• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.235-240
• /
• 1990

During an investigation on intestinal flukes of house rats in Yangyang-gun, Kangwon-do, a total of 6 species of trematodes belonging to 3 families; Echinostom-atidae (Echinostoma hortense, E. cinetorchis, E. revolutum and Echinoparyphium recurvatum), Diplostomidae (Fibricoza seoulensis) and Plagiorchiidae (Plagiorchis muris), were recovered from two adult rats. E. revolutum and E. recurvatum were new trematode faunae of rats in Korea. 5. revolutum had an elongated body, 5.3∼6.Omm long and 1.0∼1.3mm wide. The total number of collar spines was 35∼37 including 5 end group ones on each ventral corner. Its coiled uterus contained numerous eggs.5. recurvatum also had an elongated body, 3.5∼4.7 mm long and 0.50∼0.65 mm wide. It had total 45 collar spines including 4 end group ones. The uterus toras short with only a few eggs. It has been first confirmed by this study that E. revolutum and E. recurvatum are indigenously distributed among house rats in Korea. Kef lords: Echinostoma revolutum, Echinoparyphium recurvatum. new fauna. house rats, Yangyang-gun ( Kangwon-do )

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.17-22
• /
• 1987

This survey was carried out in four areas in southern Korea from May 1983 through April 1986. A total of 1, 717 house rats was caught by trapping technique throughout the 4 areas. The total of 1, 535 trombiculid mites (4 genera, 7 species) was found only among Rattus norvegicus. Six species were observed in Seoul and Yangsuri areas, and 5 species in Seongnam area. No trombiculid mites were found in the rats caught in Inchon area. The highest infection rate of trombiculid mites (25%) was recorded in the rats caught in Seongnam area. And Leptotrombidium palpale was abundant species in general (detection rate; 72.8%) In seasonal variation, the hightes number of trombiculid population was observed from October through December in all the areas surveyed, and especially Euschongastia koreaensis apperaed more in autumn and winter than in any other season. The values of specie diversity and evenness of trombiculid mites found in Yangsuri were comparatively higher than those from the other areas.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.183-191
• /
• 1998

It has been reported that 50~70% of child asthma, bronchial asthma in adult, and allergic rhinitis are caused by house dust mite. The antigen extracted from house dust mite has been used for effective treatment against allergic diseases and for clinical test. This house dust mite antigen has been entirely imported from abroad. However, the composition and content of all the antigen imported vary from a brand to other brand. Thus, we need to standardize the composition and content of the antigen by developing it domestically. We proceeded pre-clinically general pharmacological test and toxicological test that are required for the eventual human use by utilizing the house dust mite cultured in Korea. In order to obtain information on general pharmacological tests such as its toxic signs in tissues or organs which are mainly affected, we examined the effect of house dust mite on the tensions of the isolated tissues and heart rates of cardiac muscle by recording with force displacement transducer of polygragh (Glass Model 7). We determined lethality of antigen extracted from house dust mite in mice and guinea pigs. We examined acute and subacute toxicity by administrating house dust mite extract of 500, 100, 20 times of the expected clinical dose. In male and female mice and guinea pigs, given a sigle intraperitoneal dose of antigen, $LD_{50}$ values were over 5.0 $\textrm{m}{\ell}$/kg, respectively. In animals administrated with house dust mite, there were no significant change of clinical symptom, body weight, food consumption, water consumption, eye examinations, urinalysis, blood biochemistry, and histopathological examinations in any animals tested. We found no toxic effect of this house dust mite. These results show that the house dust mite cultured by us could be used in the development of medicine against allergic diseases caused by the antigen of house dust mite.

• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.43 no.4
• /
• pp.146-154
• /
• 2013

Capillaria hepatica (syn. Calodium hepatica) is a parasite found mainly in rodent liver. But, it has also been found in a wide variety of mammals, including humans. This worm is unique as it is the only nematode parasite that is embedded in the liver parenchyma of the host even during the adult stage of the life cycle. They produce eggs that elicit a marked granulomatous reaction that eventually destroys the worms. Fibrosis and lymphoplasmacytic inflammatory infiltration are often observed around adult nematodes embedded in the liver parenchyma of the host. For this reason, complete isolation of this slender worm and observation of the intact ultrastructure is very difficult. In this study, 10 intact whole worms (C. hepatica) were isolated from the liver of 3-week-old mouse after inoculation of artificially embryonated eggs collected from house rats (Rattus norvegicus). Their external structure of was observed with light and scanning electron microscopy. The length of the isolated female and male C. hepatica was approximately 69.60 mm and 36.92 mm, respectively. More detailed ultrastructure, including bacillary band, eggs and vulva in female and spicule and spicule sheath in male C. hepatica was also described.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.123-132
• /
• 1989

The parasitic mites were collected from a total of 2,691 house rats in four areas of Seoul, Seongnam, Incheon and Yangsuri of Korea from January, 1983 to December, 1986, Infestation rates, the species composition of the mites. species diversity, evenness, dominance, similarity of the mites among the areas and monthly abundance were studied as follows: Among twenty-one species of mites identified from two species of house rats in the areas, 12 species belonged to Mesostigmata, 8 species to prostigmata and 1 species to Metastigmata. Out of twenty-one species, ten including Androlaelaps casalis were commonly found only on Rattus norvegicus, however, two including Haemogamsus serdjukovae only on Rattus rattus, and all the trombiculid mites were found in particular on R norvegicus. The highest infestation rates of the mites on the rats ranged from June to August in all the areas throughout the year. The species diversity of the mites was the highest (0.6280) in Yangsuri with the highest evenness value (0.5770) observed in Incheon. The seasonal species diversities in Seoul, Seongnam and Yangsuri were higher in April, October and March respectively than the other time of the year. The highest similarity value was calculated between Yangsuri and Seoul areas, compared with the lowest combination in Seoul and Seongnam areas. The seasonal indices of mites showed that the most abundant number of mites was observed in spring and summer in Seoul and Seongnam, in summer and autumn in Incheon and in the winter season in Yangsuri. The mesostigmatid and metastigmatid mites were collected abundantly in July and September from R. norvegicus and R rattus in Seoul with the highest number of the above mites found from R. norvegicus in June in Seongnam. Particularly in Yangsuri, a large number of the mites were collected all the year round.

• Advances in environmental research
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.109-123
• /
• 2012

Our study investigated the effects of Solanum macrocarpon (African eggplant) on haematological and biochemical parameters of male albino rats exposed to urban air pollution ($O_3$, $PM_{10}$, CO, $SO_2$, $NO_2$ and VOC). Male albino Wistar rats were exposed for 63 days either to urban air pollution without treatment (A); oral supplementation with Solanum macrocarpon given at 36 and 75 mg/kg body weight (BW), representing C and D respectively and exposed to air pollution; oral supplementation with Solanum macrocarpon given at 75 mg/kg BW after exposure to air pollution (B); or kept in animal house without exposure to air pollution (E). Animals exposed to air pollution showed significant alterations in haematological and biochemical parameters signaling that the blood and organs were badly injured. There were significant elevations in white blood cells (WBC) and its indices, reduction in red blood cells (RBC) and significant depletions of non-enzymic antioxidants, total protein and increase in lipid peroxidation values. Solanum macrocarpon supplementation in the feed of animals halted significantly the deleterious effects of air pollution, with co-administration during exposure given better results.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.563-567
• /
• 2007

