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

Three freshwater snail species of the family Lymnaeidae have been reported from Korea, Radix auricularia coreana, Austropeplea ollula and Fossaria truncatula. Out of 3 lymnaeid snail species, A. ollula was naturally infected with the Echinostoma cinetorchis cercariae (infection rate = 0.7%). In the experiments with the laboratory-bred snails, F. truncatula as well as A. ollula was also susceptible to the E. cinetorchis miracidia with infection rates of 25% and 40%, respectively. All of three lymnaeid snail species exposed to the E. cinetorchis cercariae were infected with the E. cinetorchis metacercariae. It is evident that A. ollula acts as the first molluscan intermediate host of E. cinetorchis in Korea, and F. truncatula may be a possible candidate for the first intermediate host of this intestinal fluke. Also, three lymnaeid snail species targeted were experimentally infected with E. cinetorchis metacercariae.
Animals ; Echinostoma/pathogenicity/*physiology ; Echinostomiasis/parasitology ; Host-Parasite Relations ; Korea ; Lymnaea/*parasitology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Examination of the original descriptions of genera placed within the family Opisthorchiidae 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.
Animals ; Asia/epidemiology ; Host-Parasite Relations ; Human ; *Opisthorchidae/classification ; Prevalence ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Trematode Infections/epidemiology/parasitology/veterinary

Neutrophils are important effector cells against protozoan extracellular parasite Entamoeba histolytica, which causes amoebic colitis and liver abscess in human beings. Apoptotic cell death of neutrophils is an important event in the resolution of inflammation and parasite's survival in vivo. This study was undertaken to investigate the ultrastructural aspects of apoptotic cells during neutrophil death triggered by Entamoeba histolytica. Isolated human neutrophils from the peripheral blood were incubated with or without live trophozoites of E. histolytica and examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Neutrophils incubated with E. histolytica were observed to show apoptotic characteristics, such as compaction of the nuclear chromatin and swelling of the nuclear envelop. In contrast, neutrophils incubated in the absence of the amoeba had many protrusions of irregular cell surfaces and heterogenous nuclear chromatin. Therefore, it is suggested that Entamoeba-induced neutrophil apoptosis contribute to prevent unwanted tissue inflammation and damage in the amoeba-invaded lesions in vivo.
Animals ; Apoptosis/*physiology ; Entamoeba histolytica/*physiology ; Host-Parasite Relations/physiology ; Humans ; In Vitro ; Neutrophils/physiology/*ultrastructure ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

The pond smelt Hypomesus olidus and minnow Zacco platypus were collected from the Soyang and Daechung Lakes in January 2003, and their metacercarial infections was examined by the muscle compression and artificial digestion techniques. In the Soyang Lake, 161 metacercariae of Clonorchis sinensis (0.35 per fish) were harvested from 459 pond smelts examined. Also, 13 metacercariae of C. sinensis (0.43 per fish), 1 of Metagonimus sp., 4 of Echinostoma sp., 148 of Centrocestus armatus and 44 unidentified species were collected from 30 minnows. In the Daechung Lake, 369 metacercariae of C. sinensis (3.69 per fish) and 51 unidentified species were recovered from 100 pond smelts. The metacercariae of C. sinensis were fed to experimental rats, in which the adult flukes were identified. The pond smelts and minnows collected from the Soyang and Daechung Lakes were verified to be the second intermediate hosts and the sources of human C. sinensis infection.
Animals ; Clonorchiasis/parasitology/*veterinary ; Clonorchis sinensis/growth & development/*isolation & purification ; Cyprinidae/*parasitology ; Fish Diseases/parasitology ; Fresh Water ; Host-Parasite Relations ; Korea ; Osmeriformes/*parasitology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Eight dogs were experimentally infected with Sarcocystis by oral inoculation of cardiac muscle from naturally infected cattle. The infected dogs commenced discharging of sporocysts in the feces after 10 to 12 days of inoculation, and continued until 20 and 35 days after inoculation. Three dogs were reinfected with cardiac muscle from the naturally infected cattle. Sporocysts reappeared in the feces on 12 to 13 days after reinfection. Sarcocystis sporocysts collected from the experimentally infected dogs were fed to each of the two 30-day-old Korean native calves. The infected calves remained clinically normal, except for the high fever (> or = 40 degrees C) and decreased hematocrit values on day 30 to 40 post inoculation. Muscular cysts of Sarcocystis were found from infected calves on day 40 post inoculation. Proliferative forms of Sarcocystis were also observed in the muscle of infected calves. These results suggest that the Sarcocystis cruzi found in Korean native cattle has a 2-host life cycle with dogs as the definitive host and Korean native calves as the intermediate host.
Animals ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*parasitology ; Dog Diseases/*parasitology ; Dogs/*parasitology ; Host-Parasite Relations ; Korea ; *Life Cycle Stages ; Sarcocystis/*growth & development/isolation & purification ; Sarcocystosis/*parasitology/*veterinary

