• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.231-242
• /
• 1994

Pnragonimus westermnni, the lung fluke, is known to migrate to the pulmonary tissue of mammalian hosts and causes pathological changes in the lungs. An acidic thiol-dependent proteinase with a molecular weight of approximately 20,000 daltons was purified to homogeneity using ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration chromatography. On SDS-PAGE, the molecular weight of the enzyme was 17,500 daltons. Isoelectric point was 6.45. The enzyme was similar to the acidic cysteine proteinase of vertebrates in the properties of pH optimum, substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity. Enzymatic activity was stable at pH 5.5 for at least two days when stored at 4℃. The cysteine proteinase was capable of degrading collagen and hemoglobin. Sera of patients with paragonimiasis and mice infected with R westermani reacted in immunoblots with the partially purified proteinase. This result suggested that the cysteine proteinase of P. westermnni may play a role in migration in tissues, and in acquisition of nutrients by parasites from the host. It is also potentially an antigen for the serodiagnosis of paragonimiasis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.55 no.3
• /
• pp.357-361
• /
• 2017

During civil engineering construction near Sejong-ro, Jongro-ku, Seoul, cultural sites were found that are thought to have been built in the 15th century. This area was home to many different people as well as the leaders of the Yi dynasty. To gain further insight into the life styles of the inhabitants of the old capital, soil samples were collected from various areas such as toilets, water foundations, and drainage ways. Parasite eggs were examined by microscopy after 5 g soil samples were rehydrated in 0.5% trisodium phosphate solution. A total of 662 parasite eggs from 7 species were found. Species with the highest number of eggs found were Ascaris lumbricoides (n=483), followed by Trichuris trichiura (138), Trichuris vulpis (21), Fasciola hepatica (8), Clonorchis sinensis (6), Paragonimus westermani (4), and Metagonimus yokogawai (2). These findings indirectly indicate the food habits of the people in Yi dynasty.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.189-192
• /
• 1991

Status of metacercarial infections of Paragcnimus westermani was observed in freshwater crabs, which were purchased at 3 markets in its peak season of 1990. All of 85 crabs were Eriocheir japenicus. No other species of Eriocheir were found. When crushed muscle and viscera was examined individually, the infection rate was 11.8% ; and mean number of metacercariae was 2.1 per infected crab. Unless adequately cooked, freshwater crabs are still potential sources of human paragonimiasis.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.485-488
• /
• 2010

Purpose: Paragonimiasis is infectious disease occurred by Paragonimus Westermani, which invades into human body as a final host. Habitual eating the freshwater crab or crawfish unboiled is one of the reason of infection. Paragonimiasis raged in 1970s in Korea, Japan, China and other Asian countries but the incidence decreased rapidly. Once people eat infected second host, parasite penetrates the duodenal wall and migrates to the lung. During this migration period, the parasite can migrate to other organ, such as brain, spinal cord, liver and subcutaneous tissue, but the cases are rarely reported. The objective of our study is to present our experience of the ectopic migration of parasite to the subcutaneous tissue of the abdomen, which was easily treated with excision and Praziquantel medication. Methods: A 59-year-old woman who likes eating unboiled freshwater crab was diagnosed as Paragonimiasis 15 months ago. Her symptoms were fever and cough, and she was treated with Praziquantel medication. 3 months after discharge, she visited our hospital with left pleuritic chest pain, cough with fever, and palpable mass formation on left lower quadrant of the abdomen. Wedge resection of the left lung and Praziquantel medication was maintained for a week. Nevertheless, fever persisted after the treatment. The patient received total excision of the abdominal soft tissue mass, and the fever was relieved. Results: Pathologic findings of the mass showed multiple cyst and abscess formation with crystal structure which is suspicious parts of the parasite or calcified egg shells. Uncontrolled fever was relieved after the operation, and there was no evidence of recurrent Paragonimiasis and ectopic migration for 1 year follow up period. Conclusion: Ectopic migration of Paragonimus is rare, but multiple organ can be involved. Patient with Paragominiasis who was refractory in fever control after Praziquantel medication or surgical evaluation of the lung should be considered as ectopic migration of the Paragonimiasis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.48 no.12
• /
• pp.1385-1388
• /
• 2005

