• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.43 no.3 s.135
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• pp.119-122
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• 2005

Calcareous corpuscles are a characteristic structure found in larval and adult stage cestddes, These corpuscles are known to contain several protein components and to possess protein-binding activity. However, the proteins bound to calcareous corpuscles in situ have not been studied. The present study was undertaken to identify the proteins on calcareous corpuscles. Calcareous corpuscles were purified from the plerocercoids (= spargana) of Spirometra erinacei, and serially dissolved using 0.1 M sulfamic acid solution. Collected supernatants were examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and silver staining. The results showed that only the fraction remaining after the 19th dissolved fraction contained proteins. A total of 20 protein molecules were detected in gel, with major bands at 56, 53, 46, 40, 35, 29, 28, 24.5, 21, 19, 16, 13, 10 and 8 kDa. In particular, the proteins corresponding to the 21 and 16 kDa bands were most abundant. Our results demonstrated for the first time the protein contents of the calcareous corpuscles of spargana. Further studies on the functions of these proteins are required.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2014

The mature domain of a cysteine protease of Spirometra erinacei plerocercoid larva (i.e., sparganum) was expressed in Escherichia coli, and its value as an antigen for the serodiagnosis of sparganosis was investigated. The recombinant protein (rSepCp-1) has the molecular weight of 23.4 kDa, and strongly reacted with the sparganum positive human or mice sera but not with negative sera by immunoblotting. ELISA with rSepCp-1 protein or sparganum crude antigen (SeC) was evaluated for the serodiagnosis of sparganosis using patient's sera. The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA using rSepCp-1 protein were 95.0% (19/20) and 99.1% (111/112), respectively. In contrast, the sensitivity and specificity of ELISA with SeC were 100% (20/20) and 96.4% (108/112), respectively. Moreover, in experimentally infected mice, the sensitivity and specificity of both ELISA assays were 100% for the detection of anti-sparganum IgG. It is suggested that the rSepCp-1 protein-based ELISA could provide a highly sensitive and specific assay for the diagnosis of sparganosis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.169-172
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• 1993

Diagnostic specificity of 36 and 91 kDa proteins of Spirometra erlnacei plerocercold (sparganuml was evaluated by micro-ELISA In tissue Invading nematodiasls such as 25 gnathostomiasis, 33 angiostrongyllasls, 22 trichlnellosis patients, and 20 normal control. All but one patient each in 3 nematodlases showed the antibody levels of negative range. The positively reacted patients were regarded as concomitant Infections of sparganum because Immunized or hypennfected rabbit sennn of the nematodes did not react crossly to the antigen.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.57-59
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• 2010

A 59-year-old Korean man complained of a painless scrotal hard nodule and weak urine stream. The ultrasound scan revealed a 2.2-cm sized round heteroechogenic nodule located in the extratesticular area. Microscopic hematuria was detected in routine laboratory examinations. On scrotal exploration, multiple spargana were incidentally found in the mass and along the left spermatic cord. On cystoscopy, a 10-mm sized mucosal elevation was found in the right side of the bladder dome. After transurethral resection of the covered mucosa, larval tapeworms were removed from inside of the nodule by forceps. Plerocercoids of Spirometra erinacei was confirmed morphologically and also by PCR-sequencing analysis from the extracted tissue of the urinary bladder. So far as the literature is concerned, this is the first worm (PCR)-proven case of sparganosis in the urinary bladder.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.371-374
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• 1993

Fecal samples of cats purchased in Seoul were examined for helminth ova or protozoan oocysts from December 1987 to March 1988. Out of the 41 samples,31 (75.6%) were positive and 60 (146.3%) were cumulative positive for parasites. The followings were identified In the samples: Eggs of Toxocarn cacti. Clonorchis sinensis, Metoeonimn sp., Phnrvngostomum cordntum, Spirometra erinocei, Tcenia toenicejormis and oocysts of Isosporn sp. From nine autopsied cats, larvae of Anisakis simplex, adults of C. sinensis, M. yokogawai. P cordatum, S. erinacei and T. tqeniaejormis were identified. This is the first report on the detection of Anisakis larvae from cats In Korea. The possible role of cats as a source of human infection with each parasite was discussed. Key words: Cat, intestinal parasite, Anisckis simplex, Toxoccra cati, Clonorchis sinensis, Metagonimus yokogawai. Spirometro erinccei, Taenic tonniaelormis, Isospora Sp .

