• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.284-288
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• 2009

The innate immune system is important for the first line of host defence against infectious agents, which have penetrated the mechanical barriers. Mannose-binding lectin (MBL or mannan-binding protein, MBP) is a serum protein that is synthesized in the liver as a part of the acute phase response. MBL binds to carbohydrate structures presented by a wide range of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. MBL is synthesized as a monomer that has a carboxy-terminal carbohydrate recognition domain, a neck region and a collagen region. Low MBL level was reported to be the most frequent immuno-deficiency syndrome. Although extensive studies have yielded detailed information on the structure of MBL, functions of the MBL complex are not fully understood yet. We, here, present cloning process of MBL cDNA from the rat liver and production of truncated recombinant MBL protein using a bacterial expression system in order to produce anti-MBL polyclonal antibody. Anti-MBL polyclonal antibody was raised in a New Zealand rabbit and its affinity was tested against recombinant protein using western blot technique. MBL cDNA, recombinant protein and anti-MBL antibody could be used as great arsenals to dissect cellular biochemistry of MBL.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.113-123
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• 1997

Concerned to the life cycle of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, the biological characteristic of the parasites was studied in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and the Korean catfish (Silurus asotus) Under the experimental condition of $9^{\circ}C$- $28^{\circ}C$, tomitogenesis rate was positively proportional to water temperature, but not at over $28^{\circ}C$. The protomonts showed a high rate of tomitogenesis at $26^{\circ}C$ in comparision with other temperature conditions. Temperature affected tomitogenesis rate which resulted from the various conditions of salinity, pH and formalin concentration. The protomonts showed a high rate of tomitogenesis at pH 6.9 in comparision with other pH conditions at all temperatures tested. This result revealed that the opitimum pH for tomitogenesis was 6.9. The protomont had more tolerance against salinity and formalin concentration at low temperature ($18^{\circ}C$) than at high one ($22^{\circ}C$). Both trophont and protomont were not infective, but theront was infective.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 1997

We investigated on the prevalence and extermination of scuticociliatids parasitic on cultured japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus in land-marine tank system of southern Korea from January to February in 1997. The gills and the skin showed the highest infection rate(60%), and the brain showed the lowest(22%). Also, fish secreted large quantity of mucus with a bleeding and ulcerated lesions on the infected sites. The number of the parasites in inflowing sea water, surface water and bottom water of farming tank ranged 0~1 individuals/$100m\ell$, 0~413 individuals/$100m\ell$ and $7\sim7.3{\times}10^4$ individuals/$100m\ell$, respectively. This parasite was died within 2 hours in 50~500 ppm, 48 hours of 10 ppm formalin or hydrogen peroxide, 1 hour in 50~500 ppm, 80 minutes of 10 ppm oligo chitosan and 10 minute in 100% but did not died until 48 hours in 10~70% fresh water.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.237-245
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• 2011

Disease survey was conducted to investigate the cause of high mortality in 23 farms of eel, Anguilla japonica, during the period from 2000 to 2010. Seven kinds of fish pathogens were confirmed in the tested fish, which included: Pseudodactylogyrus sp. (infection rate: 65.5%, 19/29 samples), aquabirnavirus (ABV, 62.5%, 15/24 samples), Edwardsiella sp. (44%, 11/25 samples), anguillid herpesvirus 1 (AngHV1, 16.7%, 2/12 samples), Heterosporis sp. (10.3%, 3/29 samples), Vibrio sp. (8%, 2/25 samples), Trichodina sp. (3.4%, 1/29 samples). The rate of single infection was 44.8% (13/29 samples), while 62.1% (18/29 samples) showed mixed type of infection with 2 to 5 different pathogens. The most predominant mixed infection were Pseudodactylogyrus sp.-Edwardsiella sp. (10.3%, 3/29 samples), Pseudodactylogyrus sp.-ABV (10.3%, 3/29 samples), Edwardsiella sp.-ABV (6.9%, 2/29 samples). Infection by the above infectious parasites, bacteria and virus was confirmed in tested eels of juvenile to adult sizes that were cultured at $25{\sim}30^{\circ}C$ in almost the examined farms.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.333-339
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• 2019

