• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1713-1716
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• 2016

Background: Liver fluke infection is associated with cholangiocarcinoma; the bile duct cancer found frequently in the northeast and north of Thailand. Prevention and control particularly requires health education and behavior change. Objective: This study aimed to improve health behavior among village health volunteers (VHV) regarding liver fluke exposure in an epidemic area. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study was performed during July 2015 to January 2016 in Sang Kha district of Surin province, Thailand. A total of 67 VHVs underwent a health education program (HEP) and data were collected on knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) before and after participation for HEP 3 months with a pre-designed questionnaire. The Students paired T-test was used for comparisons of mean KAP levels before/after the intervention. Results: The results revealed that knowledge (P-value=0.004), attitude (P-value=0.004), and practice level (P-value=0.000) were significantly improved after participation in the HBP. Attitude was significantly associated with knowledge (r=0.266, p<0.05), and practice (r=0.348, p<0.01). Conclusions: The implementation of health education among VHVs is feasible and increases their KAP. This improvement should have potential in liver fluke prevention and control in local communities in rural Thailand.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.79-82
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• 2001

The infection of liver flukes, Clonorchis sinensis (CS) and Opisthorchis viverrini (OV), has been known as a risk factor to induce cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC) in human living in the endemic area, providing promoting effect on the liver initiated by chemical carcinogens. The present study evaluated the relationship between the dosage level of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) and the infection load of CS in the neoplastic development by histopathological examination of the treated hamsters. To evaluate the effects of DMN, different doses of DMN ranging from 0 to 25 ppm were administered to hamsters with 20 CS metacercariea. For the risk assessment of the infection load, 0, 5, 15, 50 CS metacercariae were respectively infected with 12 ppm DMN. The mortality was closely related to the infection load rather than the concentration of DMN. The infection of CS clearly promoted the induction of CCC even at dose level of 6 ppm DMN. Only five metacercariae were enough to promote CCC induction at the concentration of 12 ppm DMN.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6175-6179
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• 2012

Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are still important to the health of Thai rural residents. IPIs are the cause of many chronic diseases with, for example, opisthorchiasis resulting in progression to cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). This cross-sectional study in a prospective cohort study aimed to examine the prevalence and co-infection of intestinal parasites among Northeastern Thai rural residents, recruited into the Khon Kaen Cohort Study (KKCS), and who were residing in areas of high-risk for developing CCA. On recruitment, subjects had completed questionnaires and provided fecal samples for IPI testing using the formalin ethyl acetate concentration technique. Data on selected general characteristics and the results of the fecal tests were analysed. IPI test results were available for 18,900 of cohort subjects, and 38.50% were found to be positive for one or more types of intestinal parasite. The prevalence of Opisthorchis viverrini (O. viverrini) infection was the highest (45.7%), followed by intestinal flukes (31.9%), intestinal nematodes (17.7%), intestinal protozoa (3.02%), and intestinal cestodes (1.69%). The pattern of different infections was similar in all age groups. According to a mapping analysis, a higher CCA burden was correlated with a higher prevalence of O. viverrini and intestinal flukes and a greater intensity of O. viverrini. Both prevention and control programs against liver fluke and other intestinal parasites are needed and should be delivered simultaneously. We can anticipate that the design of future control and prevention programmes will accommodate a more community-orientated and participatory approach.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.225-229
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• 2010

The aim of this study is to clarify the clinical features of Hap/orchis taichui infection in humans in Nan Province, Thailand, and to correlate the clinical features with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like symptoms. In this study area, only H. taichui, but neither other minute intestinal flukes nor small liver flukes were endemic. The degree of infection was determined by fecal egg counts and also by collecting adult worms after deworming. The signs and symptoms of individual patients together with their hematological and biochemical laboratory data were gathered to evaluate the relationship between the clinical features and the severity of infection. Special emphasis was made to elucidate the possible similarities of the clinical features of H. taichui infection and IBS-like symptoms. The results showed useful clinical information and the significant (> 50%) proportion of haplorchiasis patients complained of abdominal pain, lassitude, and flatulence, which were the important diagnostic symptoms of IBS. This study has reported a possible link between H. taichui and IBS, and H. taichui might probably play a role in the etiology of these IBS-like symptoms.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.209-221
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• 2001

Examination of the original descriptions of genera placed within the family Oposthorchiidae has revealed that only 33 of the original 43 genera are valid members of this family Further study of these descriptions should also reveal that many of the subfamilies are also invalid. With reference to the original descriptions of these genera, and subsequent literature, a brief survey of the family has been compiled. Information on the spectrum of definitive hosts that these helminths parasitize is provided, as well as information on the life cycles, geographic distribution, and socioeconomic impacts of the family. More in-depth information is given on those species that are of particular medical importance; namely, Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini and O. felineus. The final aims of this review are to provide information on the entire genera of the family Opisthorchiidae, which will aid understanding of the phylogenetic relationships not only within the family, but also within the Class Trematoda.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.367-370
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• 2022

Fascioliasis is a parasitic infection caused by liver flukes. Although several cases have been reported in Korea, phylogenetic analysis of isolates is lacking. In this study, a 66-year-old woman with right upper quadrant (RUQ) abdominal pain was diagnosed as fascioliasis involving abdominal muscle by imaging study. She received praziquantel treatment, but symptoms were not improved. Lateral movement of the abscess lesion was followed. Trematode parasite was surgically removed from the patient's rectus abdominis muscle. The fluke was identified as Fasciola hepatica based on sequence analysis of 18S rDNA. To determine the phylogenetic position of this Fasciola strain (named Korean Fasciola 1; KF1), the cox1 gene (273 bp) was analyzed and compared with the genes of 17 F. hepatica strains isolated from cows, sheep, goats, and humans from various countries. Phylogenetic analysis showed that KF1 was closely related with the isolates from China goat.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1097-1102
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• 2016

