The giant roundworm Ascaris infects pigs and people worldwide and causes serious diseases. The taxonomic relationship between Ascaris suum and Ascaris lumbricoides is still unclear. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of 258 Ascaris specimens from humans and pigs from 6 sympatric regions in Ascaris-endemic regions of China using existing simple sequence repeat data. The microsatellite markers showed a high level of allelic richness and genetic diversity in the samples. Each of the populations demonstrated excess homozygosity (Ho < He, Fis > 0). According to a genetic differentiation index (Fst=0.0593), there was a high-level of gene flow in the Ascaris populations. A hierarchical analysis on molecular variance revealed remarkably high levels of variation within the populations. Moreover, a population structure analysis indicated that Ascaris populations fell into 3 main genetic clusters, interpreted as A. suum, A. lumbricoides, and a hybrid of the species. We speculated that humans can be infected with A. lumbricoides, A. suum, and the hybrid, but pigs were mainly infected with A. suum. This study provided new information on the genetic diversity and population structure of Ascaris from human and pigs in China, which can be used for designing Ascaris control strategies. It can also be beneficial to understand the introgression of host affiliation.
Ascaris lumbricoides ; Ascaris suum ; Ascaris ; China ; Gene Flow ; Genetic Structures ; Genetic Variation ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Swine

A weanling Thoroughbred foal was admitted to Equine Hospital, Korea Racing Association with signs of colic. On admission the foal was sweating profusely, appeared anxious and exhibiting signs suggestive of abdominal pain. Clinical examination revealed: tachycardia (90 beats/min), tachypnea (50 breaths/min) and congested and slightly cyanotic mucous membranes. No intestinal sounds were auscultated in all 4 abdominal quadrants. Rectal palpation identified concurrent cecum and large colon impactions. Treatment consisted of intravenous administration of a balanced electrolyte solution, nasogastric siphonage and administration of analgesics. Nasogastric reflux contained ascarids. This treatment failed to alleviate the signs of colic. The foal died 3 hours later following discharge because the owner didn't want laparatomy because of economic constraints. Prior to admission this foal had not received any prophylactic anthelmintic treatment. In necropsy, there were masses of ascarids accumulation in the stomach, small intestine and large intestine. The outcome of this report is to describe the first diagnosed case of gastrointestinal impaction by P. equorum in a Thoroughbred foal in South Korea and indicates the importance of regular anthelmintic treatment.
Animals ; Ascaridida Infections/diagnosis/parasitology/*veterinary ; Ascaridoidea/*isolation&purification ; Fatal Outcome ; Fecal Impaction/diagnosis/parasitology/*veterinary ; Horse Diseases/diagnosis/*parasitology ; Horses ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/diagnosis/parasitology/*veterinary ; Korea

Pseudoterranova decipiens larva is a rare cause of anisakiasis. Indeed, prior to the present study, there had been only 12 reports of larval P. decipiens infection in the Republic of Korea. In June 2011, an anisakid larva, 32.1 mm in length and 0.88 mm in width, and finally identified as the third stage larva of P. decipiens owing to the presence of an intestinal cecum but lacking ventricular appendage, was discovered in a 61-year-old woman during the course of endoscopy executed as a part of routine physical examinations. The patient had eaten raw a rockfish 13 hr prior to the endoscopy, but showed no symptoms of anisakiasis. This paper is the 13th report of P. decipiens infection in Korea.
Animals ; Ascaridida Infections/*diagnosis/parasitology/*pathology ; Ascaridoidea/*isolation & purification ; Asymptomatic Diseases ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Female ; Foodborne Diseases/diagnosis/parasitology/pathology ; Humans ; Larva ; Middle Aged ; Republic of Korea

The histochemical study, especially the demonstration of alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase was carried out in order to differentiate ascarides of human and pigs. The experimental material were obtained from naturally contaminated men and pigs. As the histochemical staining methods the Gomori's was applied for acid phosphatase and Takeuchi and Takami's for alkaline phosphatase. The results obtained were summerized as follows : In the pig's ascarides, alkaline phosphatase was richly found in the subcuticular tissue, lateral line, median line, strial zone and epithelial cells of the intestine, epithelial cell and basal membrane of the ovary, the same part of the uterus and also in eggs. Acid phosphatase in the pig's ascarides were distributed in the same part as alkaline phosphatase. It, however, was darker brown in the soft tissue of the lateral line, epithelium of excretory canal, median bundle, whole zone of the intestine and intestinal contents. In the human ascarides, the alkaline phosphatase was distributed in the testes and the parts where the acid phosphatase was found in the pig ascarides. The acid phosphatase in the human ascarides was demonstrated in the subcuticular tissue, soft tissue of lateral line, epithelium of excretory cells, strial zone, transparent zone, granular zone and epithelial zone of esophagus and intestine, ovary, ova in the uterus, epithelial cell and basal membrane of the uterus and in testes. In the pig's ascarides, the area of distribution of alkaline phosphatase was restricted, but that of acid phosphatase was wider. In human ascarides, the area of distribution of alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase was not significantly different, but in some part showed slight difference. Above mentioned finding suggest that the distribution of phosphatase could be utilized for the differentiation of ascarides of human and pig.
parasitology-helminth-nematode-Ascaris lumbricoides ; Ascaris suum ; histochemistry ; differentiation ; alkaline phosphatase ; acid phosphatase ; animal ; human ; pig

