We describe here the mass death of predatory carp, Chanodichthys erythropterus, in Korea induced by plerocercoid larvae of Ligula intestinalis as a result of host manipulation. The carcasses of fish with ligulid larvae were first found in the river-edge areas of Chilgok-bo in Nakdong-gang (River), Korea at early February 2016. This ecological phenomena also occurred in the adjacent areas of 3 dams of Nakdong-gang, i.e., Gangjeong-bo, Dalseong-bo, and Hapcheon-Changnyeong-bo. Total 1,173 fish carcasses were collected from the 4 regions. To examine the cause of death, we captured 10 wondering carp in the river-edge areas of Hapcheon-Changnyeong-bo with a landing net. They were 24.0-28.5 cm in length and 147-257 g in weight, and had 2-11 plerocercoid larvae in the abdominal cavity. Their digestive organs were slender and empty, and reproductive organs were not observed at all. The plerocercoid larvae occupied almost all spaces of the abdominal cavity under the air bladders. The proportion of larvae per fish was 14.6-32.1% of body weight. The larvae were ivory-white, 21.5-63.0 cm long, and 6.0-13.8 g in weight. We suggest that the preference for the river-edge in infected fish during winter is a modified behavioral response by host manipulation of the tapeworm larvae. The life cycle of this tapeworm seems to be successfully continued as the infected fish can be easily eaten by avian definitive hosts.
Abdominal Cavity ; Air Sacs ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Carps* ; Cause of Death ; Cestoda ; Korea ; Larva ; Life Cycle Stages ; Sparganum*

OBJECTIVETo explore the intervention of electro-acupuncture (EA) on cycloxygenase (COX) mRNA and protein expression induced by human recombination tumor necrosis factor-alpha (hrTNF).

METHODSAir sac model was established by implanted an autoclaved teflon chamber into back of rat (SPF grade). Ten days after modeling, 90 qualified rats, in them inflammation not detected, were randomly divided into three groups, the control group, the TNF model (model) group and the TNF +EA (TE) group, with 30 cases in each. To rats in the control group, 1 mL of saline was injected into the sac, but to those in the model and TE groups, 2 ng/mL hrTNF in a volume of 1 mL was used instead to induce local inflammatory responses. Immediately after then, EA (2 Hz, 5 mA and persistent waves) was applied to bilateral Quchi points (LI11) of rats in the TE group for 30 min. Fluid in the sac was drawn out at various time points (1, 5 and 24 h) after injection to measure the COX-2 mRNA expression by RT-PCR and COX-2 protein expression by Western blot.

RESULTSLevel of COX-2 mRNA expression in the control group was significantly different to that in the other two groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). COX-2 mRNA expression at the 24th hour and COX-2 protein expression at the 1st hour were significantly lower in the TE group than those in the model group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01) respectively.

CONCLUSIONEA could effectively intervene the mRNA and protein expression of COX-2 induced by hrTNF, which is possibly by way of pro-inflammatory cytokine regulating.

Air Sacs ; enzymology ; Animals ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; enzymology ; therapy ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Recombinant Proteins ; pharmacology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; pharmacology

Seasonal outbreaks of airsacculitis in China's poultry cause great economic losses annually. This study tried to unveil the potential role of Avian metapneumovirus (AMPV), Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT) and Chlamydia psittaci (CPS) in avian airsacculitis. A serological investigation of 673 breeder chickens and a case-controlled study of 430 birds were undertaken. Results showed that infection with AMPV, ORT, and CPS was highly associated with the disease. The correlation between AMPV and CPS were positively robust in both layers and broilers. Finally, we determined the co-infection with AMPV, ORT, and CPS was prevalent in the sampled poultry farms suffering from respiratory diseases and the outbreak of airsacculitis was closely related to simultaneous exposure to all three agents.
Air Sacs ; microbiology ; pathology ; Animals ; Antibodies, Bacterial ; blood ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Case-Control Studies ; Chickens ; Chlamydia ; Chlamydia Infections ; microbiology ; pathology ; veterinary ; Coinfection ; Flavobacteriaceae Infections ; microbiology ; pathology ; veterinary ; Humans ; Metapneumovirus ; Ornithobacterium ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; pathology ; veterinary ; virology ; Poultry Diseases ; microbiology ; pathology ; virology ; Respiratory Tract Diseases ; microbiology ; veterinary ; virology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies