• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.395-402
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• 2015

Non-human primates (NHPs) are confirmed as reservoirs of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia intestinalis, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi. In this study, 197 fresh fecal samples from 8 NHP species in Qinling Mountains, northwestern China, were collected and examined using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method. The results showed that 35 (17.8%) samples were positive for tested parasites, including Cryptosporidium spp. (3.0%), G. intestinalis (2.0%), and E. bieneusi (12.7%). Cryptosporidium spp. were detected in 6 fecal samples of Macaca mulatta, and were identified as C. parvum (n=1) and C. andersoni (n=5). Subtyping analysis showed Cryptosporidium spp. belonged to the C. andersoni MLST subtype (A4, A4, A4, and A1) and C. parvum 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) subtype IId A15G2R1. G. intestinalis assemblage E was detected in 3 M. mulatta and 1 Saimiri sciureus. Intra-variations were observed at the triose phosphate isomerase (tpi), beta giardin (bg), and glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) loci, with 3, 1, and 2 new subtypes found in respective locus. E. bieneusi was found in Cercopithecus neglectus (25.0%), Papio hamadrayas (16.7%), M. mulatta (16.3%), S. sciureus (10%), and Rhinopithecus roxellana (9.5%), with 5 ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genotypes: 2 known genotypes (D and BEB6) and 3 novel genotypes (MH, XH, and BSH). These findings indicated the presence of zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium spp. and E. bieneusi in NHPs in Qinling Mountains. This is the first report of C. andersoni in NHPs. The present study provided basic information for control of cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, and microsporidiosis in human and animals in this area.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.393-402
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• 2014

Culture-dependent and culture-independent denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analyses were employed to investigate the bacterial community associated with a natural dye wastewater treatment facility. A total of 104 (influent water, 48 strains; aeration tank, 25; settling tank, 31) bacterial strains were isolated. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences comparison analysis, the isolates belonged to four phyla: Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteriodetes. Seventeen DGGE bands representing dominant taxa in each sample were cloned and partially sequenced. The same four phyla were detected by DGGE fingerprinting. The most dominant taxon retrieved by both methods was the member of the phylum Proteobacteria with Alphaproteobacteria as the predominant class. The bacterial community associated with the natural dye wastewater treatment facility is composed of parasites of animals and plants, decomposers of polysaccharides and dyes, and producers of extracellular polysaccharides.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2000

A new nutritional disease has occurred among the hatchery-reared Korean bullhead fingerlings (Pseudobagrus fulvidraco) in the Chonbuk Province in September 1997. Diseased fish were all dead within 3-7 days, showing sluggish behavior, head up and tail down swimming. Most characteristic clinical signs were anaemia, clubbed and fused gill, skin desquamation. haemorrhage around the mouth and at the base of pectoral fins. Any causative bacteria and parasites were not isolated from the lesions and internal organs of the diseased fish. The hepatosomatic index, red blood cell count, hematocrit, hemoglobin and erythrocytes size of peripheral blood in the diseased fish were remarkably decreased compared with those of normal fish. In the histopathological observations, epithelial hyperplasia of the gill filaments initiated at the base of the gill was pronounced. This symptom was the characteristic appearence of all the diseased fish. A 0.6% saline bath and feeding a pantothenic acid-supplemented diet were conducted to decrease the mortality. Ten days after 0.6% saline bath or 25 days after feeding a pantothenic acid supplemented diet resulted in decreasing in the mortality. Microscopic appereance of the gill from the recovered fish was similar to that of the gill from healthy fish. These results indicate that the disease was caused by deficency of pantothenic acid in their diet and that 0.6% saline bath or supplementation of pantothenic acid in the diet was an effective way to decrease the mortality.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1989

Serodiagnosis of parasitic infections is widely used, since parasites or their eggs are not always detected by ordinary methods. The sensitive tests such as ELISA are highly dependent on the purity of antigens used. To solve this problem. many workers have tried to find species-specific components of antigens, The present study was performed to determine the antigenic profile of crude saline extracts of 3, 5, 8 and 12-week old p. westermani worms, which were collected from experimentally infected cats, based on SDS-PAGE and immunoblot technique. The results were as follows: 1. The SDS-PAGE showed at least 30 Protein bands ranging from 229 kDa to 10 kDa molecular weight. The protein components of p. wsstermani changed chronologically during its developmental period. The 229 kDa band was recognized only in 12-week old worms ($$SEP_{l2}$). 2. Analysis by ELISA showed a significant increase in antibody levels at 3 weeks in infected cats using crude saline extract antigens ($SEP_3,{\;}SEP_5,{\;}SEP_8,{\;}SEP_{l2}$). 3. By EITB using $SEP_3$ and $SEP_5$ infected cats recognisea major protein bands with molecular weight of 60, 35, 28, 25 or 21 kDa at 3~12 weeks of infection, and 3 additional antigens, 19, 13 and 10 kDa, were detected at 8~12 weeks of infections. 4. Using $SEP_8$ 5 antigens, 91, 85, 31, 25 and 21 kDa, were consistently detected by all infected sera tested. In addition, 3 antigens of lg. 13 and 10 kDa were detected at 8~12 weeks of infection. Using $SEP_12$, similar results were obtained with that by using $SEP_8$ and 1 additional antigen of 229 kDa, specifically reacting with the sera from 12 weeks of in(traction, was recognized.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 1997