The intradermal studies with the fraction of Ascaris lumbricoides and Toxocara canis were performed to human and dog, and the following results were observed. Wheal and erythema were appeared in the cases of ascaris infection or who had past history, but not in the ascaris free before. The size of wheal reached to peak 30 minutes after the injection. The crude antigen had specificity and showed no cross reaction. The crude antigen cause the strongest and largest reaction than the other substances; protein, polysaccharide and the mixed antigen. No cutaneous reaction was observed with the fraction of polysaccharides. The size of wheal did not parallel with the worm burden. The skin reaction was appeared four weeks after the infection.
parasitology-nematode-Ascaris lumbricoides ; Toxocara canis ; immunology-crude antigen-skin test ; dog ; protein ; polysaccharide ; antigen

No abstract available.
Ascaris suum* ; Ascaris* ; Haplorhini* ; Histamine* ; Rhinitis*

We attempted to identify parasite DNA in the biliary stones of humans via PCR and DNA sequencing. Genomic DNA was isolated from each of 15 common bile duct (CBD) stones and 5 gallbladder (GB) stones. The patients who had the CBD stones suffered from cholangitis, and the patients with GB stones showed acute cholecystitis, respectively. The 28S and 18S rDNA genes were amplified successfully from 3 and/or 1 common bile duct stone samples, and then cloned and sequenced. The 28S and 18S rDNA sequences were highly conserved among isolates. Identity of the obtained 28S D1 rDNA with that of Clonorchis sinensis was higher than 97.6%, and identity of the 18S rDNA with that of other Ascarididae was 97.9%. Almost no intra-specific variations were detected in the 28S and 18S rDNA with the exception of a few nucleotide variations, i.e., substitution and deletion. These findings suggest that C. sinensis and Ascaris lumbricoides may be related with the biliary stone formation and development.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Animals ; Ascaridida/genetics/isolation & purification ; Ascaris lumbricoides/genetics/isolation & purification ; Base Sequence ; Clonorchis sinensis/genetics/isolation & purification ; Common Bile Duct/*parasitology ; DNA, Helminth/*genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal/genetics ; Face/parasitology ; Female ; Gallbladder/parasitology ; Gallstones/*parasitology ; Helminths/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics ; RNA, Ribosomal, 28S/genetics ; Sequence Alignment

The comparative efficacy of 2 anthelmintics (ivermectin and levamisole) against Baylisascaris transfuga migrating and encapsulated larvae was studied in mice. A total of 60 BALB/c mice inoculated each with about 1,000 embryonated B. transfuga eggs were equally divided into 6 groups (A-F) randomly. Mice of groups A and B were treated with ivermectin and levamisole, respectively, on day 3 post-infection (PI). Mice of groups A-C were killed on day 13 PI. Similarly, groups D and E were treated with ivermectin and levamisole, respectively, on day 14 PI, and all mice of groups D-F were treated on day 24 PI. The groups C and F were controls. Microexamination was conducted to count the larvae recovering from each mouse. The percentages of reduction in the number of migrating larvae recovered from group A (ivermectin) and B (levamisole) were 88.3% and 81.1%, respectively. In addition, the reduction in encapsulated larvae counts achieved by ivermectin (group D) and levamisole (group E) was 75.0% and 49.2%, respectively. The results suggested that, to a certain extent, both anthelmintics appeared to be more effective against migrating larvae than encapsulated larvae. However, in the incipient stage of infection, ivermectin may be more competent than levamisole as a larvicidal drug for B. transfuga.
Animals ; Anthelmintics/*administration & dosage ; Ascaridida Infections/*drug therapy/parasitology ; Ascaridoidea/*drug effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Ivermectin/*administration & dosage ; Larva/drug effects ; Levamisole/*administration & dosage ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Rodent Diseases/drug therapy/parasitology ; Treatment Outcome