This study evaluated the effect of ANTORIN R-10(pFSH), a commercially available follicle stimulating hormone on ovarian morphology, on follicular development and serum estradiol levels in rats. Immature female Wistar S/T rats(27 day old; 80-100 g B.wt) maintained under controlled environmental conditions($22{\pm}2^{\circ}C$; 50% humidity; 12 h light/12 h dark cycle) with free access to standard laboratory feed and tap water were utilized. Animals were allowed to acclimatize to the new environment for at least 2 weeks before being included in the experiment. Rats were randomly allotted to 5 groups(Control, SL 0.1AU, SH 0.2AU, TL 0.1AU and TH 0.2AU). ANTORIN R-10 was subcutaneously injected twice daily for 3 days. Twenty hours after hormone treatment, blood was collected to estimate the serum estradiol $17-\beta$ concentration. Immediately, all rats were sacrificed and the ovarian morphology, ovary weight and number of follicles were recorded. Ovaries were fixed for histomorphological examination. Higher standard and treatment groups were significantly increased on ovary weight and the number of follicles more than 1mm compared with lower standard and treatment. However, no difference revealed between standard and treatment groups. ANTORIN R-10 was similar effects of follicles development and maturation compared with House standard FSH.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.139-148
• /
• 1991

Cryptosporidium, a coccidian protozoa, commonly causes a self-limiting diarrheal illness in humans and animals. Fecal samples from various animals in Chonbuk district were observed using Sheather's aoatation technique, Kinyoun's modified acid-fast staining, and osmic acid pre-fixed Giemsa staining. The oocysts were detected in 74 cages(29.6%) out of 250 cages of mature mice, 26 (13.3%) out of 195 mature house rats, 75 (15.0%) out of 4-week-old 500 fowls, 98(19.9%) out of 6 to 8-month-old 500 pigs, and 111(22,2%) out of 2 to 5-year-old 500 dairy cattle, respectively. The degree of prevalence was slight in general, but actual prevalence was higher than infection rate because the detection rates were higher in repeated-preparation examinations in comparison to the first examination. Meanwhile, large and small types of oocysts were detected from mice, house rats, pigs, and cattle, and midium type from fowls.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.463-469
• /
• 2007

We examined the hepatoprotective effects of colored potato flakes on acetaminophen (AAP)-induced liver damage in rats. F344/DuCrj (8 week-old) rats were fed a cholesterol-free diet with 54.9486 g of ${\alpha}$-corn starch/100g diet and were orally treated with 25% colored flakes of Kitamurasaki (KM: light purple), Northern Ruby (NR: red), and Shadow Queen (SQ: medium purple) potatoes co-administered with AAP (0.5 g/100 g diet) for 4 weeks. The hepatic thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) values in the KM, NR, and SQ groups were significantly lower (p<0.05) than those in the control groups with and without AAP. Furthermore, the hepatic catalase, Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD), and Cu/Zn-SOD mRNA levels in the KM, NR, and SQ groups were higher than those in the control groups with and without AAP. The present findings suggest that colored potato flakes are useful as a prophylactic agent against oxidative liver damage.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.59 no.4
• /
• pp.377-392
• /
• 2021

This paper is to illustrate the infestation and related ecological characteristics of chigger mites on the Asian house rat (Rattus tanezumi). A total of 17,221 chigger mites were collected from 2,761 R. tanezumi rats, and then identified as 131 species and 19 genera in 2 families. Leptotrombidium deliense, the most powerful vector of scrub typhus in China, was the first major dominant species on R. tanezumi. All the dominant mite species were of an aggregated distribution among different individuals of R. tanezumi. The species composition and infestations of chiggers on R. tanezumi varied along different geographical regions, habitats and altitudes. The species-abundance distribution of the chigger mite community was successfully fitted and the theoretical curve equation was ${\hat{S}}(R)={37e^{-(0.28R)}}^2$. The total chigger species on R. tanezumi were estimated to be 199 species or 234 species, and this further suggested that R. tanezumi has a great potential to harbor abundant species of chigger mites. The results of the species-plot relationship indicated that the chig-ger mite community on R. tanezumi in Yunnan was an uneven community with very high heterogeneity. Wide geographi-cal regions with large host samples are recommended in the investigations of chigger mites.