• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.367-370
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• 2022

Fascioliasis is a parasitic infection caused by liver flukes. Although several cases have been reported in Korea, phylogenetic analysis of isolates is lacking. In this study, a 66-year-old woman with right upper quadrant (RUQ) abdominal pain was diagnosed as fascioliasis involving abdominal muscle by imaging study. She received praziquantel treatment, but symptoms were not improved. Lateral movement of the abscess lesion was followed. Trematode parasite was surgically removed from the patient's rectus abdominis muscle. The fluke was identified as Fasciola hepatica based on sequence analysis of 18S rDNA. To determine the phylogenetic position of this Fasciola strain (named Korean Fasciola 1; KF1), the cox1 gene (273 bp) was analyzed and compared with the genes of 17 F. hepatica strains isolated from cows, sheep, goats, and humans from various countries. Phylogenetic analysis showed that KF1 was closely related with the isolates from China goat.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.171-176
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• 1986

In order to obtain the most specific and sensitive antigen from crude antigens of Fasciola hepatica for the immunodiagnosis of bovine fascioliasis by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), phosphate buffered saline extract of F. hepatica was prepared. The crude extract was fractionated into 7 antigens using sephadex G-100 column chromatography. Seven fractionated antigens were applied to ELISA, precipitation test and intradermal test, respectively. Results obtained are as follows: 1. The specificity (95% confidence interval in negative sera of bovine fascioliasis; Mean+$2{\times}SD$ of absorbence) of the first (MW>150,000) and the second antigens(MW 120,000) were 93.7%, but those of others including crude antigen showed 100%. 2. The sensitivity(positive sera of bovine fascioliasis having higher values with compared to the criterion) of the first, the sixth (MW 16,000) and the seventh antigen (MW<5,000) were 91.6%, 87.5% and 0%, respectively, but those of others showed all 100%. 3. The absorbance by ELISA using the fifth antigen (MW 26,000) was 8. 43-folds higher in the positive sera than that in the negative sera. This could be used as one of the most specific antigens for the immunodiagnosis of bovine fascioliasis. 4. In Ouchterlony test, precipitin lines were not found in the sera naturally infected with F. hepatica, but some were found in the sera of rabbits immunized with the crude antigens. The numbers of precipitin lines in the sera of rabbits were different in the different fractionated antigens. They were 6 in the crude, 2 in the second and the third antigens, 1 in the fourth, the fifth and the sixth antigens and absent in the seventh antigen, respectively. 5. The wheal size for bovine infected with F. hepatica was $2.46{\pm}0.15cm$ in the intradermal test antigen(saline extract of F. hepatica) supplied by the Veterinary Research Institute, Rural Development Administration, Korea. The wheal size of the first, the second and the third antigens were larger than that. of intradermal test antigen, whereas those of the fouth, the fifth, the sixth and the seventh antigens showed smaller than that of the intradermal test antigen. The results suggest that the fifth antigen may be specific antigen for the immunodiagnosis of bovine fascioliasis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.575-585
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• 2000

This study was performed to observe the influence of host immune response on the chemotherapy of mice experimentally infected with Fasciola hepatica. Following immunosuppression with prednisolone or immunoenhancement with Freund's complete adjuvant(FCA), mice were experimentally infected with 3 Fasciola hepatica metacercariae and treated with closantel at 1 week post infection. In the group of mice infected with metacercariae alone, 2 mice of 10 were dead at 10 weeks post infection(20% mortality), and adult flukes were recovered from the liver and the peritoneal cavity of the remaining 8 mice(100% infectivity). In the group of mice treated with prednisolone and infected with metacercariae, 8 of 10 mice died before euthanasia with a mean time of death earlier than the control group (p<0.05). In the group of immunosuppressed mice infected with metacercariae and treated with closantel 20mg/kg, 4 of 10 mice died before sacrifice. In the group of mice infected and treated with closantel 20mg/kg, mortality and infectivity was 10% and 30%, respectively. Similar results were observed in mice infected and treated with closantel 5mg/kg which resulted in 10% and 50% mortality and infectivity, respectively. These results indicated that the efficacy of closantel treatment was decreased in immunosuppressed mice, while the pathogenicity was increased. In immunoenhanced mice infected with metacercariae, on the other hand, the efficacy of chemotherapy with both 5mg/kg or 20mg/kg closantel resulted in only 10% infectivity. The results shown in this study strongly suggest that a close interaction between chemotherapy against F hepatica with closantel and the host immune system exists. Considering that fascioliasis is a zoonosis, treatment regimen against the infection to immunosuppressed patients may require a concurrent prescription of an appro-priate immuno-enhancing adjuvant.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.158-162
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• 1995

An abattoir survey was carried out on 300 Korean native cattles reared and slaughtered in North Kyeongnam area to determine the prevalence of Fasciola hepatica infections. The average prevalence of fascioliasis was 46.4% ; the infection rate had a tendency to increase with age. Some hematological and biochemical indices were assayed in Korean native cattle naturally harbouring Fasciola hepatica infection and compared with uninfection control. Affected animal revealed reduction total erythrocyte count and hemoglobin, which was consistent in total leucocyte count and packed cell volume. Infected cattle had lower level of serum total protein and albumin, was consistent serum calcium and glucose indices, had higher levels of SGOT, SGPT and cholesterol indices.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.117-126
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• 2022