Helminthic zoonoses are of significant importance to the public health and to the socioeconomic consequences especially in lost-meat, animal products and animal labor. For past several decades in Korea, it has been recognized that endoparasitic infections among domestic animals are extremely common and many of the helminth parasites of man have been acquired from, or are shared with domestic animals. However, there was no survey of a nationwide scale on the prevalence of animal helminthiasis; and control measures are also not satisfactory. Furthermore, because of the remarkable increase in the demand, number of domestic animals and pets is rapidly increasing in these days. Therefore, an extensive study on zoonotic helminths was carried out from July 1980 throughout August 1981 to understand the present status and parasite-host relationship from the epidemiological viewpoont. A total of 13,685 fecal specimens of cattles, sheeps, pigs, dogs and cats was collected from 26 localities in the country. The specimens were examined by formalin-ether centrifugal sedimentation technique. The results are summarized as follows: Of 13,685 specimens examined, 9,808(71.7 percent) were positive for helminth parasites. The positive rates were 99.0 percent in cattles, 86.5 percent on sheeps, 85.4 percent in pigs, 35.4 percent in dogs, 15.1 percent in cats. Single infection showed the highest rate (60.0 percent), and double infection(27.5 percent), triple(8.1 percent), quadruple(2.8 percent), quintuple(1.5 percent) and hexad(0.1 percent) were in decreasing order. In the present study, 18 species zoonotic helminths were found: 11 nematodes, 6 trematodes and 1 cestode. According to province, Cheju revealed the highest rate 84.8 percent, then Kyungnam 77.5 percent, Jeonnam 75.6 percent, Jeonpuk 75.4 percent, Kyonggi 75.2 percent, Chungnam 71.7 percent, Chungpuk 70.6 percent and Kangwon 64.2 percent were in decreasing order and Busan and Seoul showed 70.4 percent and 58.1 percent, respectively. Rural area showed slightly higher rate (74.7 percent) than urban area (68.5 percent), and rates of mountainous area (70.4 percent) and plain area (71.1 percent) are very similar. According to animal, helminths species and positive rates appeared in: Cattles: 6 nematodes and 3 trematodes; Strongyles 26.4 percent, Neoascaris vitulorum 24.1 percent, Trichuris ovis 12.0 percent, Nematodirus sp. 6.3 percent, Srongyloides papillosus 5.1 percent, Capillaria bovis 0.02 percent, Paramphistomum sp. 41.5 percent, Fasciola hepatica 33.2 percent and Eurytrema pancreaticum 29.7 percent. Sheeps: 3 nematodes and 2 trematodes: Strongyles 33.0 percent, S. papillosus 26.9 percent, Nematodirus sp. 14.6 percent, F. hepatica 31.7 percent and E. pancreaticum 19.6 percent. Pigs: 5 nematodes and 2 trematodes: Strongyles 43.1 percent, Ascaris suum 29.0 percent, Metastrongylus apri 20.3 percent, Trichuris suis 14.0 percent, Strongyloides ransomi 12.1 percent, Clonorchis sinensis 1.4 percent and Paragonimus westermani 0.9 percent, Dogs: 4 nematodes and 3 trematodes and 1 cestode: Toxocara canis 14.4 percent, Trichuris vulpis 9.5 percent, Ancylostoma caninum 8.0 percent, Toxascaris leonina 4.0 percent, C. sinensis 2.4 percent, Metagonimus yokogawai 1.3 percent, P. westermani 0.8 percent and Spirometra sp. 0.9 percent, Cats: 2 nematodes, and 3 trematodes and 1 cestode: Toxocara cati 7.7 percent, Ancylostoma tubaeforme 3.1 percent, C. sinensis 1.9 percent, P. westermani 1.4 percent, M. yokogawai 1.2 percent and Spirometra sp. 0.7 percent.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda-trematoda-cestoda ; cattle ; sheep ; pig ; dog ; cat ; epidemiology ; zoonosis ; Fasciola hepatica ; Eurytrema pancreaticum ; Paramphsitomum sp. ; Neoascaris vitulorum ; Trichuris ovis ; Strongyloides papillosus ; Nematodirus sp. ; Capillaria bovis ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Paragonimus westermani ; Ascaris suum ; Trichuris suis ; Strongyloides ransomi ; Metastrongylus apri ; Spirometra sp. ; Metagonimus yokogawai ; Toxocara canis ; Toxocara leonina ; Ancylostoma caninum ; Trichuris vulpis ; Ancylostoma tubaeforme ; Strongyles

Mice were infected by feeding the embryonated eggs of Toxocara canis and Ascaris lumbricoides. Each mouse was killed daily for a week and then at several days interval after infection and the distribution of larvae in the various tissues of mice was investigated after the macerating the tissues and digesting with artificial gastric juice. It was confirmed that the migratory behaviour of larvae of T. canis and A. lumbricoides is referred to as the somatic and tracheal type of migration in the mice respectively. Toxocara larvae were found in the carcass on the third day after infection and in the brain after the sixth day of infection. From the thirty-fifth day to the seventy-sixth day after infection, Toxocara larvae were not found in the tissues of mice except in the carcass and brain and they did not develop further than the second-stage larvae. The size of Ascaris larvae, from the embryonated eggs was 0.228-0.271 mm length by 0.010-0.013 mm width and in the third day of infection the size of larvae was 0.271-0.343 mm length by 0.017-0.020 mm width. Between the fifth and tenth day after infection, lavrae molted twice in the lungs and grew to the fouth-stage larvae; 1.357-2.0 mm by 0.034-0.071 mm. These larvae migrated to the intestinal canal after the tenth day of infection and disappeared from the mouse after the twenty-fifth day of infection. No larvae were found in the carcass and brain. The inflammatory reactions in the tissues of infected mice were also observed.
: parasitology-helminth-nematode-Toxocara cani ; Ascaris lumbricoides ; mouse ; migration ; animal