• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.145-150
• /
• 2003

In the intestinal mucosa, mast cells are thought to be responsible for the expulsion of parasites. We investigated the relationship of worm expulsion and mast cells in C3H/HeN and BALB/c mice infected with Echinostoma hortense. In addition, we examined whether the worm recovery rate was associated with the strain of mice, and whether a toluidine stain and immunohistochemistry using the c-kit antibody was effective in the detection of mast cells. In order to investigate the mucosal immune response of C3H/HeN and BALB/c mice, each mouse was infected orally with 30 E. hortense metacercariae. Then, the number of mucosal mast cells and worm recovery rates was observed in experimentally infected mouse strains between 1 week and 8 weeks post infection (PI). Mucosal mast cells were increased in 3 weeks P.I. in C3H/HeN and BALB/c mice. On the other hand, only mucosal goblet cells and worm recovery rates correlated in C3H/HeN mice (P=0.0482). Worm recoveries in C3H/HeN mice were 65.7$\pm$5.6, 53.3$\pm$5.4 and 6.7$\pm$0.6 in week 1, 2, and 3 P.I. and strongly decreased in week 3 P.I. Worm recoveries in BALB/c mice were 23.0$\pm$2.5, 10.0$\pm$1.0, and 6.7$\pm$0.6% in week 1, 2, and 3 P.I. and gradually decreased from week 1 P.I. to week 3 P.I. Worm recoveries in C3H/HeN mice were significantly higher than in BALB/c mice (P<0.00l). The number of mast cells in C3H/HeN and BALB/c mice using the anti-c-kit antibody reached to a peak in week 3 P.I. and recovered as normal level in week 5 P.I. and 6 P.I. The number in E. hortense-infected C3H/HeN mice (P=0.0015) was higher than in E. hortense-infected BALB/c mice (P=0.01) compared with the control group. There were significant differences in the number of mast cells among regions of the intestine in in C3H/HeN mice (P<0.05) but not in BALB/c mice (P>0.05). Immunohistochemistry using the anti-c-kit antibody was significant method as an examination of the number of mast cells (P=0.0002). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that mast cells play an important role in worm recovery, and immunohistochemistry using the anti-c-kit antibody was superior to toluidine stain as an examination of mast cells.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.58 no.1
• /
• pp.67-72
• /
• 2020

Human infection with Echinostoma aegyptica Khalil and Abaza, 1924 (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) is extremely rare. In this study, we confirmed E. aegyptica infection in 5 riparian residents living along the Mekong River in Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR. The patients revealed eggs of Opisthorchis viverrini/minute intestinal flukes, echinostomes, and other parasites in fecal examinations using the Kato-Katz technique. Following treatment with praziquantel 30-40 mg/kg and pyrantel pamoate 10-15 mg/kg in a single dose and purging with magnesium salts, adult specimens of various helminth species were collected. Among the trematodes, echinostome flukes of 4.5-7.6 mm in length (n = 134; av. 22.3 specimens per case) were of taxonomic interest and subjected in this study. The flukes were morphologically characterized by having total 43-45 collar spines arranged in 2 alternating rows (corner spines usually 5 on each side) and compatible with previous descriptions of E. aegyptica. The patients were mixed-infected with other helminths, so specific clinical manifestations due to this echinostome fluke were difficult to determine. The present paper describes for the first time human E. aegyptica infections in Lao PDR. This is the second report of human infection (2nd-6th cases) with E. aegyptica in the world following the first one from China.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.58 no.2
• /
• pp.195-200
• /
• 2020

Soil-transmitted helminths, including Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura, are important intestinal parasites mostly affecting younger people in developing countries. In 2014-2015, we performed mass fecal examinations targeting a total of 2,227 schoolchildren in 3 districts (South Dagon, North Dagon, and Hlaing-thar-yar) of Yangon Region, Myanmar, using the Kato-Katz thick smear technique. The egg positive children were subjected to a mass drug administration (MDA) using a single oral dose of 400 mg albendazole. The pre-treatment egg positive rate (EPG/person) of A. lumbricoides averaged 17.2% (15,532); it was 25.2% (21,796), 14.2% (11,816), and 12.8% (12,983) in 3 districts, respectively, and