• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.423-426
• /
• 2011

In the genus Cryptosporidium, there are more than 14 species with different sizes and habitats, as well as different hosts. Among these, C. parvum and C. hominis are known to be human pathogens. As C. parvum can survive exposure to harsh environmental conditions, including various disinfectants or high doses of radiation, it is considered to be an important environmental pathogen that may be a threat to human health. However, the resistance of other Cryptosporidium species to various environmental conditions is unknown. In this study, resistance against ${\gamma}$-irradiation was compared between C. parvum and C. muris using in vivo infection in mice. The capability of C. muris to infect mice could be eliminated with 1,000 Gy of ${\gamma}$-irradiation, while C. parvum remained infective in mice after up to 1,000 Gy of ${\gamma}$-irradiation, although the peak number of oocysts per gram of feces decreased to 16% that of non-irradiated oocysts. The difference in radioresistance between these 2 Cryptosporidium species should be investigated by further studies.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.33-37
• /
• 1999

An age-dependent aspect of resistance to Cryptosporidium muris (strain MCR) infection was monitored in Syrian golden hamsters. Mesocricetus auratus. at 1-, 5- and 10-week of age and in ICR mice, Mus musculus, at 3-, 12-, and 15-week of age orally inoculated with a single dose of $2{\times}10^6$ oocysts. respectively. The prepatent periods for both animals were similar, independent of age, but the patency was significantly longer in younger hamsters (P<0.001) and a long tendency in younger mice. Hamsters infected at 1-week of age excreted about 10 times higher oocysts than those at 5- and 10-week of age. However, the total oocyst output was similar among mice of different ages. There was a good correlation between the length of the patency and the total oocyst output in hamsters (R=0.9646), but not in mice (R=0.456l). The immunogenicity of the parasite to homologous challenge infections was very strong in hamsters and relatively strong in mice. These results indicate that acquired resistance to C. muris infection is age-related and the innate resistance is independent of age of hamsters, and that both innate and acquired resistance, on the contrary, are irrespective of age of mice.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.509-513
• /
• 1991

Preliminary survey on the prevalence of swine internal parasites was carried out at 91 pens of 4 piggeries being operated by the sawdust fermentation floor system in Kyunggi province. To investigate the effects of viability of eggs., larva and cysts, temperatures at the underlayer of the sawdust floor and rooms of pens were taken three times a day for 8 days. In a pig farm which has been operated by the sawdust fermentation floor system for G years, eggs and larva of Ascaris suum, Trichuris suis, Oesophagostomum sp., Hyostrongylus sp. and Strongyloides ransomi were detected from 42(70.0%) among 60 pens. Cysts and oocysts of coccidia, Balantidium coli, Entamoeba sp. were also detected from 50(83.3%) among 60 pens. In three pig farms which have been operated by the sawdust fermentation floor system for one year, eggs and larva of nematoda were not detected at all, and the contamination rates of protozoan cysts and oocysts was relatively low situation. The change of the temperature in the pig room was variable according to outside condition, whereas that in underfloor was consistently stable between $28^{\circ}C$ to $30^{\circ}C$ which was strictly suitable for the development of eggs, larva and cysts.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.25-31
• /
• 2011

Cryptosporidium parvum is known as one of the most highly resistant parasites to gamma irradiation. To morphologically have an insight on the radioresistance of this parasite, ultrastructural changes in C. parvum sporozoites were observed after gamma irradiation using various doses (1, 5, 10, and 25 kGy) following a range of post-irradiation incubation times (10 kGy for 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hr). The ultrastructures of C. parvum oocysts changed remarkably after a 10-kGy irradiation. Nuclear membrane changes and degranulation of dense granules were observed with high doses over 10 kGy, and morphological changes in micronemes and rhoptries were observed with very high doses over 25 kGy. Oocyst walls were not affected by irradiation, whereas the internal structures of sporozoites degenerated completely 96 hr post-irradiation using a dose of 10 kGy. From this study, morphological evidence of radioresistance of C. parvum has been supplemented.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.299-302
• /
• 2011

During experimental Eimeria infections in chickens, facilities are often contaminated by fecal oocysts known to be highly resistant to both chemical and enzymatic treatments. Thus, studies using experimental Eimeria infections have been limited due to the difficulty of complete elimination of residual oocysts from both cages and facilities. To overcome this limitation, simple, inexpensive, and disposable cages were constructed from cardboard boxes and tested during experimental Eimeria maxima infections. The cages were used in animal rooms with only a 1.7% evidence of coccidia contamination between adjacent cages. No significant differences in fecal oocyst output and body weight gain were noted between animals housed in disposable cages and animals housed in wire control cages. This cage design is a useful means for preventing oocyst contamination during experimental conditions, suggesting that this disposable cage design could be used for other avian infectious disease studies.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.261-267
• /
• 2010