Although some reports have been published on the protective effect of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii surface membrane proteins, few address the inhibitory activity of antibodies to dense granular proteins (GRA proteins). Therefore, we performed a series of experiments to evaluate the inhibitory effects of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to GRA proteins (GRA2, 28 kDa; GRA6, 32 kDa) and surface membrane protein (SAG1, 30 kDa) on the invasion of T. gondii tachyzoites. Passive immunization of mice with one of three mAbs following challenge with a lethal dose of tachyzoites significantly increased survival compared with results for mice treated with control ascites. The survival times of mice challenged with tachyzoites pretreated with anti-GRA6 or anti-SAG1 mAb were significantly increased. Mice that received tachyzoites pretreated with both mAb and complement had longer survival times than those that received tachyzoites pretreated with mAb alone. Invasion of tachyzoites into fibroblasts and macrophages was significantly inhibited in the anti-GRA2, anti-GRA6 or anti-SAG1 mAb pretreated group. Pretreatment with mAb and complement inhibited invasion of tachyzoites in both fibroblasts and macrophages. These results suggest that specific antibodies to dense-granule molecules may be useful for controlling infection with T. gondii.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/*pharmacology/therapeutic use ; *Antigens, Protozoan ; Female ; Fibroblasts/parasitology ; Host-Parasite Relations ; Immunization, Passive ; Macrophages/parasitology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Protozoan Proteins/*immunology ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Toxoplasma/*pathogenicity ; Toxoplasmosis/parasitology/*therapy

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, which invades a wide range of hosts including humans. The exact mechanisms involved in its invasion are not fully understood. This study focused on the roles of Ca2+ in host cell invasion and in T. gondii replication. We examined the invasion and replication of T. gondii pretreated with several calcium modulators, the conoid extrusion of tachyzoites. Calmodulin localization in T. gondii were observed using the immunogold method, and Ca2+ levels in tachyzoites by confocal microscopy. In light microscopic observation, tachyzoites co-treated with A23187 and EGTA showed that host cell invasion and intracellular replication were decreased. The invasion of tachyzoites was slightly inhibited by the Ca2+ channel blockers, bepridil and verapamil, and by the calmodulin antagonist, calmidazolium. We observed that calcium saline containing A23187 induced the extrusion of tachyzoite conoid. By immunoelectron microscopy, gold particles bound to anti-calmodulin or anti-actin mAb, were found to be localized on the anterior portion of tachyzoites. Remarkably reduced intracellular Ca2+ was observed in tachyzoites treated with BAPTA/AM by confocal microscopy. These results suggest that host cell invasion and the intracellular replication of T. gondii tachyzoites are inhibited by the calcium ionophore, A23187, and by the extracellular calcium chelator, EGTA.
Animals ; Calcium/*physiology ; Calcium Channel Blockers/pharmacology ; Calmodulin/antagonists & inhibitors ; Chelating Agents/pharmacology ; Hela Cells ; Host-Parasite Relations ; Humans ; Ionophores/pharmacology ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Toxoplasma/drug effects/pathogenicity/*physiology

One of a rapid growing mycobacteria (RGM), Mycobacterium abscessus (MAB), is the most causative agents of RGM pulmonary disease. MAB can change their morphology that smooth (S) type to more virulent type of rough (R). Bacterial invasion into host cells is an important first step to initiate their infection. The phagocytic and invasion mechanisms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis through the host-parasite interaction have been researched. Although MAB causes a wide range of clinical diseases, little is known about their invasion ability or why the R type is more virulent than the S type. To compare invasion ability of R with S types, their infection abilities to dermal fibroblast, HaCaT cells, A549 cells and bone marrow derived macrophages were analyzed. After 2 h of infection, intracellular survival numbers of the R type were significantly higher in all infected cells than S types. The fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and confocal microscopy assay also revealed that red fluorescent amount and intracellular bacterial numbers in all of the cells infected with MAB R type expressing the red fluorescent protein (RFP) were significantly higher than the S type. Our data suggest that the virulence of MAB is proportionally related to the invasion ability into mammalian cells and macrophages.
Fibroblasts ; Flow Cytometry ; Host-Parasite Interactions ; Infection ; Lung Diseases ; Macrophages ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Mycobacterium* ; Virulence

Eosinophilic leukocytes function in host protection against parasitic worms. In turn, helminthic parasites harbor specific molecules to evade or paralyze eosinophil-associated host immune responses; these molecules facilitate the migration and survival of parasitic helminths in vivo. This competition between eosinophil and worm leads to stable equilibria between them. An understanding of such dynamic host-eosinophil interactions will help us to uncover mechanisms of cross talk between host and parasite in helminth infection. In this review, we examine recent findings regarding the innate immune responses of eosinophils to helminthic parasites, and discuss the implications of these findings in terms of eosinophil-mediated tissue inflammation in helminth infection.
Animals ; Eosinophils/*immunology/parasitology ; Helminthiasis/*immunology/*parasitology ; Helminths/*immunology ; Host-Parasite Interactions ; Humans