• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.233-237
• /
• 2006

We postulated that apolysis was processed in accordance with apoptotic changes occurring in a cestode, Spirometra erinacei (Pseudophyllidea). We cloned the novel putative apoptosis-associated gene from S. erinacei via screening of a S. erinacei cDNA library with a ced-3 gene (activator of apoptosis) probe from Caenorhabditis elegans. We identified a 261-bp cDNA sequence, which encodes for an 86-amino acid protein. The cloned gene expression was observed in the neck and gravid proglottids via Northern blotting, using cloned cDNA inserts as probes, but the clone was not expressed in any of other tissues. We suggest that this gene may be involved in the apolysis of S. erinacei during normal tissue development and differentiation in cestode parasites.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.66-71
• /
• 1984

Two cases of human infection by adult Spirometra erinacei were proved by collection of worms in Korea. The patients were 24 and 21-year old males residing in a mountainous village in Kangwon-do. They had the clinical complaints of abdominal pain and epigastric discomfort, revealing the diphyllobothriid eggs, $53~59{\times}37-42{\mu}m$ in size, in their stools. They were treated with 500 mg atabrine and purgated with magnesium salts, and 3~4 hours later several chains of tapeworm segments were recovered from the diarrheal stools. The recovered worms revealed the morphological characteristics of spiral-form or coiled uteri, separated vaginal opening from the cirrus sac, incorporated seminal vesicle into the cirrus sac, distribution of testes at the junction between proglottides, asymmetrical eggs with one pointed eggs, etc. and were identified as Spirometra erinacei (Rudolphi, 1819). The cases had the history of eating raw flesh of the snakes and these are considered the source of infection.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.161-174
• /
• 1990

The complete life cycle of Spirometra erinacei has been experimentally maintained in the laboratory. The cyclops were reared as the first intermediate host, and the tadpoles of Rana nigromaculata as the second intermediate host. ICR mice were used as another second host. The experimental definitive hosts were dogs and cats. Maturation and hatching of the eggs took 8 to 14 days by incubation at 29℃. The coracidium measured 43.8×36.9㎛. Mesocyclops leuckarti and Eucyclops serrulatus were susceptible to the coracidial infection. The procercoids older than 5 days in the cyclops had minute spines at the anterior end, calcium corpuscles in the body parenchyme and the cercomer at the posterior end. Procercoids 10 to 20 days old were infective to tadpoles, and 15 or 21 day old worms could infect the mice. The plerocercoids from the tadpoles at 15 days after experimental infection were pear-shaped and shorter than 1 mm in the length and were infective to mice. Fifteen to 18 days after experiMental inoculation of plerocercoids to dogs or cats, the adult worms began to produce eggs. One life cycle from egg to egg needed 48 to 67 days in the laboratory. The morphology of larval or adult worms was compatible with the description of Spirometra erinacei.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.195-199
• /
• 2000

The 27 kDa cathepsin L-like cysteine protease of Spirometra erinocei plerocercoid is known to play an important function in tissue penetration, nutrient uptake and immune modulation in human sparganosis. In the present study, the expression of this enzyme was examined at different developmental stages of S. erinacei including immature egg, coracidium, plerocercoid in tadpole and rat, and adult Proteolytic activity against carboxybenzoyl-phenylalanyl-arginyl-7-amino-4-rnethylcournarin was do tooted in the extracts of coracidia and plerocercoid while no activity was observed in those of immature egg and adult. The specific activity in coraridial extracts was lower than that in the plerocercoid. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Northern biol analysis demonstrated that the gene was expressed in the coracidium and plerocercoid but not in immature egg and adult. These results suggest that the 27 kDa cysteine protease is only expressed in the stages involving active migration of the parasite in the host tissue.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.51 no.3
• /
• pp.379-381
• /
• 2013

To know the status of sparganum (plerocercoid of Spirometra erinacei) infection in the Korean wild life, several species of wild animals were captured in Gangwon-do and examined for their status of infection with spargana. From February to December 2011, a total of 62 wild boars, 5 badgers, 1 weasel, 1 Siberian chipmunk, and 53 wild rodents were captured, and their whole muscles were examined with naked eyes for the presence of spargana worms. From the weasel and 1 wild boar, a total of 5 spargana specimens were extracted. The weasel was for the first time recorded as an intermediate or paratenic/transport host of S. erinacei in Korea, and both the weasel (Mustela sibirica manchurica) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) were added to the list of wild animals carrying spargana.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.153-163
• /
• 2005

To clarify the species validity of the genus Spirometra, the biological characteristics of Spirometra erinacei and S. mansonoides by developmental stages were compared. Their experimental life cycles were maintained under the same laboratory conditions, and the biological characteristics were experimentally observed in vivo and in vitro conditions. Eggs of S. erinacei and S. mansonoides were $59.6\pm35.6{\mu}m\;and\;61.4\pm35.8{\mu}m$ in each average size. Both of them became fully matured and hatched in 8 days after incubation at $29^{\circ}C$. The coracidium of S. erinacei was $43.6\times35.8{\mu}m$ in average size, and retained a oncosphere of $39.3\times31.0{\mu}m$. That of S. mansonoides was $43.0\times36.3{\mu}m$ in average size, and retained a oncosphere of $38.3\times30.8{\mu}m$. Procercoids of S. erinacei were somewhat larger than those of S. mansonoides. Both species of procercoids older than 7 days in cyclops had minute spines at the anterior end, calcium corpuscles in the parenchyme and a cercomer at the posterior end. The procercoids older than 4 days in cyclops were infective to tadpoles. The procercoids older than 8 days revealed the infectivity to mice. Plerocercoids of S. erinacei were somewhat lager than those of S. mansonoides when they were compared by age of worms in tadpoles. Both species of plerocercoids older than 5 days were infective to mice. Among 138 plerocercoids of S. erinacei recovered from the experimental mice, $55(39.9\%)$ were detected in the neck portion, $35 (25.4\%)$ in the back portion, $25(18.1\%)$ in the anterior legs, and $23 (16.7\%)$ were found in the abdomen. In case of S. mansonoides plerocercoids, $42.0\%$ were found in the neck portion, $23.8\%$ in the back portion, $14.4\%$ in the abdomen, $13.3\%$ in the anterior legs, and $6.1\%$ were found in the posterior legs. From the above results, it was confirmed that the biological characteristics of S. erinacei and S. mansonoides are almost same when their life cycles are mainteined under the same laboratory condition. Accordingly, these findings suggest that S. erinacei and S. mansonoides may be the same species.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.65-72
• /
• 1998

Recently there have been frequent reports on human infection caused by the Diphyllobothridae in Korea. The adequate opportunities for Koreans to eat raw fish, the primary infection medium of cestodes and the human infection through drinking water by cyclops, the first intermediate host are believed to be main reasons for the infection. The first task of this study was to classify and diagnose the species by differentiating morphological characteristic between scolex and proglottids of cestodes. However, the initially available diagnosis was done with the patient's symptoms and the eggs obtained from his stool. It is important to differentiate the species by the eggs of Diphyllobothrium latum especially in that it can help get advance information for a more reliable analysis in the near future. The morphological and diagnostic results from proglottids and eggs of Diphyllobothrium latum, Diphyllobothrium latum parvum and Spirometra erinacei are as follows； In each kind of cestodes from the patient's stool, the shape and size of 50 eggs were measured. Eggs of Diphyllobothrium latum had an operculum and were ovoidal or ellipsoid to elliptical in shape. Eggs of Diphyllobothrium latum parvum were more ovoidal in shape and smaller in size than Diphyllobothrium latum. And eggs of Spirometra erinacei were asymmetrical in width and long and slender in shape. The average lengths and widths of Diphyllobothrium latum, Diphyllobothrium latum parvum and Spirometra erinacei were 61.4$\times$41.7 $\mu\textrm{m}$, 55.9$\times$41.4 $\mu\textrm{m}$ and 66.7$\times$36.4 $\mu\textrm{m}$, respectively. After the segments of each cestode were fixed, embedding and hematoxylin-eosin dyeing on a microtome-made specimen were done. The micrographs of the semicon's aceto-carmine dyed specimen showed that Diphyllobothrium latum and Diphyllobothrium latum parvum had a centrally-located genital gland and an opened uterine pore. The yolks were observed on both sides of proglottids and had a typical rosette pattern. Yet, Diphyllobothrium latum parvum was shown smaller than Diphyllobothrium latum in the micrograph. Proglottids of Spirometra erinacei displayed that the uterus was rolled spirally more than five to seven times, and connected successively to the seminal vesicle in the cirrus sac. Shown above, this study was performed to measure the size of eggs and analyze the morphological characteristics of proglottids and provided the measurements of three types of cestodes obtained by a light microscope.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.225-235
• /
• 1988

This study was carried out to compare distribution and isozyme pattern of nonspecific esterase, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase on developing sparganum and adult of Spinometra erinacei by using enzyme-histochemical method and electrophoresis The sparganum and adult were recovered from rats and cat that were infected by sparganum. The results obtained were as follows: Nonspecific esterase had a strong activity in the parenchymal musculature of sparganum and adult, but no detectable level in ihe tegument. A total of 7 and 8 nonspecific esterase bands were detectable in sparganum and adult, respectively. Of these bands, band 3 and 4 were major bands in sparganum and adult. Acid phosphatase had a strong activity in the tegument and the epidermal musculature of sparganum, but no detectable level in the parenchymal musculature. A total of 3 bands were detectable in sparganum and adult. Of these bands, band 3 was major band in sparganum and adult. Alkaline phosphatase had a strong activity in the tegument and the epidennal musculature of sparganum and of adult, but no detectable level in the parenchymal musculature. A total of 2 and 4 bands were detectable in sparganum and adult. Of these bands, band 2 was major band in sparganum and adult. Based on the present results isozyme band patterns showed qualitative and quantitative changes in each tissues of sparganum and of adult during the development.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.52 no.1
• /
• pp.75-78
• /
• 2014

Sparganosis, an infection due to the plerocercoid of Spirometra erinacei, are found worldwide but the majority of cases occur in East Asia including Korea. This report is on a recurred case of sparganosis in the subcutaneous tissue of the right lower leg 1 year after a surgical removal of a worm from a similar region. At admission, ultrasonography (USG) of the lesion strongly suggested sparganosis, and a worm was successfully removed which turned out to be a sparganum with scolex. Since sparganum has a variable life span, and may develop into a life-threatening severe case, a patient once diagnosed as sparganosis should be properly followed-up for a certain period of time. Although imaging modalities were useful for the diagnosis of sparganosis as seen in this case, serological test such as ELISA should also be accompanied so as to support the preoperative diagnosis.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.362-371
• /
• 1992

Spiromeiru erinocer익 유충(sparganum)을 전이숙주(paratenic host)인 흰쥐와 종숙주인 고양이에 감염시켜 발육단계에 따라 회수해서 유충과 성충조직의 LDH(lactate dehydrogenase)와 SDH(succinate dehydrogenase)의 분포상 및 동위효소 유형을 효소조직화학적 방법과 전기영동법으로 조사하였다. 첫째, 유충조직에서의 LDH분포는 발육과정에 따른 차이는 없었으며 표피층과 실질근층에 비해 표피근층이 많이 분포하였다. 성체조직에서도 표피근층에 많이 분포하였는데 특히 성체의 표피층에서의 LOH 활성은 수태편절에서 상당히 많은 활성을 보인 반면 다른 편절의 표피층에서는 LDH의 활성이 없었다. 둘째, SDH의 조직분포는 유충과 성충 모두 표피근층에 많이 분포하58h으며 유충에서의 발육 후기는 발육초기보다 SDH의 분포량이 증가하였다. 셋째, LDH등위효소 유형은 유충과 성충에서 2개씩 나타났는데 유충에서는 M.W. 140 Kd가, 성충에서는 56 Kd가 주분획(major band)이었다. 넷째, SDH등위효소는 유충에서 1개(132 Kd), 성충에서 2개(132 Kd, 45 Kd)가'분리되었으며 성충에서 활성이 높게 나타난 band는 45 Kd인 단백질이었다.