Quantitative fecal egg counts represented as the number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG) are generally a reliable parameter to estimate the worm burden of intestinal and hepatic parasitoses. Although Haplorchis taichui (Digenea: Heterophyidae) is one of the most common minute human intestinal flukes, little is known about the relationship between EPG and the actual worm burden in patients or the severity of the disease. In the present study, fecal samples were collected from 25 villagers in northern Thailand before and after praziquantel treatment. The EPG values of each participant were determined by the modified cellophane thick smear method, and adult worms were collected from the whole stool after the treatment. Eggs per day per worm (EPDPW) of H. taichui were estimated 82 from egg counts and expelled worms. The EPG was not well correlated with the worm burden, and a reverse correlation was observed between the EPDPW and the worm burden.
Animals ; Feces/parasitology ; Heterophyidae/isolation & purification/*physiology ; Humans ; Parasite Egg Count ; Trematode Infections/*parasitology

We present a human infection with the canine whipworm, Trichuris vulpis, in a child suffering from rhinitis with a diagnosis of rhinitis. T. vulpis eggs resemble those of T. trichiura but they can be differentiated based on their morphological features and egg size, using micrometry with an ocular micrometer. T. vulpis eggs measured an average of 90 microm by 44 microm (range 86-99 microm by 38-47 microm). Prevalence of hookworms (28.1%), Toxocara canis (11.8%), and Trichuris vulpis (3.5%) was found in 292 fecal samples of dogs collected at the peri-domicile, which showed that the risk of infection was not only fortuitous. The treatment of canine whipworm infections is similar to that of T. trichiura infection. We recommend differentiation of the 2 species for their epidemiological and prevention implications.
Animals ; Child ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; Humans ; Trichuriasis/diagnosis/*parasitology ; Trichuris/*isolation & purification/physiology

In order to examine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in wild rodents and insectivores of South Korea and to assess their potential role as a source of human cryptosporidiosis, a total of 199 wild rodents and insectivore specimens were collected from 10 regions of South Korea and screened for Cryptosporidium infection over a period of 2 years (2012-2013). A nested-PCR amplification of Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein (COWP) gene fragment revealed an overall prevalence of 34.2% (68/199). The sequence analysis of 18S rRNA gene locus of Cryptosporidium was performed from the fecal and cecum samples that tested positive by COWP amplification PCR. As a result, we identified 4 species/genotypes; chipmunk genotype I, cervine genotype I, C. muris, and a new genotype which is closely related to the bear genotype. The new genotype isolated from 12 Apodemus agrarius and 2 Apodemus chejuensis was not previously identified as known species or genotype, and therefore, it is supposed to be a novel genotype. In addition, the host spectrum of Cryptosporidium was extended to A. agrarius and Crosidura lasiura, which had not been reported before. In this study, we found that the Korean wild rodents and insectivores were infected with various Cryptosporidium spp. with large intra-genotypic variationa, indicating that they may function as potential reservoirs transmitting zoonotic Cryptosporidium to livestock and humans.
Animals ; Animals, Wild/*parasitology ; Cryptosporidiosis/*parasitology ; Cryptosporidium/classification/*genetics/*isolation & purification ; Feces/parasitology ; Genotype ; Insectivora/*parasitology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Murinae ; Phylogeny ; Republic of Korea ; Rodent Diseases/*parasitology

This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of Toxocara canis in local districts in North West Bank of Palestine. Fecal samples from 132 dogs were collected in Nablus, Tulkarm, and Jenin cities from September 2008 to April 2009 and examined for T. canis eggs with the floating technique. The overall infection rate of toxocariasis in dogs was 36.4%. The dogs less than 6 months old showed higher infection rates than those older than 12 months (P=0.04). Vigorous interventions are necessary, such as routine coprological examinations of dogs and prescription of anthelmintics to infected dogs.
Age Distribution ; Animals ; Dog Diseases/*parasitology ; Dogs ; Feces/parasitology ; Middle East/epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Toxocara canis/*isolation & purification ; Toxocariasis/*parasitology

Blastocystis is a common unicellular intestinal protozoa in humans and animals, and the most common clinical manifestations of infections include abdominal pain and diarrhea. Based on the sequence of the small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene, 28 subtypes of B. hominis (ST1 to ST17, ST21 and ST23 to ST32) have been characterized. Previous studies have demonstrated that B. hominis infection is strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other intestinal diseases, which threatens the health and quality of life among patients with B. hominis infection and is considered as an important public health problem. This review summarizes the progress of researches on B. hominis infection among IBD and IBS patients during the past 20 years, so as to provide insights into management of blastocystosis in China.
Animals ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome/parasitology* ; Blastocystis Infections/complications* ; Quality of Life ; Blastocystis hominis/genetics* ; Feces/parasitology* ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/parasitology*

We compared the efficacy and applicability of a modified formalin-ether concentration technique (M-FECT) to the conventional FECT (C-FECT) and the agar plate culture (APC) method for the detection of Strongyloides stercoralis larvae. For this purpose, we used 600 human fecal specimens collected in an endemic area of southern Thailand. In the M-FECT, we used 2 layers of wire meshes, instead of gauze, to avoid the loss by absorption/adhesion of larvae to the gauze during filtration, and we reduced the exposure time of S. stercoralis larvae in stool samples to formalin. By such simple modifications, the efficacy of M-FECT has become comparable to APC and was much better than that of C-FECT for the diagnosis of strongyloidiasis.
Animals ; Ether ; Feces/parasitology ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Parasitology/*methods ; Specimen Handling/*methods ; Strongyloides stercoralis/*isolation & purification ; Strongyloidiasis/*diagnosis ; Thailand