that of T. trichiura averaged 19.4% (1,074), and was 24.1% (1,040), 12.3% (852), and 21.2% (1,330) in 3 districts, respectively. Follow-up fecal examinations performed 4 months post-MDA revealed considerable decreases of A. lumbricoides prevalence (EPG/person) to av. 8.3% (12,429), and 13.7% (17,640), 8.0% (7,797), and 4.5% (11,849) in 3 districts, respectively. However, T. trichiura did not show any recognizable decrease in the prevalence (EPG/person) remaining at av. 18.2% (862), and 18.5% (888), 11.5% (812), and 23.3% (887) in 3 districts, respectively. The results demonstrated difficulty in short-term control of T. trichiura by MDA using albendazole and suggested necessity of either a long-term MDA (>10 years) or changing the albendazole regimen into 2~3-day course (total 800 or 1,200 mg), or using an alternative drug/drug combination.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.93-112
• /
• 2019

Calf diarrhea is a common disease in young claves and is still a major cause of productivity and economic loss in livestock farms. Fecal samples from Korean native cattle (n=100) with diarrhea from 64 farms in Gwangju area, Korea from september 2017 to December 2018 were examined for shedding of important protozoan parasitic, viral and bacterial pathogens using culture, rapid test kit and PCR methods. Of 57 (89.1%) of the 64 Korean native cattle farms examined had samples infected with at least one of the investigated pathogens. Among 100 fecal samples, 88 samples were positive for at least one the twelve pathogens and 51 samples were simultaneously positive for two or more pathogens by culture and PCR assay. Bovine group A rotavirus (BRV) was the most common pathogen, found in 43/100 (43.0%) samples on 32/64 (50.0%) farms. Subsequently, kobuvirus (30.0%), pathogenic E. coli (29.0%), bovine parvovirus (17.0%), Giardia spp. (13.0%), Eimeria spp. (10.0%), Clostridium perfringens type A (8.0%), bovine torovirus (8.0%), bovine viral diarrhea virus (6.0%), bovine coronavirus (5.0%), bovine norovirus (2.0%) and Cryptosporidium spp. (2.0%) were detected. Nebovirus, kırklareli virus, bovine adenovirus, Salmonella spp. and intestinal parasites were not detected. Of the 72 calves sampled in this age group, 64 (88.9%) samples were positive for at least one enteropathogen. BRV was identified in 34/72 (47.2%) samples from 27/48 (56.3%) farms. Subsequently, pathogenic E. coli (30.6%), kobuvirus (29.2%), BPaV (22.2%), Giardia spp. (15.3%), Eimeria spp. (9.7%), BVDV (6.9%), Cl. perfringens type A (6.9%), BCoV (4.6%) and Cryptosporidium spp. (2.8%) were detected in fecal samples. A total of ninety-six strains of E. coli were isolated from one hundred fecal samples collected from Korean native cattle with diarrhea. The presence of stx1, stx2, eaeA, LT, STa, STb, ehxA, saa, F4, F5(K99), F6, F17, F18 and F41 genes in the isolates was investigated by PCR. Out of ninety-six E. coli isolates screened for specific genes, 30 strains E. coli were identified to harbor shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) 7 (7.3%), enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) 8 (8.3%), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) 6 (6.3%), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) 2 (2.1%) and STEC/ETEC hybrid 7 (7.3%). This study provides epidemiological estimates of the prevalence of Korean native cattle's enteropathogens in Gwangju area, Korea, which would be used for cattle farmers and veterinarians to select appropriate therapeutic method.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.233-240
• /
• 1975

This excrement was conducted to investigate the nuisance of swine excrement. And excrements were collected from 27 heads of swine Euseong swine breeding center and Hongdo-dong swine farm and amounts of faces and urine, nitrogen, phosphorus, and kalium contents and number of parasite were investigated, and for the purpose to clean of excrementing matter, ferment substance and moist soil added to swine excreting matter and floating matter. Heat decresement amount and biological oxygen demand were investigated. And the result obtained were as follows. 1) Average amount of daily excreting faces per swine was 500-2700g from Euseong swine breeding center and 450-2500g from Hongdo-dong swine farm and a mount of excreting urine was 450-4500g from both of farms. The rate of excrements between faeces and urine was 1:1 2) Nitrogen contents were 0.802 ppm in urine and 0.514 ppm in faces, phosphorus were 2.261 % in urine and 0.073% in faeces and kalium contents were 1.094% in and 6.0467% in faeces. 3) Strongyloides ransomi and intestinal modular worm eggs showed the highest of eggs number was the result of observation in parasites, and ascaris showed the next it, whip worm and lung worm showed the lowest. 4) The effect ferment substance additive, amount of dry matter, floating matter, heat decreasement amount and biological oxygen demand was decreased but not significant was appeared. And the effect of moist soil additive, it was more effective that fermented substance additive for the fermentation of swine excrement.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.1-28