The Red swamp crawfish Procambarus clarkii is native to the southern United States and inhibits all over the world including the United States, Asia, Africa and Europe. In Europe, it is known to disrupt ecosystems such as competition with native crayfish. In this study, habitats of red swamp crawfish were identified in Jiseok stream (15.5 km section) and Daecho stream (6.1 km section) of Youngsan river. A total 33 red swamp crawfish were captured. A female captured in Jiseok stream carried 215 newly hatched red swamp crawfish in her the burrow. As a result of the analysis of the habitat environment, the water temperature was ranged of 2.4~32.8℃, conductivity was 53.4~502.3 μS cm^-1 and DO was 0.74~22.64 mg L^-1. As a result of measuring HOBO, the temperature ranged from -9~48.1℃, showing a change of 57.1℃ throughout the year. The variation of the water temperature throughout the year from 2.9~33.9℃ was found to be 31℃. Red swamp crawfish have a high adaptability and a wide range of environmental resistance, and report a sharp increase in newly invaded areas, negatively affecting indigenous organisms. In addition, it can be used as a medium for the spread of diseases and parasites, so prompt investigation and research should be carried out.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 1994

The results of fecal examination for helminth eggs and protozoan cysts in Seoul Paik Hospital during 1984-1992 are reported. Fecal specimens of a total of 52,552 out- or in- patients were examined by formalin-ether sedimentation and/or direct smear method. The overall egg Positive rate of helminths was 6.5% and the cyst Positive rate of Protozoa 2.5%. The egg positive rate (number of positive cases) for each species of helminth was; Clonorchis sirensis 3.2%(1,667) , Trichuris trichiura 2.0%(1,089), Metqsonimw yokogawai 1.2% (613), Ascaris lumbricoides 0.2% (100), Trichostrongylus orientalis 0.1% (34), Taenin spp. 0.05% (28), Hymenolepis nana 0.03% (181), hookworms 0.03% (17), Poragonimlrkf westermani 0.02% (12), Echinostoma spp. 0.03% (12), Enterobius uermiculans 0.02% (10), Strongyloides stercora;is (larvae) 0.01% (6) , and Diphyllobothrium latum 0.004% (2). The cyst positive rate (number of positive casesl for each protozoan was; Entamoebc coli 1.1% f5881, Snnolimox nana 0.8% (402), Ginrdin lomblia 0.3% (173) , Entamoeba histo;utoca 0.3% (164), and Trichomonos hominis (trophozoites) 0.004% (2). Viewing from the data of 9 years, it was evident that the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths such as A. Lumbricoines and T. trichiuro has been decreasing remarkably, while that of snail transmitted helminths such as C. sinenris and intestinal protozoans has not.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.727-733
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• 2013

Despite the existence of effective anthelmintics, parasitic infections remain a major public health problem in Southeast Asia, including Thailand. In rural communities, continuing infection is often reinforced by dietary habits that have a strong cultural basis and by poor personal hygiene and sanitation. This study presents a survey of the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among the people in rural Thailand. The community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in villages in Khon Kaen Province, northeastern Thailand, from July to August 2013. A total of 253 stool samples from 102 males and 140 females, aged 2-80 years, were prepared using formalin-ethyl acetate concentration methods and examined using light microscopy. Ninety-four individuals (37.2%) were infected with 1 or more parasite species. Presence of parasitic infection was significantly correlated with gender (P=0.001); nearly half of males in this survey (49.0%) were infected. Older people had a higher prevalence than younger members of the population. The most common parasite found was Opisthorchis viverrini (26.9%), followed by Strongyloides stercoralis (9.5%), Taenia spp. (1.6%), echinostomes (0.4%), and hookworms (0.4%). The prevalence of intestinal protozoa was Blastocystis hominis 1.6%, Entamoeba histolytica 0.8%, Entamoeba coli 0.8%, Balantidium coli 0.4%, Iodamoeba b$\ddot{u}$tschlii 0.4%, and Sarcocystis hominis 0.4%. Co-infections of various helminths and protozoa were present in 15.9% of the people. The present results show that the prevalence of parasitic infections in this region is still high. Proactive education about dietary habits, personal hygiene, and sanitation should be provided to the people in this community to reduce the prevalence of intestinal parasite infections. Moreover, development of policies and programs to control parasites is needed.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.645-650
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• 2013