Paragonimiasis is the infestation of lung flukes of the trematode genus Paragonimus. This disease is common in Asia, and the southern part of Korea has been known as one of the endemic areas of Paragonimiasis westermanii in Korea. Human infection is associated with specific dietary habits, such as eating freshwater crawfish or crabs. In a 6 1/2-year-old boy with pleural effusion and eosinophilia, paragonimiasis was diagnosed by skin test, serologic exam, and histologic identification of the parasites in a skin lesion. The same diagnosis was entertained in his elder sister with silent pleural effusion. We describe herewith these rare cases of paragonimiasis in two siblings who had a history of eating cooked freshwater crabs.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.259-266
• /
• 1991

In cytosolic (raction of adult Paragonimus westermani, superoxide dismutase activity was identified (4.3 units/mg of specific activity) using a xanthine-xanthine oxidase system. The enzyme was purified 150 fold in its activity using the ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-Trisacryl M anion-exchange chromatography and Sephadex G-100 molecular sieve chromatography. The enzyme exhibited the enhanced activity at pH 10.0. The enzyme activity totally disappeared in 1.0mM cyanide while it remained 77.8% even in 10 mM azide. These findings indicated that the ensyme was Cu, Zn-SOD type. Molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 34 kDa by gel filtration and 17 kDa on reducing SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis which indicated a dimer protein.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.286-288
• /
• 1983

폐흡충 감염자에서 나타나는 중추신경계의 병변을 모두 폐흡충이 중추신경계를 침범하여 발생한 것이라고는 할 수 없다. 그러므로 이 경우 원인진단을 위해서는 뇌척수액에 나타나는 폐흡충 특이항체의 측정이 필요하다고 생각된다. 우리는 확인된 뇌폐흡충중 2례와 척수 스파르가눔증 1례, 뇌병변이 없는 폐흡충증 환자 1례와, 기타 중추신경계 질환 환자 10례에서 얻은 뇌척수액을 희석하지 않고 면역효소진단법으로 특이항체를 측정하였다. 그 결과 흡광도 0.25를 양성 기준으로 하면 뇌 폐흡퉁증을 진단할 수 있다고 생각하게 되었다. 폐흡충중 환자 2례의 흉막삼출액에서 특이 IgG 항체가는 혈청에서의 측정치와 다르지 않아, 흉막삼출액도 폐흡충증의 진단에 이용할 수 있다고 생각되었다.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2000.11a
• /
• pp.651-654
• /
• 2000

A fermentation study of the recombinant Escherichia coli system has been tired to overproduce a recombinant Paragonimus westermani cysteine proteinase, rPwCP1. Using the modified LB media, main cultures and chemical induction with IPTG were carried out to examine the possibility of secretory protein overproduction at high cell density culture. As a result, the target protein of rPwCP1, purified by metal affinity chromatography and gel filtration, has been shown at 50.8 kDa on SDS-PAGE, and its final concentration turns out to be 350mg/L.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.114-119
• /
• 2006

Objective : The authors investigate appropriate evaluation and surgical methods in treatment of the cerebral paragonimiasis accompanying epilepsy. Methods : Thirteen patients with the cerebral paragonimiasis accompanying epilepsy were included for this study. Preoperative evaluation methods included history taking, skin and serologic tests for Paragonimus westermani, neurologic examinations, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, amytal test, PET or SPECT, and video-EEG monitoring with depth and subdural grid electrodes. Seizure outcome was evaluated according to Engel's classification. Results : Surgical methods were temporal lobectomy including lesions in six, lesionectomy in five, and temporal lobectomy plus lesionectomy in two. Postoperative neurological complications were not noticed, and seizure outcomes were class I in 12 patients [92%], class II in one [8%]. Conclusion : In patients with a cerebral paragonimiasis accompanying epilepsy, further evaluation methods must be done to define the epileptogenic zone, and complete resection of the epileptogenic zone with different surgical methods should be performed for seizure control.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.91-98
• /
• 1993

To determine the infectivlty and maturity of nletacercanae of Parqgonimur westermani after keeping at low temperature for a long period, 45 mice and 45 rats were each infected with 20 metacercariae which were kept at $4^{\circ}C$ for 8 to 234 days. The worm recovery in mice increased with age of worm and reached a peak of 32% at 41-50 days and then decreased with age. The rate In rats first decreased to a lowest point of 6% at 71-100 days and then Increased with age. In 42 infected mice and 41 infected rats, 187 immature worms (183 tiny and 4 Juvenile ones) and 190 worms (164 tiny, 19 Juvenile and 7 mature ones) were recovered respectively. Two wormcysts with eggs only and 8 empty wormcysts were also found In the rats. In addition, the frozen metacercanae can still develop to mature worms in SD rats.