• /
• 1974

The writers have conducted the investigation to assess the nutritional status of young rural Korean children aged from 0 to 4 years old in August 1971. The survey areas were Kaejong-myon. Daeya-myon, Okku-gun, Jeonra-bukdo, Korea. These survey areas were typical agricultural plain areas. The total numbers of children examined were 2,706 comprising 1,394 male and 1,312 female. The weight, height, and chest circumference of children were measured and means and standard deviations. were calculated for each measurement. In addition, the nutritional status of each child was classified by the four levels of malnutrition and the Gomez classification, The examination of red blood cell count, haematocrit value, and intestinal parasite infection were carried out at the same time. In general, recent work tend to suggest that environmental influences, especially nutrition, are of great importance than genetic background or other biological factors for physical growth and development. Certainly the physical dimensions of the body are much influenced by nutrition, particularly in the rapidly growing period of early childhood. Selected body measurements can therefore give valuable information concerning protein-calory malnutrition. Growth can also be affected by bacterial, viral, and parasitic infection. For the field workers in a developing country, therefore, nutritional anthropometry appears to be of greatest value in the assessment of growth failure and undernutrition, principally from lack of protein and calories. In order to compare and evaluate the data obtained, the optimal data of growth from the off-spring of the true well-fed, medically and socially protected are needed. So-called 'Standards' that have been compiled for preschool children in Korea, however, are based on measurement of children from middle or lower socio-economic groups, who are, in fact, usually undernourished from six months of age onwards and continuously exposed to a succession of infective and parasitic diseases. So that, the Harvard Standards which is one of the international reference standards was used as the reference standards in this study. Findings of the survey were as follows: A. Anthropometric data: 1) Comparing the mean values for body weight obtained with the Korean standard weight of the same age, the rural Korean children were slightly haevier than the Korean standard values in both sexes. Comparing with the Japanese children values, the rural Korean children were slightly haevier in male and in the infant period of female but lighter in female of the period of 1 to 4 years old than Japanese children. 2) Comparing the mean values for height obtained with the Korean standard height of the same age, the rural Korean children were taller than the Korean standard values except the second half of infatn period in both sexes. Comparing with the Japanese children, the rural Korean children were slightly smaller than Japanese children except the first half of infant peroid in both sexes. 3) Mear values of chest circumference of rural Korean children obtained were less than the Korean standard values of the same ages in both sexes. B. Prevalence of Protein-Calory Malnutrition: Children examined were devided into two groups, i. e., infant(up to the first birthday) and toddler (1 to 4 fears old). 