• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.225-228
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• 2007

We observed the time gap between oocyst shedding and antibody responses in mice (3-week-old C57BL/6J females) infected with Cryptosporidium parvum. Oocyst shedding was verified by modified acid-fast staining. The individually collected mouse sera were assessed for C. parvum IgM and IgG antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay from 5 to 25 weeks after infection. The results showed that C. parvum oocysts were shed from day 5 to 51 post-infection (PI). The IgM antibody titers to C. parvum peaked at week 5 PI, whereas the IgG antibody titers achieved maximum levels at week 25 PI. The results revealed that IgM responses to C. parvum infection occurred during the early stage of infection and overlapped with the oocyst shedding period, whereas IgG responses occurred during the late stage and was not correlated with oocyst shedding. Hence, IgM antibody detection may prove helpful for the diagnosis of acute cryptosporidiosis, and IgG antibody detection may prove effective for the detection of past infection and endemicity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.189-193
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• 1997

Cryptosporidium parvum has been recognized as a significant cause of life-threatening diarrhea in Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients. Clinical diagnosis of cryptosporidial infections has been primarily based on the detection of infective stage, oocysts, in stools. Anti-Cryptosporidium oocyst monoclonal antibody (mAb), IgG2a, recognizing an antigen of 97 kDa was generated to be used for diagnosis of Cryptosporidium infection in AIDS patients using an immunofluorecence. It appeared to react with the surface antigens. Transmission electron micrographs of the infective stage of Cryptosporidium recognized by this mAb demonstrated sporolulated oocysts, which measure $4~6{\mu}m$, and sporozoites excysting from oocysts.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.152-157
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• 1995

A total of 1050 layer and broiler chickens from 63 flocks of 21 poultry farms in South-Kyeonggi area, aged from 1 to 18 weeks, were investigated for the prevalence of Cryptosporidium baileyi infection from May 1992 to March 1993. The results have shown that 44 chickens(4.19%) were infected with C.(baileyi during the period of investigation) Fecal samples were treated by using Sheather's flotating technique and were examined under the light and phase contrast microscopy and then stained by Kinyoun method. Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in 35 out of 650 broilers(5.4%) and 9 out of 400 layer chickens(2.3%) aged mainly from 2 to 12 weeks. The regional infection rate were 4.7% in Pyeong-taek, 5.1% in An-sung and 2.3% in Yong-in, respectively. The average size of isolated oocyst was about $5.23{\times}4.92{\mu}m$ and the oocysts were orally inoculated into 2-day-old SPF chickens for the histological examination of oocyst in bursa of Fabricius. The study has concluded that C. baileyi infects chickens and oocysts were isolated in South-Kyeonggi area.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.71-75
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• 2008

The diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis has been carried out using coprologic techniques in the Republic of Korea. However, antibody responses to Cryptosporidium have rarely been studied. Serum antibodies from HIV-positive/oocyst-positive Korean patients recognized significantly 31 and 27 kDa antigens, and HIV-negative/oocyst-positive individuals clearly reacted to 15/17 kDa antigens. Compared with oocyst-positive cases, 18.7% and 75.8% of sera from HIV-positive patients reacted to 31 and 27 kDa antigens. Only 11.1% of HIV-negative individuals reacted to 15/17 kDa. Based on these findings, serum antibody responses were different between HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals infected with Cryptosporidium, and it is suggested that HIV-positive patients are more frequently exposed to C. parvum compared to HIV-negative individuals.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.353-357
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• 2009

Cryptosporidium can cause gastrointestinal diseases worldwide, consequently posing public health problems and economic burden. Effective techniques for detecting contaminated oocysts in water are important to prevent and control the contamination. Immunomagnetic separation (IMS) method has been widely employed recently due to its efficiency, but, it is costly. Sucrose floatation technique is generally used for separating organisms by using their different specific gravity. It is effective and cheap but time consuming as well as requiring highly skilled personnel. Water turbidity and parasite load in water sample are additional factors affecting to the recovery rate of those 2 methods. We compared the efficiency of IMS and sucrose floatation methods to recover the spiked Cryptosporidium oocysts in various turbidity water samples. Cryptosporidium oocysts concentration at 1, $10^1$, $10^2$, and $10^3$ per $10{\mu}l$ were spiked into 3 sets of 10 ml-water turbidity (5, 50, and 500 NTU). The recovery rate of the 2 methods was not different. Oocyst load at the concentration < $10^2$ per 10 ml yielded unreliable results. Water turbidity at 500 NTU decreased the recovery rate of both techniques. The combination of sucrose floatation and immunofluorescense assay techniques (SF-FA) showed higher recovery rate than IMS and immunofluorescense assay (IMS-FA). We used this SF-FA to detect Cryptosporidium and Giardia from the river water samples and found 9 and 19 out of 30 (30% and 63.3%) positive, respectively. Our results favored sucrose floatation technique enhanced with immunofluorescense assay for detecting contaminated protozoa in water samples in general laboratories and in the real practical setting.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.817-822
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• 2008