It is generally accepted that parasite-specific IgE plays a crucial role in host defense against helminthic parasites. However, the role of high levels of nonspecific IgE in helminthic infections is still controversial. To investigate the role of nonspecific IgE in primary infections with P. westemani the effect of anti-lgE mAb treatment on serum IgE, $Fc{\varepsilon}RII/CD23$ expression and worm burden in Parcgonimus-infected mice were examined. In mice treated with anti-lgE antibody, the total IgE levels were not detectable ($1{\;}{\mu\textrm{g}/ml}$) throughout the experiment compared with untreated infected mice. The mean percentages of $Fc{\varepsilon}RII/CD23$ positive splenic B cells in anti-lgE treated mice (ridge: 20.3 - 30.5) were also decreased throughout the experiment compared with untreated infected mice (range: 35.7-44.4). Reduction of the total IgE and expression of $Fc{\varepsilon}RII/CD23$ on splenic B cells resulted in decreased worm burden six weeks post infection. These results suggest that high levels of nonspecific IgE in mice with primary infections of P. westemnni play a harmful, rather than beneficial, role for the host, perhaps by interfering with CD23-dependent cellular pathways.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.305-310
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• 2014

Ascidian soft tunic syndrome (AsSTS) caused by Azumiobodo hoyamushi (A. hoyamushi) is a serious aquaculture problem that results in mass mortality of ascidians. Accordingly, the early and accurate detection of A. hoyamushi would contribute substantially to disease management and prevention of transmission. Recently, the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method was adopted for clinical diagnosis of a range of infectious diseases. Here, the authors describe a rapid and efficient LAMP-based method targeting the 18S rDNA gene for detection of A. hoyamushi using ascidian DNA for the diagnosis of AsSTS. A. hoyamushi LAMP assay amplified the DNA of 0.01 parasites per reaction and detected A. hoyamushi in 10 ng of ascidian DNA. To validate A. hoyamushi 18S rDNA LAMP assays, AsSTS-suspected and non-diseased ascidians were examined by microscopy, PCR, and by using the LAMP assay. When PCR was used as a gold standard, the LAMP assay showed good agreement in terms of sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). In the present study, a LAMP assay based on directly heat-treated samples was found to be as efficient as DNA extraction using a commercial kit for detecting A. hoyamushi. Taken together, this study shows the devised A. hoyamushi LAMP assay could be used to diagnose AsSTS in a straightforward, sensitive, and specific manner, that it could be used for forecasting, surveillance, and quarantine of AsSTS.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.161-176
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• 1975

In order to evaluate the epizootiological influence of high-land on cattle feeding, routine hematological observation, with additional examinations of feces and general clinical condition, was conducted comparing the high-land cows resident at altitude of 800 to 1,200 meters in Daegwanryeong to the low-land cows resident at altitudes of less than 100 meters in Samcheok and Gangneung. The high-land cows were divided into 3 groups such as group A, B and C, consisting of 15, 16 and 20 adult cows respectively, and among the 3 groups only group C was exposed to abrupt high-land cold before observation. The low-land cows, that is group D, were consisted of 25 adult cows. The results obtained in the survey were summarized as follows: 1. Number of erythrocytes, concentration of hemoglobin and packed cell volume were remarkably higher (p<0.01) in all of 3 groups (group A, B and C) of high-land cows than trios of low-land cows (group D). These higher values in high-land cows were ascribable to the better feeding and hygienic management, and lesser infestation of small-type Piroplasma (Theileria) and internal parasites in contrast with the low-land cows. 2. Remarkably higher value of mean corpuscular volume (p<0.01) and a tendency to lower value of mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were noted in group D in contrast with group A, B and C. The reason was attributed to the higher infestation (p<0.01) of smalltype piroplasma in low-land cows in contrast with high-land cows. 3. It was noticiable that even though lesser infestation of small type Piroplama in the highland cows was shown, a natural case of clinical small-type-piroplasmosis was found in high-land group B as well as a case in the low-land group D. The blood Pattern showed characteristic macrocytic-hypochromic-anemia with increased reticulocytes in both two cases (Table 7). 4. In the observation of leukocytic series, marked increase of eosinophils in group D was seen in accordance with heavy infestation of gastrointestinal nematodes, and increased neutrophils with higher appearance of nonlobulated form and eosinopenia in group C only was observed suggesting the leukocytic response to the cold exposure in high-land. 5. Mean values of thrombocytes in group A,B,C and D were 48.4, 40.7, 42.7 and $32.3{\times}10^4/mm^3$ respcetively, and no statistically significant differences were observed.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.91-97
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• 2005

