• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.179-184
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• 2019

Sparganosis is a parasitic infestation caused by sparganum, a plerocercoid tapeworm larva of the genus Spirometra. Since the first case of human sparganosis reported in 1908, sparganosis has been a global disease, and is common in China, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries. Consumption of raw snakes, frogs, fish, or drinking contaminated beverages are sources of human infections. Human sparganosis usually manifests in subcutaneous fat in areas such as the abdomen, genitourinary tract, and limbs. Breast sparganosis cases are rare, representing less than 2% of total cases of human infections. Complete surgical extraction of the sparganum is the treatment of choice. Because of the rarity of the disease, clinical suspicion is vital to reach the diagnosis of breast sparganosis. Here we report 2 rare cases of breast sparganosis presenting with a painless breast lump, both treated with surgical excision and sparganum extraction.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.577-581
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• 2020

A 22-year-old Thai man from the Northeast region presented with acute eye swelling, itching, and discharge on his left eye. He was suspected of having gnathostomiasis and treated with albendazole and prednisolone for 3 weeks. Nine months later, he was treated with high-dose oral prednisolone for the preliminary and differential diagnoses with thyroid-associated orbitopathy and lymphoma. He had been administered prednisolone intermittently over a few years. Then he developed a painless movable mass at the left upper eyelid and recurrent pseudotumor oculi was suspected. The surgical removal of the mass was performed. A white pseudosegmented worm revealed a definite diagnosis of ocular sparganosis by a plerocercoid larva. Molecular diagnosis of the causative species was made based on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. Proper technique of extraction and amplification of short fragments DNA from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue successfully identified parasite species. The result from the sequencing of the PCR-amplified cox1 fragments in this study showed 99.0% sequence homology to Spirometra ranarum. This is the first report of S. ranarum in Thailand.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.60 no.6
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• pp.419-421
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• 2022

To improve our understanding of the migration of sparganum in humans, we report a case of ocular sparganosis having the migratory episode from the muscle cone to the subconjunctiva. A 34-year-old woman was admitted to the Hospital of Anhui Medical University (Hefei, China), in December 2019. She presented with conjunctival hemorrhage and recurrent pain in the left eye. A foreign body was found in the muscle cone of the eye. Two months later, a ribbon-like white material was found under the conjunctiva on slit-lamp examination. A long and slender, actively moving parasite was extracted by surgery. The extracted worm was approximately 8 cm long and 2 mm wide. The worm was whitish, wrinkled, ribbon shaped, and had a slightly enlarged scolex. The worm sample was morphologically identified as a plerocercoid larva (sparganum) of the Spirometra tapeworm. Her conjunctival blood suffusion and eye pain ceased within 1 week after operation. She has been in good health without any symptoms during the 2-year follow-up. A case of ocular sparganosis, in which larval worm migrated from the muscle cone to the subconjunctiva is reported from China.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.43 no.3 s.135
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• pp.119-122
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• 2005

Calcareous corpuscles are a characteristic structure found in larval and adult stage cestddes, These corpuscles are known to contain several protein components and to possess protein-binding activity. However, the proteins bound to calcareous corpuscles in situ have not been studied. The present study was undertaken to identify the proteins on calcareous corpuscles. Calcareous corpuscles were purified from the plerocercoids (= spargana) of Spirometra erinacei, and serially dissolved using 0.1 M sulfamic acid solution. Collected supernatants were examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and silver staining. The results showed that only the fraction remaining after the 19th dissolved fraction contained proteins. A total of 20 protein molecules were detected in gel, with major bands at 56, 53, 46, 40, 35, 29, 28, 24.5, 21, 19, 16, 13, 10 and 8 kDa. In particular, the proteins corresponding to the 21 and 16 kDa bands were most abundant. Our results demonstrated for the first time the protein contents of the calcareous corpuscles of spargana. Further studies on the functions of these proteins are required.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2014