A simple, rapid, and high-throughput method for detection and identification of Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, Brugia pahangi, and Dirofilaria immitis in mosquito vectors and blood samples was developed using a real-time PCR combined with high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis. Amplicons of the 4 filarial species were generated from 5S rRNA and spliced leader sequences by the real-time PCR and their melting temperatures were determined by the HRM method. Melting of amplicons from W. bancrofti, B. malayi, D. immitis, and B. pahangi peaked at $81.5{\pm}0.2^{\circ}C$, $79.0{\pm}0.3^{\circ}C$, $76.8{\pm}0.1^{\circ}C$, and $79.9{\pm}0.1^{\circ}C$, respectively. This assay is relatively cheap since it does not require synthesis of hybridization probes. Its sensitivity and specificity were 100%. It is a rapid and technically simple approach, and an important tool for population surveys as well as molecular xenomonitoring of parasites in vectors.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.689-694
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• 2013

Opisthorchis viverrini and Clonorchis sinensis are parasites known to be carcinogenic and causative agents of cholangiocarcinoma in Asia. The standard method for diagnosis for those parasite infections is stool examination to detect parasite eggs. However, the method has low sensitivity, and eggs of O. viverrini and C. sinensis are difficult to distinguish from each other and from those of some other trematodes. Here, we report a multiplex real-time PCR coupled with high resolution melting (HRM) analysis for the differentiation of O. viverrini and C. sinensis eggs in fecal samples. Using 2 pairs of species-specific primers, DNA sequences from a portion of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (nad 2) gene, were amplified to generate 209 and 165 bp products for O. viverrini and C. sinensis, respectively. The distinct characteristics of HRM patterns were analyzed, and the melting temperatures peaked at $82.4{\pm}0.09^{\circ}C$ and $85.9{\pm}0.08^{\circ}C$ for O. viverrini and C. sinensis, respectively. This technique was able to detect as few as 1 egg of O. viverrini and 2 eggs of C. sinensis in a 150 mg fecal sample, which is equivalent to 7 and 14 eggs per gram of feces, respectively. The method is species-specific, rapid, simple, and does not require fluorescent probes or post-PCR processing for discrimination of eggs of the 2 species. It offers a new tool for differentiation and detection of Asian liver fluke infections in stool specimens.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.21 no.1 s.23
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• pp.31-46
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• 1988

In order to designate a present status necessary for establishment of preventive measures and guidelines of health education against hepatitis B in the course of secondary school education, knowledge and practice toward hepatitis B virus infection was surveyed by a questionnare method on total of 4,855 college entrants in the academic year of 1987 and analyzed the data collected using IBM PC(Trigem 88-II) with SAS package program. About two per cent of college entrants had past history of HBV infections not showing any difference between both sexes and geographical regions. About one third(33.7%) of total students had tested hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg), only 4% had tested hepatitis B surface antibody(HBsAb) and vaccination rate amounted to 24.6%, one fourth of total subjects. Both serological tests and vaccination were most commonly performed during adolescence, showing higher rates in female students than in male students. The rates also seemed to be higher in those from urban cities than those from rural cities. Students who had acquired correct knowledge that hepatitis B was infected by virus were amounted to 78.5% of college entrants, and remaining 21.5% had misunderstood that rickettsia, bacteria, fungi or parasites were causal agents. Female students were better aware of the causal agents than male students but there was no difference between places of growth. As for mode of transmission of HBV, 51.5% of male students and 47.7% of female students had correct knowledge. A very few student had known that fact that HBV was transmitted by body fluids such as tear(6.9%), nasal discharge(10.1%) and semen or vaginal secretion(19.2%) and majority(75%) of students had misunderstood that hepatitis B virus would be transmitted per os through food ingestion. Approximately one half(48.9%) of college entrants had knew correctly whom to be vaccinated. Approximately one half of the students knew that hepatr;ma(57.8%) and liver cirrhosis(57.4%) might complicate with hepatitis B virus infection, whereas 12.0% of the students responded that bronchitis was one of the complications of hepatitis B infection. In summary of the above results, we highly recommend that health education program for eradication of hepatitis B virus infection should be introduced in curricula of secondary school education in this country.