Bio-secure culture of olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus in the IBK (Intensive Bioproduction Korean) recirculating system with dry pellet was tested for 6 months. The IBK system consists of 12 rearing tanks, 6 sedimentation tanks. 4-sectioned submerged biofilter chamber and channels. The size of each rearing tank was 3m in diameter and 1m in depth. The size of each biofilter chamber was $3.1\times3.3\times2.0$ m (D) and was filled with corrugated plastic plates as a biofilter medium. Total surface area of the biofilter was 3,789.7 $m^2$ Water was circulated by one of two vertical axial pump and circulating rate was about 34 times per day. A UV light sterilizer was used to treat inlet sea water with the flow rate of 4 ton/hr. All fish were treated with 150 ppm formalin 3 times with 5 day interval before stocking. It took 60 days for 'conditioning' the biofilter with the stocking density of 4.5 kg of fish $m^2$. The concentrations of ammonium-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen and nitrate-nitrogen in the system remained at the range of 0.096-0.315 mg/L, 0.015-0.504 mg/L, and 2.530-39.517 mg/L, respectively. Water temperature fluctuated from 17.5 to 25.1$^{\circ}C$ and salinity was from 30.1 to 33.5 ppt during rearing period. The fish grew from the average weight of 615.2 g to 1,201.1 g for 180 days. Initial and final fish densities were 8.4 and 15.9$kg/m^2$, Survival rate was 97.1 %. Neither parasites nor noticeable diseases was observed during the raring period even Vibrio spp. were detected from some fish in the system.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.5508-5512
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• 2015

Objective.: Sparganosis locations in humans are usually presented with a subcutaneous tissue of abdominal wall, chest, abdominal vicera and brain, but are rarely found in the breast. Methods. A case of sparganosis was confirmed by surgical excision of two parasites in a 76-year-old female patient present to a palpable mass in the right breast (presumed to have been sparganosis approximately 3 years ago). She had no history to direct ingestion of snakes or frogs, but had the history of drinking contaminated water. Mammography, ultrasonography, MRI, and FDG PET/CT imaging findings for patient were characteristic of sparganosis due to suspicion of breast cancer. Conclusions: The first route of infection in humans is drinking contaminated water. The second route is the ingestion of raw or partially cooked snakes or frogs. The third route is infected wound snake, frog muscle that attach to the case. However, only a few cases of drinking contaminated water have been reported in the country. Ultrasonography, MRI is known to be helpful for diagnosis of breast sparganosis. However, Mammography, ultrasonography, MRI, and FDG PET/CT for breast sparganosis is not reported present in the country. Reported the case and reviewed the related literature briefly.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.109-109
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• 2002

Detection of protozoan parasites Perkinsus sp. and P. atlanticus was developed in this study using a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to diagnose the presence of those organisms that causes extensive mortalities of marine shellfishes. The PCR was conducted together with fluid thioglycollate medium (FTM) method and 2 M NaOH lysis method. For the test, Manila clams, Ruditapes philippinarum, were collected from four coastal locations in Korea including Wando Island, Gimnyeong, Sungsan and Sogwipo in Jeju. In addition, trophozites of Perkinsus sp. cultivated in vitro and the granular ark clam, Tegillarca granosa, taken from Gangjin on the south coast of Korea, were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. Expected DNA bands were detected in the samples from Wando Island, Sungsan and the in vitro cultured Perkinsus sp. when the probes specific for the genus Perkinsus and P. atlanticus were used. The samples were also positively diagnosed by the FTM and 2 M NaOH methods. In contrast, the Manila clams from Gimnyeong and Sogwipo, and the granular arks clams from Gangjin showed no detectable signs of infection with the PCR, the FTM method and the 2 M NaOH lysis method. On the other hand, being amplified by p. atlanticus specific primer, it is suggested that the protozoan parasite Perkinsus sp. found in the Korean Manila clam is P. atlanticus. Finally the PCR- based assay developed in the present study can be used in detection of Perkinsus infection and discrimination of Peykinsus species in quarantine stations or laboratories due to the high sensitivity and specificity as well as its rapid detection.