Hymenolepis nana and Hymenolepis diminuta are globally widespread zoonotic cestodes. Rodents are the main reservoir host of these cestodes. Brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) are the best known and most common rats, and usually live wherever humans live, especially in less than desirable hygiene conditions. Due to the little information of the 2 hymenolepidid species in brown rats in China, the aim of this study was to understand the prevalence and genetic characterization of H. nana and H. diminuta in brown rats in Heilongjiang Province, China. Total 114 fecal samples were collected from brown rats in Heilongjiang Province. All the samples were subjected to morphological examinations by microscopy and genetic analysis by PCR amplification of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) gene and the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene. In total, 6.1% (7/114) and 14.9% (17/114) of samples were positive for H. nana and H. diminuta, respectively. Among them, 7 and 3 H. nana isolates were successfully amplified and sequenced at the COX1 and ITS2 loci, respectively. No nucleotide variations were found among H. nana isolates at either of the 2 loci. Seventeen H. diminuta isolates produced 2 different COX1 sequences while 7 ITS2 sequences obtained were identical to each other. The present results of H. nana and H. diminuta infections in brown rats implied the risk of zoonotic transmission of hymenolepiasis in China. These molecular data will be helpful to deeply study intra-specific variations within Hymenolepis cestodes in the future.
Animals ; Cestoda ; China* ; Electron Transport Complex IV ; Genes, Mitochondrial ; Genes, rRNA ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Hymenolepiasis ; Hymenolepis diminuta ; Hymenolepis nana* ; Hymenolepis* ; Microscopy ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence* ; Rats* ; Rodentia

An investigation of the helminth parasites of house rat R. norvegicus Erxl. in Seoul has been carried on four years. A total of 325 rat was examined. Ten species of helminths were considered, of which 4 species were recored for the first time from Korea. The adult worm of Capillaria hepatica, the most common parasite of house rats in Seoul, was observed experimentally, and provided a more complete description of this worm.
parasitology ; epidemiology ; helminth ; trematoda ; nematoda ; cestoda ; Echinostoma hortense ; Fibricola seoulensis ; Taenia taeniaformis, Hymenolepis nana ; Hymenolepis diminuta ; Heterakis spumosa ; Syphacia obvelata ; Nippostrongylus muris ; Trichosomoides crassicauda ; Capillaria hepatica

There has been no report on human infection of Hymenolepis diminuta in Korea until the first 3 cases were reported by our members after the identification of those eggs in stool in 1964. However, the distinct differentiation between H. diminuta and H. nana would often be difficult by the shape of eggs without adult worm. In 1965, authors found the additional case revealed the eggs in stool and succeeded to obtain three adult worms of H. diminuta from 10 years old boy in Pusan. The characteristic morphology of egg and adult worm were discussed to compare to those of H. nana. Conclusively, the first human infection of H. diminuta in Korea was reported after the identification both the eggs and adults worms
parasitology-helminth-cestoda ; Hymenolepis diminuta ; case report

Total of 2,643 Korean soldiers were examined of their stool for parasitic infections by both cellophane thick smear and formalin-ether concentration techniques from August 1983 to December 1985. Out of them, 73.6% were free from any parasite, 22.6% were ova positive and 4.0% cyst positive. The ova positive rates by species were Ascaris lumbricoides 2.0%, Trichuris trichiura 13.0%, hookworm and Trichostrongylus orientalis 0.08% respectively, Clonorchis sinensis 7.6%, Metagonimus yokogawai 1.1%, Paragonimus westermani 0.08%, Echinostoma hortense 0.04%, Fibricola seoulensis 0.9%, Taenia sp. 0.3%, Hymenolepis nana 0.2% and H. diminuta 0.04%. Most of them (87.3%) were positive by a species, 11.9% by two and 0.8% by 3 species. The cyst positive rates were Entamoeba histolytica 0.6%, E. coli 1.4%, Endolimax nana 1.7%, Iodoameba butschlii 0.04% and Giardia lambla 0.9%. Among the cyst positives, 89.5% were positive by a species, 7.6% by two and 0.5% by 3 species. The intestinal parasite infections among the Korean soldiers decreased distinctly compared with previous data.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; trematoda ; cestoda ; protozoa ; epidemiology ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Trichuris trichiura ; Metagonimus yokogawai ; hookworm ; Ascaris lumbricoides ; Diphyllobothrium latum ; Hymenolepis nana ; Entamoeba histolytica ; Giardia lamblia ; Entamoeba coli ; Endolimax nana ; Trichostrongylus orientalis ; Paragonimus westermani ; Echinostoma hortense ; Fibricola seoulensis ; Taenia sp. ; Hymenolepis diminuta