The mature domain of a cysteine protease of Spirometra erinacei plerocercoid larva (i.e., sparganum) was expressed in Escherichia coli, and its value as an antigen for the serodiagnosis of sparganosis was investigated. The recombinant protein (rSepCp-1) has the molecular weight of 23.4 kDa, and strongly reacted with the sparganum positive human or mice sera but not with negative sera by immunoblotting. ELISA with rSepCp-1 protein or sparganum crude antigen (SeC) was evaluated for the serodiagnosis of sparganosis using patient's sera. The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA using rSepCp-1 protein were 95.0% (19/20) and 99.1% (111/112), respectively. In contrast, the sensitivity and specificity of ELISA with SeC were 100% (20/20) and 96.4% (108/112), respectively. Moreover, in experimentally infected mice, the sensitivity and specificity of both ELISA assays were 100% for the detection of anti-sparganum IgG. It is suggested that the rSepCp-1 protein-based ELISA could provide a highly sensitive and specific assay for the diagnosis of sparganosis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.295-300
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• 2018

Human sparganosis was diagnosed by morphological and genetic analyses in Korea. The complete mitochondrial genomes of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens isolated in Korea have been recorded. Present study was performed to provide information to diagnose the etiologic agent of sparganosis by multiplex PCR using mitochondrial genome sequences of S. erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens. In an effort to examine the differential diagnosis of spirometrid tapeworms, multiplex PCR assays were performed on plerocercoid larvae of S. erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens. The PCR products obtained using species-specific primers were positively detected in all PCR assays on mixture of S. erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens DNA. S. erinaceieuropaei-specific bands (239 bp and 401 bp) were obtained from all PCR assays using a mixture of S. erinaceieuropaei-specific primers (Se/Sd-1800F and Se-2018R; Se/Sd-7955F and Se-8356R) and S. erinaceieuropaei template DNA. S. decipiens-specific bands (540 bp and 644 bp) were also detected in all PCR assays containing mixtures of S. decipiens-specific primers (Se/Sd-1800F and Sd-2317R; Se/Sd-7955F and Sd-8567R) and S. decipiens template DNA. Sequence analyses on these species-specific bands revealed 100% sequence identity with homologous regions of the mtDNA sequences of S. erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens. The multiplex PCR assay was useful for differential diagnosis of human sparganosis by detecting different sizes in species-specific bands.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.225-235
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• 1988

This study was carried out to compare distribution and isozyme pattern of nonspecific esterase, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase on developing sparganum and adult of Spinometra erinacei by using enzyme-histochemical method and electrophoresis The sparganum and adult were recovered from rats and cat that were infected by sparganum. The results obtained were as follows: Nonspecific esterase had a strong activity in the parenchymal musculature of sparganum and adult, but no detectable level in ihe tegument. A total of 7 and 8 nonspecific esterase bands were detectable in sparganum and adult, respectively. Of these bands, band 3 and 4 were major bands in sparganum and adult. Acid phosphatase had a strong activity in the tegument and the epidermal musculature of sparganum, but no detectable level in the parenchymal musculature. A total of 3 bands were detectable in sparganum and adult. Of these bands, band 3 was major band in sparganum and adult. Alkaline phosphatase had a strong activity in the tegument and the epidennal musculature of sparganum and of adult, but no detectable level in the parenchymal musculature. A total of 2 and 4 bands were detectable in sparganum and adult. Of these bands, band 2 was major band in sparganum and adult. Based on the present results isozyme band patterns showed qualitative and quantitative changes in each tissues of sparganum and of adult during the development.

• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• v.33 no.44
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• pp.273.1-273.15
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• 2018

Background: Sparganosis is a larval cestodiasis caused by the plerocercoid of Spirometra spp. Since the first description of human sparganosis in 1924, several hundred cases have been reported in Korea. However, systematic approaches for literature surveys of Korean sparganosis have seldom appeared. Methods: We searched publicly available databases such as PubMed, Research Information Sharing Service, and Korea Medical Citation Index with relevant Medical Subject Headings. Results: At least 438 Korean sparganosis cases have been described from 1924 to 2015. Preoperative diagnosis has been significantly increased since the 1980s due to popularization of serological and imaging diagnostics. Cases were largely detected from fifth decades in general, but cerebral sparganosis was detected in relatively young age groups (third and fourth decades). Sparganosis was prevalent in men (75.9%). Consumption of frog/snake and drinking unfiltered water were found in 63.4% and 16.9% of patients, respectively. Most frequently affected sites were subcutaneous tissues (49.9%), followed by the central nervous system (36.2%). Involvements of visceral organs (7.6%), ocular regions (3.6%), and muscles (2.7%) were noticed. In women, breast sparganosis constituted a large proportion (34.2%). Sparganosis associated with immunocompromised patients has recently been reported. Conclusion: Sparganosis has been continuously reported in Korea during the past 90 years, although its incidence has decreased during the last 20 years. The disease is mostly characterized by subcutaneous nodule, but infection of the worm in vital organs often results in serious illness. Continuous awareness is warranted to monitor sparganosis occurrence and associated clinical consequences.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.41-56
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• 2005

Present study was performed to observe the tegumental ultrastructures by the developmental stages which derived from the experimental life cycle of Spirometra erinacei in laboratory conditions. In SEM view, coracidium was spherical in shape with numerous cilia, and its surface was covered with long cilia, tuberclelike projections with millet-like processes, and small holes. The body surface of procercoid was covered with numerous pointed microtriches except that of frontal pit with stout spine-like ones. However that of cercomer was covered with somewhat sparse blunt-tiped microtriches. Plerocercoids of 3 days old resembled the mature procercoid in shape, and their frontal pits were covered with numerous stout spine-like microtriches. However frontal pit and body surface in more than 5 days old ones were covered with conoid microtriches. On the surface of adult scolex, hairly long filamentous and stout short microtriches were mixedly distributed. Filamentous microtriches were more densely distributed in the anterior portion than in the posterior of scolex. The neck and immature proglottid were covered with only stout short conoid microtriches. In TEM view of coracidia, embryophore and oncosphere were obviously distinguished. The embryophore contained numerous glycogen particles, mitochondria and lipid granules. The cilia on the surface of embryophore rooted in the coracidial sheath, and consisted of 9 pairs of microtubules and 2 core complex. The oncosphere was covered with a thin and unarmed tegument, and was multi-nucleated. The protoplasmic layer of procercoid and plerocercoid consisted of disc-shaped bodies, vacuoles and mitochondria. Their tegumental cells commonly retained a nucleus, granular endoplasmic reticulums and secretory granules. The protoplasmic layer of plerocercoid was more compacted than that of procercoid. From the above results, it was confirmed that the tegumental ultrastructures are something different according to the developmental stages of S. erinacei.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.85-92
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• 1994

A seroepidemiologic observation of anti-Spirometrc erinacei plerocercoid (sparganum) antibody (IgG) in serum was made in normal adult and epileptic patients in Korea from february, 1987 to September, 1990. Sera were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for anti-sparganum antibody together with anti-Taenic soEiun metacestode, and anti-Parusonimus westermcni antibodies. Sera reacted positively to sparganum antigen only were considered. Positive rate for anti-sparganum antibody in 850 normal adults was 1.9% (standardized rate by provincial population was 1.7%). In 2,667 randomly selected patients of epilepsy at 28 local centers of the Changmi Club, positive rate was 2.5% (standardized rate: 2.3%). In both normal adult and patient groups, the higher antibody rates were observed in Kangwon and Chonnam Provinces. Positive rates were 10 times higher in male than in female in normal adults and 4.5 times in male epileptic patients. The rates were elevated especially with age over 30-year. odd ratio of the antibody was 1.32 which indicated an ambiguous etiologic factor for epilepsy.