1) Percentages of four levels of malnutrition: a) When the nutrtional status of each child was classified (1) by body weight value, the percentages for male and female of children attained standard growth were 52.8%(infant 83.3%, toddler 44.4%) and 39.7% (infant 74.5%. toddler 30.5%), the first level of malnutrition were 31.9%(infant 13.7%, toddler 36.9%) and 31.7%(infant 15.3%, toddler 36,0%), the second level of malnutrition were 12.3%(infant 1.7%, toddler 15.3%) and 23.3% (infant 7.7%, fodder 27.5%), the third level of malnutrition were 2.7%(infant 0.7%, toddler 3.2%) and 4.6%(infant 1.8%, toddler 5.3%) the fourth level of malnutrition were 0.3% (infant 0.7%, toddler 0.2%) and 0.7% (0.7% for infant and toddler) respectively. (2) by height value, the percentages for male and female of children attained standard growth were 80.3% (infant 97.3%, toddler 75.6%) and 75.1% (infant 96.4%, toddler 69.5), the first level of malnutrition were 17.9% (infant 2.0%, toddler 22.3%) and 23.6% (infants 3.6%, toddler 28.8%), the second level of malnutrition were 1.2% (infant 0.3%, toddler 1.5%) and 1.1% (infant 0%, toddler 1.4%), the third level of malnutrition were 0.4%(infant 0.3%, toddler 0.5%) and 0.2%(infant 0%, toddler 0.3%), the fourth level of malnutrition were 0.1%(infant 0%, toddler 0.1%) and 0% respectively. (3) by body weight in relation to height, the percentages for male and female of children attained standard growth were 87.9% (infant 77.6%, toddler 87.9%) and 78.2% (infant 77.4%, toddler 78.2%), the first level of malnutrition were 12.2% (infant 18.4%, toddler 10.6%) and 18.2% (infant 17.9%, toddler 18.3%), the second level of malnutrition were 1.9%(infant 3.3%, toddler 1.5%) and 3.0%(infant 3.3%, toddler 2.9%), the third level of malnutrition were 0.1%(infant 0%. toddler 0.1%) and 0.5% (infant 0%, toddler 0.6%), the fourth level of malnutrition were 0.1%(infant 0.7%, toddler 0%) and 0.3% (infant 1.5%, toddler 0%) respectively. b) When the nutritional status of each child according to the mother's age at perturition, i. e., young aged mother (up to 30 years old), middle aged mother (31 to 40 years old) and old aged mother (41 years or above) was classified (1) by body weight, among infants and toddlers, at each year of age, with increasing the mother's age, there was an increase in percentage of subjects underweight. This tendency of increasing percentage of underweight was more significant in the infant period than the toddler period. (2) by height value, no significant differences between each mother's age group were found. c) When the nutritional status of each child according to the birth rank, i. e., lower birth rank (first to third) and higher birth rank (fourth or above) was classified (1) by weight value, children of higher birth rank were slightly more often underweight than those of lower birth rank, but not significant. (2) by height value, no differences were found between children of lower and higher birth rank. 2) Gomez Classification: When the nutritional status of each child was classified a) by body weight value, the percentages for male and female of children. attained standard growth were 53.1% (infant 82.6%, toddler 44.9%) and 39.2% (infant 73.4%, toddler 30.1%), the first degree of malnutrition were 39.4% (infant 14.7%, toddler 46.2%) and 47.1% (infant 21.9%, toddler 53.8%), the second degree of malnutrition were 7.3%(infant 2.3%, toddler 8.6%) and 12.9% (infant 4.0%, toddler 15.2%). and the third degree of malnutrition were 0.2%. (infant 0.3%, toddler 0.2%) and 0.8% (infant 0.7%, toddler 0.9%) respectively. b) by height value, the percentages for male and female of children attained standard growth were 80.8% (infant 97.0%, toddler 76.3%) and 73.8%(infant 95.6%, toddler 68.0%), the first degree of malnutrition were 18.5% (infant 2.7%, toddler 22.9%) and 24.6% (infant 4.4%, toddler 30.0%), the second degree of malnutrition were 0.6%(infant 0.3%, toddler 0.7%) and 0.5% (infant 0.1%, toddler 0.7%), and the third degree of malnutrition were 0.1%(infant 0%, toddler 0.1%) and 1.1% (infant 0%, toddler 1.3%) respectively. C. Results of clinical laboratory examination: 1) Red blood cells: The ranges of mean red blood cell counts for male and female were $3,538,000/mm^3\;to\;4,403,000/mm^3\;and\;3,576,000/mm^3\;to\;4,483,000/mm^3$ respectively. The lowest red cell counts were seen at the age of 0-3 months for male and 1-2 months for female. 2) Haematocrit value : The ranges of haematocrit value of male and female were 35.1% to 38.8% and 34.7% to 38.8% respectively. The lowest haematocrit values were seen at the age of 2-3 months for male and 1-2, months for female. 3) The prevalence rates of intestinal parasites for male and female children with Ascaris lumbricoides were 34.1% (infant 18.8%, toddler 38.1%) and 36.0%(infant 18.4%, toddler 40.7%), with Trichocephalus trichiuris were 6.8% (infant 2.9%, toddler 7.9%) and 9.0% (infant 3.0%, toddler 10.6%), with Hookworm were 0.3% (infant 0.5%, toddler 0.2%) and 0.3% (infant 0.5%, toddler 0.3%), with Clonorchis sinensis were 0.4%(infant 0%, toddler 0.5%) and 0.1%(infant 0%, toddler 0.1%) respectively.