In order to identify various Cryptosporidium species in environment, nested PCR-RFLP and DNA sequencing method were used. The sensitivity of nested PCR-RFLP based on 18s rRNA gene was shown to 1 oocyst. Therefore, we applied nested PCR-RFLP method to environmental samples. As a result, only 4 samples out of 8 samples confirmed as Cryptosporidium parvum by standard method of Cryptosporidium were identified as Cryptosporidium parvum by nested PCR-RFLP and DNA sequencing method. The rest of 4 samples among 8 samples were identified as Cryptosporidium muris, Cryptosporidium bailey. Therefore, in addition to standard method of Cryptosporidium, supplementary verification through nested PCR-RFLP and DNA sequencing should be needed to give more accurate information about risk of Cryptosporidium.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.201-203
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• 2001

The present study was undertaken to know the infection status of Cryptosporidium parvum among the residents of Chorwon-gun, Kangwon-do in 1993. Total 461 fecal samples were collected from the inhabitants residing in Chorwon-gun during the period of August 12 to September 14, 1993. Fecal smears were prepared by formalin-ether sedimentation, and examined after modified acid fast staining. Of the 461 fecal samples,9 (1.9%) were positive for C. parvum oocysts. The positive cases were limited to thirties (4) patients, forties (3), and sixties (2) , and no oocyst was detected in other age groups. The oocyst positive rate for male was 1.4% and that of female was 2.6%.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.219-224
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• 2010

This study has been conducted to estimate the occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in water supplies in the Metropolitan area of Seoul, South Korea, for 10 years from 2000 to 2009. Water samples were collected quarterly at 6 intakes in the Han River and its largest stream and 6 conventional Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) serving drinking water for 10 million people of Seoul. Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in 22.5% of intake water samples and arithmetic mean was 0.65 oocysts/10 L (range 0-22 oocysts/10 L). Although the annual mean of oocyst number was as low as 0.04-1.90 oocysts/10 L, 3 peaks in 2004 and 2007 were observed and the pollution level was a little higher in winter. The lowest density was observed at Paldang intake and the pollution level increased at Kuui and Jayang intakes. At the end of the largest stream, oocysts were found in 70% of collected samples (mean 5.71 oocysts/10 L) and it seemed that its joining the Han River resulted in the increase at Kuui intake and downstream. Oocyst removal by physical process exceeded 2.0-2.3 log and then all finished water samples collected at 6 WTPs were negative for Cryptosporidium in each 100 L sample for 10 years. These results suggested that domestic wastewater from the urban region could be a source of Cryptosporidium pollution and separating sewage systems adjacent to the intakes could be meaningful for some intakes having weakness related to parasitological water quality.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.315-324
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• 1991

Each of SPF chicken(Hi-Line strain, 2-day-old males) was inoculated with 2.5 or $5\times10^4$ oocysts by stomach tube. The oocyst was the medium type of Cryptosporidium previously isolated from Korean chicken origin, and passed in 2-day-old SPF chicken. The patterns of oocyst discharge were monitored daily, and in order to observe the ultrastructure of the developmental stages, the bursa of Fabricius of the chicken was examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on the 12th day postinoculation. The prepatent period for 8 chicken was 5.9 days postinoculation on the average, and the patent period was 12.9 days. The number of oocysts discharged per day for the chicken was reached peak on day 12 postinoculation on the average. A large number of oocysts was found in fecal samples obtained from inoculated chicken on days 8~14 postinoculation. The ultrastructural feature of almost every developmental stage of the medium type from chicken was very similar to that of Cryptosporidium previously isolated from mammalia including human and birds except for the attachment site of C. tsuris to the mucus cell from mammalia, but dimension of the oocysts from fecal samples of the medium type was different from those of C. meleagridis and mammalia origin. The above results reveal that the medium type of Cryptosporidium of Korean chicken origin is identified as Cryptosporidium baileyi.

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