Cystatin, a cysteine protease inhibitor found in many parasites, plays important roles in immune evasion. This study analyzed the molecular characteristics of a cystatin from Fasciola hepatica (FhCystatin) and expressed recombinant FhCystatin (rFhcystatin) to investigate the immune modulatory effects on lipopolysaccharide-induced proliferation, migration, cytokine secretion, nitric oxide (NO) production, and apoptosis in mouse macrophages. The FhCystatin gene encoded 116 amino acids and contained a conserved cystatin-like domain. rFhCystatin significantly inhibited the activity of cathepsin B. rFhCystatin bound to the surface of mouse RAW264.7 cells, significantly inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. Moreover, rFhCystatin inhibited the expression of cellular nitric oxide, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, and promoted the expression of transforming growth factor-β and interleukin-10. These results showed that FhCystatin played an important role in regulating the activity of mouse macrophages. Our findings provide new insights into mechanisms underlying the immune evasion and contribute to the exploration of potential targets for the development of new drug to control F. hepatica infection.

• Journal of the korean veterinary medical association
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.736-739
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• 1992

This report was undertaken to examine the correlationship between internal parasite infection and amount of milk production before and after vermicidal administration on F. hepatica and gastrointestinal nematoda infected cattle. The obtained results were

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 1989

Fecal samples were taken from 402 cows in Posung, Chonnam where was designated as a place for Korean native cattle breeding. Prevalence of internal parasitisms were determined by the fecal examinations using the floatation and sedimentation procedures. 62.9% of the cows were found as positive cases with excretion of the eggs of Fasciola hepatica in the fecal specimens. Of those infected with F hepatica 97 cows free of other pathogenic intestinal parasites were chosen for albendazole treatment. Albendazole tablets(10mg/kg) were administered to the cows twice at the interval of 4 weeks. Blood samples were collected via jugular vein prior to the first treatment, four weeks after the first treatment and four weeks after the second treatment, respectively. At the same time fecal samples were collected for parasitological examinations by sedimentation methods. The mean pretreatment count was 44 fluke eggs per gram of feces, which compared with 27 epg and 17 epg four weeks after the first and second treatment, respectively. Most of the hematological and biochemical values fluctuated within the normal ranges during the experiment. Eosinophil counts were high initially, decreased after the first treatment and thereafter remained steady. The opposite was the case with aspartate and alanine aminotransferases.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 1991

Fecal samples were taken from 402 cows in Posung, Chonnam where was designated as a place for Korean native cattle breeding. Prevalence of intestinal parasitism were determined by the fecal examinations using the floatation and sedimintation procedures. 62.9% of the cows were found as positive cases with excretion of the eggs of Fasciola hepatica in the fecal specimens. Of those infected with F.hepatica 97 cows free of the pathogenic intestinal parasites were chosen for albendazole treatment. Albendazole tablets(10mg / kg) were administered to the cows twice at the interval of 4 weeks. Blood samples were collected via jugular vein prior to the first treatment. four weeks after the first treatment and four weeks after the second treatment respectively. At the same time fecal samples were collected for parasitological examination by sedimintation methods. The mean treatment count was 44 fluke egg per gram of feces, which compared with 27 EPG and 17 EPG four weeks after the first and second treatment, respectively. Most of the hematological values fluctuated within the normal range during the experiment. Eosinophil counts were high initially, decreased after the first treatment and there after remained steady.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 1996

Radix auricularia coreana, the intermediate host of Fasciola gigantica, is the most common pulmonate snail in Korea, This species is often found intermingled with Austropeplea ollula, the intermediate host of F. hepatica, in their natural habitats. In the present study. the life history of Radix auricularia coreana was examined under three different laboratory conditions. Egg-masses were taken from the field-collected adult R. auricularia coreana and incubated in the temperature ramges of 22-26$^{\circ}C$. The hatching began after 11 days from spawned eggs, and complete hatching took about 12 days. The hatching rate was about 88%. The juvenile snails were cultured at three different laboratory conditions. When the juvenile snails were cultured in the aquarium fed on lettuce leaves at 22-26$^{\circ}C$, the snails reached 20 mm in shell length at 86 days after hatching. The bottom of each aquarium was filled up with washed sand(1.5 cm) and decomposing ark shells were put on the sand. The aquarium was then filled with four litres of distilled water and continuously aerated. Most of snails (93%) survived until the experimenta period. The dggs are laid in 40 days after hatching; the averge number of eggs per egg-mass was 40.8.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.970-973
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• 2000

Heavy metal contents and parasite egg examination for the safety evaluation of dropwort(Oenanthe javanica) from the inside of Chonnam province(5 regions) and suburbs of Kwang-ju(1 region) were investigated. The contents of heavy metals(Hg, Pb, As, Cd, Mn, Zn, Cu) were determined by the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer and parasite eggs were examined to various internalparasites(F. hepatica, C. sinesis, G. lamblia, Cryptosporidium, A. lumbricoides and A. duodenale). First, Hg and As were detected in trace level and $0.003{\sim}0.01\;ppm$. Pb was not detected in all samples and Cd contents of dropworts were detected $0.014{\sim}0.087\;ppm$. The contents of 4 kinds of heavy metals(Hg, As, Pb and Cd) in dropworts cultivated in various regions(6 regions) were not detected or trace levels. Therefore, dropworts cultivated in Chonnam province and suburbs of Kwang-ju were free from contamination of heavy metals. Moreover, the result of parasite egg examination(Trematoda, Protozoa and Nematoda) was not detected in all samples.