Background: Liver fluke infection with Opisthorchis viverrini and its associated cholangiocarcinoma constitute a serious problem in Thailand. Healthy behavior can decrease infection, therefore, the investigation of knowledge, attitude, and practice is need required in high risk areas. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the behavior and perceptions regarding liver fluke. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Chum Phuang district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand during July to November 2015. A total 80 participants who had screened with verbal screening test, stool examination, and ultrasonography, were purposive selected and completed a pre-designed questionnaire (Kruder-Richardon-20=0.80, Cronbach's alpha coefficient=0.82 and 0.79). T-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation test were used for analyzed data. Results: The results reveal that O. viverrini infection was 1.25%, and 3 patients had a dilated bile ducts. The participants had a high knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding liver fluke. The education, occupation, and income, were statistical significant to attitude regarding liver fluke. Nurses and television were the main sources of information regarding liver fluke, with statistical significance(p-value <0.05). Knowledge was significantly associated with attitude and practice (p-value<0.05). Conclusions: Participants had good behavior regarding liver fluke. Improvement of knowledge and attitude is influenced to practical change regarding this carcinogenic fluke. In addition, nurse and television are the main information resources for key success in increasing people perception for disease prevention and control in this area.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.157-160
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• 2010

We report here a human case probably mixed-infected with Clonorchis sinensis and Fasciola sp. who was diagnosed by computed tomography (Cn scan, serological findings, and/or fecal examination. The patient was a 43-year-old Korean female and was admitted to Kyung Hee University Hospital with the complaints of fever and abdominal pain. On admission, marked eosinophilia was noted in her peripheral blood. CT scan showed specific lesions for clonorchiasis and fascioliasis in the liver, along with lesions suggestive of amebic abscess. Micro-ELISA revealed positive results for the 2 helminthic infections. Eggs of C. sinensis and trophozoites of Entamoeba histo/ytica were observed in the stool. Treatment with praziquantel followed by metronidazole and tinidazole reduced abnormalities in the liver and eosinophilia. This is the first case report of a possible co-infection with 2 kinds of liver flukes in the Republic of Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 1994

Nine rabbits were fed with Clonorchis sinenis metacercariae (MC) and the blood samples chronologically obtained were analyzed biochemically. Rabbits Infected by less than 100 flukes were grouped into Group I, and by 100-250 flukes into Group II. The serum level of alanine amlnotransferase (ALT) was increased from 3 weeks after the Infection of the metacercariae (AIM) and showed a peak at 8 weeks, and decreased from 12 weeks ASM. The serum level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was raised to $92.3{\;}{\pm}{\;}65.4{\;}U/L$ at 3 weeks AIM and stayed high until 8 weeks, then lowered thereafter. The serum level of ${\gamma}-glutamyl$ transpeptidase (${\gamma}-GT$) was increased rapidly to the highest value ($18.9{\;}{\pm}{\;}14.6{\;}U/L$) at 16 weeks ASM, and decreased to the control level after 20 weeks. The serum level of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was headed down from the early infection to 52 weeks AIM. The serum cholesterol level was increased from 8 weeks and reached at a peak 16 weeks AIM, and decreased thereafter to the control level. It is suggested that serum ALT, AST, ALP and ${\gamma}-GT$ tests be useful to diagnose the early infEction of C. sinensis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.1751-1758
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• 2015

There has been a strong, positive correlation between opisthorchiasis-associated cholangiocarcinoma and infection with Helicobacter. Here a rodent model of human infection with Opisthorchis viverrini was utilized to further investigate relationships of apparent co-infections with O. viverrini and H. pylori. A total of 150 hamsters were assigned to five groups: i) Control hamsters not infected with O. viverrini; ii) O. viverrini-infected hamsters; iii) non-O. viverrini infected hamsters treated with antibiotics (ABx); iv) O. viverrini-infected hamsters treated with ABx; and v) O. viverrini-infected hamsters treated both with ABx and praziquantel (PZQ). Stomach, gallbladder, liver, colonic tissue, colorectal feces and O. viverrini worms were collected and the presence of species of Helicobacter determined by PCR-based approaches. In addition, O. viverrini worms were cultured in vitro with and without ABx for four weeks, after which the presence of Helicobacter spp. was determined. In situ localization of H. pylori and Helicobacter-like species was performed using a combination of histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. The prevalence of H. pylori infection in O. viverrini-infected hamsters was significantly higher than that of O. viverrini-uninfected hamsters ($p{\leq}0.001$). Interestingly, O. viverrini-infected hamsters treated with ABx and PZQ (to remove the flukes) had a significantly lower frequency of H. pylori than either O. viverr-iniinfected hamsters treated only with ABx or O. viverrini-infected hamsters, respectively ($p{\leq}0.001$). Quantitative RT-PCR strongly confirmed the correlation between intensity H. pylori infection and the presence of liver fluke infection. In vitro, H. pylori could be detected in the O. viverrini worms cultured with ABx over four weeks. In situ localization revealed H. pylori and other Helicobacter-like bacteria in worm gut. The findings indicate that the liver fluke O. viverrini in the biliary tree of the hamsters harbors H. pylori and Helicobacter-like bacteria. Accordingly, the association between O. viverrini and H. pylori may be an obligatory mutualism.