In order to evaluate the distribution level of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in drinking water resources, distribution of Cryptosporidium and Giardia was studied in intake water of main water treatment facility with treatment capacity over 50,000 ton/day in Korea. 10 L samples from each study sites were collected quarterly for 2 years between Oct. '04 and Dec. '07. Cryptosporidium and Giardia were filtered and concentrated by capsule filter and centrifugation, and analyzed by immunomagnetic separation process and fluorescent assay. Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts were detected in 7.0% and 9.3%, respectively, of a total 776 samples from 97 study sites. And mean detection number of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts in total 776 samples was 0.11/10 L, 0.16/10 L, detection range of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts was 0~7/10 L, 0~4/10 L, respectively. In seasonal distribution, Cryptosporidium was more frequent in spring as 9.2% than other season, Giardia was more frequent in winter as 14.6% than other season, but there was not shown significant seasonal characteristics. In correlation analysis with total 776 data, Cryptosporidium had significant correlation to total coliforms at the 0.05 level, but correlation value was too low as 0.07 (r=0.07). In case of Giardia, what had significant correlation at the 0.05 level was total coliforms and fecal coliforms, but correlation value was too low as 0.26, 0.27 respectively.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.113-120
• /
• 1996

An epidemiological survey was performed to know the status of Cwptespori,mum sp. infection among the people in Seoul and Chollanam-do in 1992. One village of Chollanam-do (Hwasun-gun) which showed the highest oocyst positive rate was re-surveyed in 1995 for human infection and for cattle also. The subjected areas consisted of 8 urban villages (: dongs) of Seoul and 4 urban (: dongs) and 7 rural (: myonsl villages of Chollanam-do. A total of 3,146 fecal samples was collected randomly, and smears were made from formalin-ether sediments. They were examined for Cwptosporinium oocysts by modified acid fast staining. The overall oocyst positive rate was 79% (248/3,146), but the rate was remarkably different between Seoul and Chollanam-do, 0.5% (4/853) and 10.6% (244/2,293), respectively The average size of oocysts was 4.8 ± 0.5 by 4.2 ± 0.5 ㎛, compatible with C. pcnlum. In Chollanam-do, rural villages showed significantly higher rate (14.0%) than urban villages (3.7%). Especially the people in Iyang-myon, Hwasun- gun, a typical rural village, revealed a very high rate of 40.0% (74/185). Adults aged 51-70 years revealed the highest positive rate among all age groups. At the re-survey of the same village of Hwasun-fun in 1995, 44 (35.2%) of 125 villagers and 14 (93.3%) of IS cattle examined were positive for C. pnnpum oocysts. The results suggest that C. pnnpum is highly prevalent in rural areas of Chollanam-do, and an important source or mode of infection seems to be contaminated water or contact with the feces of infected cattle.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.171-182
• /
• 1998

A total of nine Korean native kids and two Corriedale lambs, 1-20 days old, were each inoculated per os with a single dose of 2 × 107 oocysts of Cwptospori,mum muris (strain MCR) originated from mice to elucidate the kinetics and developmental stages of the coccidium in small ruminants. Irrespective of host's age, the prepatent period for both animals ranged from 19 to 35 days (28.1 days, on the average) and the patent period 16-85 days (47.8 days), and the total oocyst outputs showed enormous differences. Infection with greater numbers of oocyst outputs was not ordinarily established by transmission experiments. Oocysts discharged from the kids retained their infectivity by the mouse titration method. The immunogenicity of the coccidium and oocyst reproduction were proven by challenge infection and administration of prednisolone acetate. respectively. All the developmental stages of the coccidium in parasitophorous vacuoles were found by transmission electron microscopy in the pits of the gastric glands of a kid inoculated with oocysts and then necropsied on day 44 postinoculation. It indicated the full course of the host-parasite relationship in kids and lambs as well as mice.

• Journal of the korean veterinary medical association
• /
• v.32 no.11
• /
• pp.711-714
• /
• 1996

Helminth and their ova or protozoan oocysts from fecal samples of cats in Chonju and Dae-jon area were examined from November 1995 to January 1996. Out of the 43 samples, 41(95.4$\%$) were positive and 66(153.49$\%$) were cumulative

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.43-48
• /
• 2010

Cryptosporidium and Giardia are 2 protozoan parasites responsible for waterborne diseases outbreaks worldwide. In order to assess the prevalence of these protozoans in drinking water samples in the northern part of Portugal and the risk of human infection, we have established a long term program aiming at pinpointing the sources of surface water, drinking water, and environmental contamination, working with the water-supply industry. Total 43 sources of drinking water samples were selected, and a total of 167 samples were analyzed using the Method 1623. Sensitivity assays regarding the genetic characterization by PCR and sequencing of the genes, 18S SSU rRNA, for Cryptosporidium spp. and $\beta$, -giardin for G. duodenalis were set in the laboratory. According to the defined criteria, molecular analysis was performed over 4 samples. Environmental stages of the protozoa were detected in 25.7% (43 out of 167) of the water samples, 8.4% (14 out of 167) with cysts of Giardia, 10.2% (17 out of 167) with oocysts of Cryptosporidium and 7.2% (12 out of 167) for both species. The mean concentrations were 0.1-12.7 oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. per 10 L and 0.1-108.3 cysts of Giardia duodenalis per 10 L. Our results suggest that the efficiency in drinking water plants must be ameliorated in their efficiency in reducing the levels of contamination. We suggest the implementation of systematic monitoring programs for both protozoa. To authors' knowledge, this is the first report evaluating the concentration of environmental stages of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in drinking water samples in the northern part of Portugal.