae) is first reported from Cambodia through recovery of the metacercariae from mullet fish and adult flukes from an experimentally infected hamster. We purchased 7 mullets, Chelon macrolepis, in a local market of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and each of them was examined by the artificial digestion method on May 2010. The metacercariae of S. falcatus were detected in all mullets (100%) examined, and their average density was 177 per fish. They were elliptical, $220{\times}168{\mu}m$ in average size. They were orally infected to an hamster to obtain adult flukes. Adults recovered at day 10 post infection were observed with a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). They were small, $450{\times}237{\mu}m$ in average size, had a small oral sucker ($41{\times}50{\mu}m$), subglobular pharynx ($29{\times}21{\mu}m$), slender esophagus ($57{\mu}m$), long and thick-walled expulsor ($119{\times}32{\mu}m$), spherical ovary ($58{\times}69{\mu}m$), and 2 ovoid testes (right: $117{\times}74{\mu}m$; left: $114{\times}63{\mu}m$). Eggs were small, yellow, and $23{\times}12{\mu}m$ in average size. In SEM observations, tegumental spines were densely distributed on the whole tegument, and single small type I sensory papillae were distributed around the lip of oral sucker. The small ventral sucker was dextrally located and had 8 type I sensory papillae on the left margin. It has been first confirmed in the present study that the mullet, C. macrolepis, is playing the role of a second intermediate host of S. falcatus in Cambodia.

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

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.347-350
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• 2017

An epidemiological study was performed to know the recent infection status of Paragonimus westermani metacercariae (PwMc) in freshwater crayfish, Cambaroides similis, from 2 streams in Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea. Crayfish were collected from creeks in Bogil-do (Island), Wando-gun, and in a creek near Daeheung Temple in Haenam-gun. The infection rate of crayfish with PwMc in Bogil-do was 89.8%, and the metacercarial burden was 37 PwMc per the infected crayfish. Crayfish in a creek near Daeheung Temple were larger and twice heavier than those in Bogil-do. Of them, 96.5% were infected with PwMc. An average of 140 metacercariae was found in the infected crayfish, almost quadruple to those of Bogil-do. There was a strong correlation between the number of PwMc and body weight of the crayfish. These results suggest that P. westermani metacercariae are still prevalent in crayfish of the 2 regions in Jeollanam-do, Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.341-345
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• 2017

The metacercariae of Artyfechinostomum malayanum (Leiper, 1911) Mendheim, 1943 were discovered in Pila sp. snails purchased from a market in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. They were isolated from the snails using the artificial digestion technique and were orally fed to 2 hamsters, 1 rat, and 2 mice to obtain the adult flukes. The metacercariae were round, $145-165{\mu}m$ in diameter, having a cyst wall of $6-10{\mu}m$ in thickness, a head collar and collar spines, and characteristic features of excretory granules. Adult flukes were recovered in the small intestines of the animals at days 14 and 32 post infection and were morphologically observed using a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope. They were plump or elongated, ventrally curved, $6.0-8.1{\times}1.6-2.0mm$ in size, and characterized by the head collar bearing 43 collar spines, including 5 end group ones on each side, a long cirrus sac extending beyond the posterior margin of the ventral sucker, a submedian ovary, and 2 deeply lobed testes. Eggs in uteri were operculate, ovoid to ellipsoid, and $120-135{\times}68-75{\mu}m$ in size. In scanning electron microscopy, the head collar was prominent with collar spines looking like horns. Scale-like tegumental spines were densely distributed on the ventral surface between the head collar and ventral sucker. Sensory papillae were distributed mainly on the tegument around suckers. By this study, it has been first confirmed that the life cycle of A. malayanum exists in Cambodia.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.189-192
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• 1991

Status of metacercarial infections of Paragcnimus westermani was observed in freshwater crabs, which were purchased at 3 markets in its peak season of 1990. All of 85 crabs were Eriocheir japenicus. No other species of Eriocheir were found. When crushed muscle and viscera was examined individually, the infection rate was 11.8% ; and mean number of metacercariae was 2.1 per infected crab. Unless adequately cooked, freshwater crabs are still potential sources of human paragonimiasis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.223-232
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• 1997

Metagonimus miyatai n. sp. (Digenea: Heterophyidae) is described based on adult flukes collected from experimental dogs and hamsters fed with metacercariae encysted in the sweetfish, Plecoglossus altivelis, dace, Tribolodon hakonensis and T. taczanowskii, common fat-minnow. Morocco steindachneri pale chub, Zacco platypus, and dark chub, Zacco temmincki, and on those collected from naturally infected humans. The new species was morphologically compared with M. yokogawai and M. takahashii obtained from experimental animals fed with the sweetflsh and the crucian carp, Cnrossius caressius, respectively. The uterine loops of M. miyatai reached near the posterior end of the body through the space between the two testes, whereas those of M. yokogawai, occupied only the space between the acetabulum and anterior border of two testes. This uterine tubule distribution was similar to that of another closely related species, M. takahashii. However vitellaria of M. miyatai ended in front of the posterior end of the left testis, while those of M. takahcshii reached the posterior end of the left testis and ran it over. By raising M. miyatai as a new species, differentiation of M. yokogawai and M. takahashii became very clear. A key to the species of the genus Metagonimus in the Far East has been proposed.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.161-165
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• 2011

The present study was performed to determine the current infecion status of Metagonimus yokogawai metacercariae in sweetfish, Plecoglossus altivelis, collected from several streams in eastern and southern coastal areas of Korea. The sweetfish collected were artificially digested with pepsin-HCI solution and examined under a stereomicroscope in August and September, 2007. Out of 145 sweetfish collected from 10 streams in eastern coasts (Gangwon-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do), 88 (60.7%) were infected with Metagonimus metacercariae. The average metacercarial density was 61 per infected fish. Among 141 sweetfish collected from 10 streams in southern coasts (Gyeongsangnam-do, Ulsan Metropolitan city, and Jeollanam-do), 140 (99.3%) were infected with Metagonimus metacercariae, and their average density was 949 per infected fish. The present study confirmed that M. yokogawai metacercariae are still prevalent in the sweetfish from several eastern and southern coastal localities. The prevalence and metacercarial density were much higher in the sweetfish from streams of southern coasts than in those of eastern coasts. Therefore, attention should be paid to this small fluke infection, and consumption of raw sweetfish naturally produced in these areas should be prohibited.