A total of 1,496 rodents and insectivores were live-trapped at Yeoncheon-gun (n = 351), Paju-shi (804), and Pocheon-gun (343), Gyeonggi-do (Province), and examined for intestinal helminths, including Neodiplostomum seoulense, seasonally from December 2004 to September 2005. Six species of rodents, including Apodemus agrarius (1,366), Mus musculus (32), Micronytus fortis (28), Eothenomys regulus (9), Micronys minutus (6), and Cricetulus triton (3), and 1 species of insectivores Crocidura lasiura (54) were collected. A total of 321 adult N. seoulense were collected from 19 (1.4%) A. agrarius. The worm burden ranged from 1 to 101 per A. agrarius (mean; 16.9). No N. seoulense was observed in other rodent or insectivore species examined. The infection rate during autumn (4.5%) was higher than those during spring (0.8%), summer (0.8%), and winter (0.5%). The average number of N. seoulense in infected A. agrarius was the highest in spring (66.0 specimens), followed by autumn (15.2), winter (4.5), and summer (3.3). This study first confirms that A. agrarius is a natural definitive host for N. seoulense, and demonstrates that the infection rates and intensities vary seasonally and geographically.
Animals ; Arvicolinae/parasitology ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus/parasitology ; Feces/parasitology ; Geography ; Insectivora/parasitology ; Intestine, Small/parasitology ; Korea/epidemiology ; Mice ; Murinae/*parasitology ; Rodent Diseases/*epidemiology ; Seasons ; Trematoda/*isolation & purification ; Trematode Infections/epidemiology/*veterinary

OBJECTIVECryptosporidium spp. are prevalent globally and sheep are an important zoonotic reservoir. Little data regarding the rates of Cryptosporidium infections in ovines in China are available. This study assessed the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in pre-weaned ovines from Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in the Sichuan province of China.

METHODSA total of 213 fecal samples were collected from pre-weaned ovines and were examined microscopically (following modified acid fast staining). In addition, 18S rRNA genetic sequences were amplified from fecal samples by nested PCR and phylogenetically analyzed.

RESULTSThe prevalence of Cryptosporidium in the collected samples was at 14.6% (31/213) and four isolates identified by PCR belonged to the Cryptosporidium cervine genotype (Cryptosporidium ubiquitum) demonstrating that this species was the primary sheep species found in sheep in China.

CONCLUSIONThe present study suggested that the high incidence of Cryptosporidium in sheep poses a significant public health threat and that surveillance practices must be established to prevent zoonotic disease of humans.

Animals ; China ; Cryptosporidium ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Feces ; parasitology ; Oocysts ; microbiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sheep ; Weaning

Studies on Gymnophalloides seoi (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) and human infections are briefly reviewed. This minute intestinal fluke was first discovered from a Korean woman suffering from acute pancreatitis and gastrointestinal troubles. It was described as a new species by Lee, Chai and Hong in 1993. The southwestern coastal village where the patient resided was found to be a highly endemic area, and additional endemic areas have been identified. The parasite is very small, 0.33-0.50 mm long and 0.23-0.33 mm wide, and characterized by the presence of a ventral pit. The first intermediate host remains unknown, but the second intermediate host has been found to be the oyster Crassostrea gigas. Man and the Palearctic oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus have been shown to be natural definitive hosts, and wading birds including the Kentish plover Charadrius alexandrinus are highly susceptible to experimental infection. Gerbils, hamsters, cats, and several strains of mice were also susceptible laboratory hosts. In experimentally infected mice, the parasites inhabit the small intestine, pinching and sucking the root of villi with their large oral suckers, but they did not invade beyond the mucosa in immunocompetent mice. However, they were found to invade the submucosa in immunosuppressed mice. Human G. seoi infections have been found in at least 25 localities; 23 islands on the Yellow Sea or the South Sea, and 2 western coastal villages. The highest prevalence was found in a village on Aphaedo, Shinan-gun (49% egg positive rate); other areas showed 0.8-25.3% prevalence. Infected people complained of variable degrees of gastrointestinal troubles and indigestion. The infection can be diagnosed by recovery of eggs in the feces; however, an expert is needed to identify the eggs. Praziquantel, 10 mg/kg in single dose, is effective for treatment of human infections. Eating raw oysters in endemic areas should be avoided.
Animals ; Feces/parasitology ; Host-Parasite Relations ; Human ; Immunocompromised Host ; Intestine, Small/parasitology ; Korea/epidemiology ; Life Cycle Stages ; Parasite Egg Count ; Prevalence ; *Trematoda/classification/ultrastructure ; *Trematode Infections/epidemiology/parasitology

The present study was performed to investigate the infection status of intestinal parasites in pigs and beef cattle in rural areas of Chungcheongnam-do, Korea. From November 2009 to April 2010, a total of 241 fecal samples of pigs and beef cattle (136 and 105, respectively) were examined by direct smear and centrifugal sedimentation methods. The overall positive rates of intestinal parasites among pigs and beef cattle were 73.5% and 4.8%, respectively, and the double-infection rate was 10.3% in pigs. Of 136 specimens from pigs, Balantidium coli, Ascaris suum, and Entamoeba spp. infections were found in 88 (64.7%), 24 (17.6%), and 5 cases (3.7%), respectively. Of 105 beef cattle, Entamoeba spp. infections were detected in 5 cases (4.8%). From these results, it is shown that pigs raised on rural farms in Chungcheongnam-do had a high B. coli infection rate and a moderate A. suum infection rate. These results demonstrate that environmentally resistant cysts or eggs could be widespread on the farms examined, and thus an effective hygienic management system is needed to prevent them from serving as the source of infection for human beings.
Animals ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Feces/parasitology ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/epidemiology/*veterinary ; Korea/epidemiology ; Parasitic Diseases, Animal/*epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Rural Population ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*epidemiology/parasitology