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 1996

Antigenic components reacting with IgE and IgG antibodies were localized in muscular layer of adult and of larva, sparganum. But the antigenic components inducing IgG were localized at tegument and parenchyma in addition to muscular layer in adult and sparganum. Also in sparganum, the surface of calcareous corpuscles of parenchyma showed immunoreactivity to IgG antibody. However antigenic components inducing IgE antibody were not localized in tegument and parenchyma, but in adult worm, we observed the immunopositive reaction at the lining of vitelline follicles in mature proglottis and on surface of egg shell within uterus of graved proglottis. By the method of immunogold-labelling, we observed the location of antigenic particles in tegument of sparganum. The density of antigenic particles inducing IgG was higher than that of antigen particles inducing IgE in syncytial tegument, tegument cells. A total of 43 and 36 protein bands were resolved from crude extracts of adult and sparganum, respectively, by SDS-PAGE. 34 bands from crude extracts of adult and larva were migrated to same positions. By EITB, 21 bands of 44 bands in adult were recognized with IgG antibody, and also 21 bands of 36 bands in sparganum. 13 bands of them were common antigenic components both in the adult worm and sparganum. Because 19 bands of 44 bands in adult worm were reacted with IgE antibody, they were IgE antigenic component. In sparganum, 13 bands were IgE antigenic components. 9 bands of them were common antigenic component inducing IgE antibody in both a-dult and sparganum. 3 bands of antigenic component recognized by IgE and IgG antibody were nonspecific antigen in both adult and sparganum of Spirometra erinacei.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.277-282
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• 1997

The only observed morphological difference between Spirometra erinqsei and S. mcnsonoides is the uterine shape of the mature proglottid. Two species of worms are thought to be evolutionarily closely related. Biomolecular colnparison of the ho worms by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis was conducted to observe the genetic distance. The 285 rDNA, mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mCOI), and ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITSI) fragments were obtained from the worms by PCR. The PCR products were cleaved by 5 four-base pair restriction enzyme combinations (Msp I, Hae III, Alu I, Cfo I, Rsa I) , electrophoresed and analyzed with PAUP 3.1.1. The fragment Patterns or 285 rDNA and Lni demonstrated that two worms were in identical systematic tree with bootstrap number 94 and 100, respectively As for mCOI, bootstrap number was 74 in a different tree. Above results are indicative of recent common ancestry between S. etinocei and S. mansonoides.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.183-186
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• 2008

Helminthic cysteine proteases are well known to play critical roles in tissue invasion, nutrient uptake, and immune evasion of the parasites. In the same manner, the sparganum, the plerocercoid of Spirometra mansoni, is also known to secrete a large amount of cysteine proteases. However, cysteine protease inhibitors regulating the proteolytic activities of the cysteine protease are poorly illustrated. In this regard, we partially purified an endogenous cysteine protease inhibitor from spargana and characterized its biochemical properties. The cysteine protease inhibitor was purified by sequential chromatographies using Resource Q anion exchanger and Superdex 200 HR gel filtration from crude extracts of spargana. The molecular weight of the purified protein was estimated to be about 11 kD on SDS-PAGE. It was able to inhibit papain and 27 kDa cysteine protease of spargana with the ratio of 25.7% and 49.1%, respectively, while did not inhibit chymotrypsin. This finding suggests that the cysteine protease inhibitor of spargana may be involved in regulation of endogenous cysteine proteases of the parasite, rather than interact with cysteine proteases from their hosts.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.135-137
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• 2003

The carbohydrate moieties of larval sparganum proteins in two different species, the snakes, Elaphe rufodorsata, the Balb/c mouse and those of the adult worm, Spirometra erinacei, were compared using five different lectins including GNA, SNA, MAA, PNA and DSA. The GNA positive 53 kDa molecule, which is excretory-secretory protease in the sparganum from the snake showed a stage specific and developmental regulation. We also suggested that sparganum glycosylation may be involved in immune evasion and differentiation into an adult worm.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.189-191
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• 2009

Four feral cats and a raccoon dog purchased from a local collector on Aphaedo Island, Shinan-gun, where human Gymnophalloides seoi infections are known to be prevalent, were examined for their intestinal helminth parasites. From 2 of 4 cats, a total of 310 adult G. seoi specimens were recovered, Other helminths detected in cats included Heterophyes nocens (1,527 specimens), Pygidiopsis summa (131), Stictodora fuscata (4), Acanthotrema felis (2), Spirometra erinacei (15), toxocarids (4), and a hookworm (1). A raccoon dog was found to be infected with a species of echinostome (55), hook-worms (7), toxocarids (3), P. summa (3), and S. erinacei (1). No G. seoi was found in the raccoon dog. The results indicate that feral cats and raccoon dogs on Aphaedo are natural definitive hosts for intestinal trematodes and cestodes, including G. seoi, H. nocens, and S. erinacei, It has been first confirmed that cats, a mammalian species other than humans, play the role of a natural definitive host for G. seoi on Aphaedo Island.