• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.137-140
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• 2004

Ocular toxocariasis named also ocular larva migrans is caused by larvae of the roundworm Toxocara spp. The purpose of this study was to find out the seroprevalence of Toxocara antibodies in patients suspected of ocular toxocariasis. Between January 2001 and December 2003, sera from 239 ocular patients, aged 3 to 80 years, were examined by ELISA and confirmed by Western blot test. Out of the 239 patients, 172 (72%) were seronegative and 67 (28%) were Toxocara seropositive; 95% CI (22-34%). The median age of Toxocara seropositive patients was 37.6 years. There was no significant difference in the number of Toxocara positive sera between the younger age group (${\leq}14$ years) and the older age group (＞14 years), p＞0.05. A high rate of Toxocara seropositivity in ocular patients should alert the ophthalmologists in Slovenia to include toxocariasis in the differential diagnosis of eye diseases more frequently.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.139-143
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• 2008

Ingestion of raw animal liver has been suggested as a possible mode of infection of human toxocariasis, We evaluated the relationship between toxocariasis and the ingestion of raw meat in patients with eosinophilia of unknown etiology. The study population consisted of 120 patients presenting with peripheral blood eosinophilia (> $500\;cells/{\mu}l$ or > 10% of the white blood cell count). They were divided into 2 groups: 104 seropositive patients based on a Toxocara excretory-secretory IgG ELISA and 16 seronegative patients. While 25.0% of seronegative patients had a recent history of eating raw cow liver, 87.5% of seropositive patients had this history. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that a recent history of eating raw cow liver was related to an increased risk of toxocariasis. Collectively, it is proposed that raw cow liver is a significant infection source of toxocariasis in the patients with eosinophilia of unknown etiology.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제54권5호
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• pp.673-678
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• 2016

Epidemiological study on strongyloidiasis in humans is currently lacking in Malaysia. Thus, a cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis infection among the inhabitants of longhouse indigenous communities in Sarawak. A single stool and blood sample were collected from each participant and subjected to microscopy, serological and molecular techniques. Five species of intestinal parasites were identified by stool microscopy. None of the stool samples were positive for S. stercoralis. However, 11% of 236 serum samples were seropositive for strongyloidiasis. Further confirmation using molecular technique on stool samples of the seropositive individuals successfully amplified 5 samples, suggesting current active infections. The prevalence was significantly higher in adult males and tended to increase with age. S. stercoralis should no longer be neglected in any intestinal parasitic survey. Combination of more than 1 diagnostic technique is necessary to increase the likelihood of estimating the 'true' prevalence of S. stercoralis.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.13.1-13.12
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• 2022

Background: Toxoplasma gondii can infect humans and most animals and has a very high infection rate worldwide, including in China. The number of people infected with T. gondii in China increases with the number of cats. Objectives: We investigated the seropositive rate of T. gondii in cats over the last five years and analyzed the risk factors via meta-analysis. Methods: We retrieved 20 studies, with a total of 5,158 cats, published between 2016 and 2020, used the DerSimonian-Laird model and calculated seroprevalence estimates with the variance stabilizing double arcsine transformation. Results: The overall seroprevalence rate after sinusoidal conversion was 19.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15.9-23.9; 966/5,158), lower than the domestic report from 1995 to 2015 (24.5%, 95% CI, 20.1-29.0). There was substantial heterogeneity among studies (χ² = 262.32; p < 0.001; I² = 64.6%). Regression analysis of possible heterogeneous causes and subgroup analysis showed that age and whether cats were stray or not have a significant effect on the seropositive rate. Conclusions: Articles published in recent five years suggest that the seroprevalence estimates of Toxoplasma gondii in cats has decreased. Cats, as the final host of T. gondii, are an important cause of the spread of the parasite, and this is an important concern for public health.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.133-134
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• 1993

Blood serum was collected from 200 apparently healthy pigs of average market size and tested for toxoplasmosis. Twenty percent of samples were seropositive with antibody titres ranging from 1 : 256 to 1 : 4096. The seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in pigs is reported first time in Bangladesh.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.32-36
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• 1994

This study was carried out to investigate antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii by Latex agglutination test from 101 slaugutered pigs and 109 cattle. In the species, 5(4.6%) out of 109 cattle and 4(4.0%) out of 101 pigs were seropositive for Toxoplasma gondii.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.53-58
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• 2002