Some small mammals occur as household pests and harbour a number of parasites that could be of public health importance. This study profiled the helminth and protozoan parasites in trapped small mammals within and around human dwelling places (houses) located across 4 major towns (Auchi, Benin, Ekpoma, and Uromi) and environs in Edo state, Nigeria. Six genera (Apodemus sp., Crocidura sp., Mastomys natalensis, Mus musculus, Rattus sp., and Sorex sp.) were identified from 502 trapped small mammals. Overall, M. musculus (71.9%) and Rattus rattus (20.1%) were the most frequently trapped. In total, on examination of blood, gastrointestinal contents, and brain tissues, 12 helminth taxa (Angiostrongylus sp., Aspicularis sp., Capillaria sp., Gongylonema sp., Heterakis spumosa, Hymenolepis diminuta, Hymenolepis nana, Mastophorus muris, Moniliformis moniliformis, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Strongyloides sp., Trichosomoides sp., and Trichuris sp.), and 6 protozoan parasites (Babesia sp., Trypanosoma lewisi, Plasmodium sp., Eimeria sp., Isospora sp., and Toxoplasma gondii) were isolated. Most prevalent helminths with relatively heavy mean intensity were Strongyloides sp. and Heterakis spumosa, while Plasmodium, Eimeria, and Isospora were the most prevalent protozoan parasites. Generally, intrinsic factors like sex and age had marginal influence on the rate and burden of infection in M. musculus and R. rattus. Although the infection rate and prevalence of zoonotic parasites were low, they were largely recovered in rodents from Ekpoma. This study elucidates the public health implication of the presence of zoonotic parasites in these small mammals.
Animals ; Benin ; Brain ; Capillaria ; Eimeria ; Family Characteristics ; Gastrointestinal Contents ; Helminths ; Humans ; Hymenolepis diminuta ; Hymenolepis nana ; Intrinsic Factor ; Isospora ; Mammals ; Mice ; Moniliformis ; Murinae ; Nigeria ; Nippostrongylus ; Parasites ; Plasmodium ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Rats ; Rodentia ; Spiruroidea ; Strongyloides ; Toxoplasma ; Trichuris ; Trypanosoma lewisi

A total of 60 patients with Hymenolepis nana infection were treated with a single oral dose of praziquantel in two different dose levels. Twenty-nine cases treated with praziquantel in a single dose of 15 mg/kg body weight produced a 100% cure rate. On the otehr hand, 30 out of 31 patients who received a single dose of 25 mg/kg body weight cured completely, but only one case had counts of 200 EPG of feces in each tests on the 20th and 21st days after treatment. The cure rate was 96.8% and the mean egg reduction rate of 99.8 per cent was obtained. Side effects were mild and transitory. In a few cases, abdominal pain, vertigo, headache and diarrhea were complained in a few hours after medication. Clinial hematology, serum biochemistry and urinalysis were performed immediately before and the next day after treatment in all cases. There were no significant abnormalities detected in these tests.
parasitology-helminth-cestoda ; Hymenolepis nana ; chemotherapy-praziquantel

Direct contact method of autoradiography was utilized in studying the distribution of exogenous C(14)-proline in Clonorchis sinensis, Eurytrema pancreaticum, Hymenolepis diminuta and Dipylidium caninum. The most distinct autoradiogram were obtained after 60 min of incubation, corresponding to the maximal absorption of C(14)-proline in these parasite. The radioactivitity of this labeled amino acid was chiefly concentrated in reproductive organs, especially egg-containing uterine tubules.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda-cestoda ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Eurytrema pancreaticum ; Hymenolepis diminuta ; Dipylidium caninum ; autoradiography ; C(14)-proline ; biochemistry ; amino acid

A comparison of the absorption and incorporation of C(14)-proline into protein by the 7 kinds of helminth parasites is presented. The radioactivity of free amino acid fraction is greater than that of protein fraction in all the worms, and only a small amount of exogenous labeled proline is incorporated into tissue protein. In general, the pattern of C(14)-proline uptake and its incorporation into protein shows rapid linear increase during the period of 15 to 30 min and reaches the maximum at 60 min after incubation, and then the equilibrium state was maintained throughout further incubation.
parasitology-trematoda-cestoda-helminth ; Fasciola hepatica ; Eurytrema pancreaticum ; Metastrongylus longatus ; Hymenolepis diminuta ; Diphyllobothrium caninum ; sparganum ; sparganosis ; metabolism ; biochemistry ; radioactivity ; amino acid ; C(14)-proline ; protein

Rodents are important reservoirs of diseases affecting people and livestock, and are major sources of parasite contamination of agricultural products. We surveyed the infection status of intestinal helminths in 2 species of field mice, Apodemus agrarius and A. peninsulae, captured in the agricultural fields of Gangwon-do and Chungcheongnam-do, Korea. Total 83 mice (57 A. agrarius and 26 A. peninsulae) were collected in 2 surveyed areas, and the intestines of each mouse were opened with scissors, and then intestinal contents were examined with microscope. Total 6 species of intestinal helminth were detected in 61 (73.5%) out of 83 mice examined. Four species of nematode, i.e., Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Aspiculuris tetraptera, Heterakis spp. and ascarid, were found in 40 (48.2%), 14 (16.9%), 11 (13.3%) and 13 (15.7%) mice respectively. One species of cestode, Hymenolepis diminuta and 1 unidentified egg were also detected in the intestines of 14 (16.9%) and 1 (1.2%) mice, respectively. Conclusively, this study identified 5 helminth species in the gastrointestinal tracts of wild rodents captured in some areas in central and northern Korea, and N. brasiliensis was the most prevalent (dominant) species rather than zoonotic ones.
Animals ; Cestoda ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Gangwon-do ; Gastrointestinal Contents ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Helminths ; Hymenolepis diminuta ; Intestines ; Korea ; Livestock ; Mice ; Murinae ; Nippostrongylus ; Ovum ; Parasites ; Rodentia

We encountered a patient with heavy Hymenolepis nana infection. The patient was a 44-year-old Korean man who had suffered from chronic hepatitis (type B) for 15 years. A large number of H. nana adult worms were found during colonoscopy that was performed as a part of routine health screening. The parasites were scattered throughout the colon, as well as in the terminal ileum, although the patient was immunocompetent. Based on this study, colonoscopy may be helpful for diagnosis of asymptomatic H. nana infections.
Adult ; Animals ; Colon/parasitology ; Colonoscopy ; Foodborne Diseases/*diagnosis/parasitology ; Humans ; Hymenolepiasis/*diagnosis ; Hymenolepis nana/*isolation & purification ; Ileum/parasitology ; Male