To better understand the reservoir host range and distribution of hantaviruses in small mammal populations in Korea, a serological survey was conducted on 1,375 wild rodents and 62 insectivores captured in seven provinces during the six-year period, 1995 to 2000. As determined by the indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test, 90 ($13.1\%$) of 685 Apodemus agrarius, 47 ($13.6\%$) of 345 Apodemus peninsulae, and 4 ($6.5\%$) of 62 Crocidura laciura were seropositive against the Hantaan virus, while 38 ($13.5\%$) of 282 Eothenomys regulus were seropositive against the Puumala virus. Serological evidence for hantavirus infection was not found in 50 Microtus fortis, six Micromys minutus, six Mus musculus, and one Cricetulus triton. Our serological data indicate that hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS)-related hantaviruses are widely distributed in indigenous rodents in Korea. Particularly noteworthy was the high seropositivity rates among Apodemus peninsulae and Eothenomys regulus captured in certain mountainous regions, suggesting that HFRS may be under-reported among nearby residents or among individuals who might visit such areas for recreational or occupational purposes.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제58권5호
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• pp.190-193
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• 2015

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a hypersensitivity lung disease due to bronchial colonization of Aspergillus fumigatus that occurs in susceptible patients with asthma or cystic fibrosis. A 10-year-old girl was referred to the Department of Pediatric Pulmonology for persistent consolidations on chest radiography. Pulmonary consolidations were observed in the right upper and left lower lobes and were not resolved with a 4-week prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The patient had a history of atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis but no history of asthma. She had no fever but produced thick and greenish sputum. Her breathing sounds were clear. On laboratory testing, her total blood eosinophil count was $1,412/mm^3$ and total serum IgE level was 2,200 kU/L. Aspergillus was isolated in the sputum culture. The A. fumigatus-specific IgE level was 15.4 kU/L, and the Aspergillus antibody test was also positive. A chest computed tomography scan demonstrated bronchial wall thickening and consolidation without bronchiectasis. An antifungal agent was added but resulted in no improvement of pulmonary consolidations after 3 weeks. Pulmonary function test was normal. Methacholine provocation test was performed, revealing bronchial hyperreactivity ($PC_{20}=5.31mg/mL$). Although the patient had no history of asthma or bronchiectasis, ABPA-seropositivity was suspected. Oral prednisolone (1 mg/kg/day) combined with antifungal therapy was started. Pulmonary consolidations began decreasing after 1 week of treatment and completely resolved after 1 month. This is the first observed and treated case of seropositive ABPA in Korean children without previously documented asthma.

• 대한바이러스학회지
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.19-28
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• 2000

Two distinct hantaviruses have been isolated from Apodemus agrarius in 1976 and Rattus norvegicus in 1980 in Korea. Since our serosurveys conducted in 1994, a genetically distinct hantavirus from Apodemus peninsulae has been investigated. To isolate hantavirus from Apen insulae captured in Korea, the lung homogenate of seropositive Apeninsulae inoculated Vero E6 cells. Viral antigen was detected in a progressively higher percentage of cells with subsequent passage after 80 days postinoculation. The new isolate from seropositive Apodemus peninsulae was designated Suchong virus after Suchong valley located in northeastern region of South Korea. Comparing with hantaan virus 76-118 strain, Suchong virus-1, 2, 3 and 4 showed the similarity of $71.0{\sim}91.8%$ at nucleotide and $90.9{\sim}94.8%$ at amino acid sequences in 231 nucleotides region of M segment, and the similarity of $75.1{\sim}81.0%$ at nucleotide and $97.5{\sim}100%$ at amino acid sequences in 237 nucleotides of S segment.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.311-318
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• 2020

Chronic hepatitis B viral (HBV) infection remains a major health threat, especially in high-prevalence areas. Most infants infected by mother-to-infant HBV transmission become chronic carriers. In Taiwan, many important preventive interventions have been implemented to block the perinatal transmission of HBV in the past 35 years. The first nationwide universal HBV vaccination program was launched in Taiwan in July 1984. The three-dose HBV vaccine completion rate reached 98.1% in 2018. The prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) decreased from 9.8% in pre-vaccinated period in 1984 to 0.5% in the vaccinated cohort in 2014. The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in children aged 6-9 years significantly declined from 0.52 to 0.13 per 100,000 children born before and after 1984, respectively. Furthermore, we have performed a maternal HBV screening program during pregnancy since 1984, with the screening rate peaked at 93% in 2012. The HBsAg- and HBeAg-seropositive rate in pregnant women declined from 13.4% and 6.4% in 1984-1985 to 5.9% and 1.0% in 2016, respectively. To closely control perinatal HBV infection, we have administered hepatitis B immunoglobulin immediately after birth and checked the serum level of HBsAg and anti-HBs in high-risk babies born to HBsAg-seropositive mothers, irrespective of their HBeAg status, since July 2019. We have also adopted short-term antiviral treatments such as tenofovir 300 mg daily in the third trimester for highly viremic mothers and reduced the perinatal infection rates from 10.7 to 1.5%. Through all these efforts, we expect to meet the global goal of eliminating HBV infection by 2030.