A new species of Acanthamoeba was isolated from a freshwater fish in Korea and tentatively named Acanthamoeba sp. YM-4 (Korean isolate YM-4). The trophozoites were 11.0-23.0 micrometer in length and had hyaline filamentous projections. Cysts were similar to those of A. culbertsoni and A. royreba, which were previously designated as Acanthamoeba group III. Acanthamoeba YM-4 can survive at 40 degrees C, and its generation time was 19.6 hr, which was longer than that of A. culbertsoni. In terms of the in vitro cytotoxicity of lysates, Acanthamoeba YM-4 was weaker than A. culbertsoni, but stronger than A. polyphaga. On the basis of the mortality of experimentally infected mice, Acanthamoeba YM-4 was found to be highly virulent. The isoenzymes profile of Acanthamoeba YM-4 was similar to that of A. royreba. An anti-Acanthamoeba YM-4 monoclonal antibody, McAY7, was found to react only with Acanthamoeba YM-4, and not with A. culbertsoni. Random amplified polymorphic DNA marker analysis and RFLP analysis of mitochondrial DNA and of 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA, placed Acanthamoeba YM-4 in a separate cluster on the basis of phylogenetic distances. Thus the Acanthamoeba Korean isolate YM-4 was identified as a new species, and assigned as Acanthamoeba sohi.
Acanthamoeba/*classification/genetics/isolation & purification/*pathogenicity ; Amebiasis/parasitology/*veterinary ; Animals ; DNA, Mitochondrial/analysis ; DNA, Protozoan/analysis ; Fish Diseases/*parasitology ; Gills/parasitology ; Goldfish/*parasitology ; Korea ; Mice ; Phylogeny ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics ; Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique ; Virulence

Acanthamoeba and Naegleria are widely distributed in fresh water, soil and dust throughout the world, and cause meningoencephalitis or keratoconjunctivitis in humans and other mammals. Korean isolates, namely, Naegleria sp. YM-1 and Acanthamoeba sp. YM-2, YM-3, YM-4, YM-5, YM-6 and YM-7, were collected from sewage, water puddles, a storage reservoir, the gills of a fresh water fish, and by corneal washing. These isolates were categorized into three groups based on the mortalities of infected mice namely, highly virulent (YM-4), moderately virulent (YM-2, YM-5 and YM-7) and nonpathogenic (YM-3). In addition, a new species of Acanthamoeba was isolated from a freshwater fish in Korea and tentatively named Korean isolate YM-4. The morphologic characters of its cysts were similar to those of A. culbertsoni and A. royreba, which were previously designated as Acanthamoeba group III. Based on experimentally infected mouse mortality, Acanthamoeba YM-4 was highly virulent. The isoenzymes profile of Acanthamoeba YM-4 was similar to that of A. royreba. Moreover, an anti-Acanthamoeba YM-4 monoclonal antibody reacted only with Acanthamoeba YM-4, and not with A. culbertsoni. Random amplified polymorphic DNA marker analysis and RFLP analysis of mitochondrial DNA and of a 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA, placed Acanthamoeba YM-4 in a separate cluster based on phylogenic distances. Thus Acanthamoeba YM-4 was identified as a new species, and assigned Acanthamoeba sohi. Up to the year 2002 in Korea, two clinical cases were found to be infected with Acanthamoeba spp. These patients died of meningoencephalitis. In addition, one case of Acanthamoeba pneumonia with an immunodeficient status was reported and Acanthamoeba was detected in several cases of chronic relapsing corneal ulcer, chronic conjunctivitis, and keratitis.
*Acanthamoeba/classification/genetics/immunology/pathogenicity ; Amebiasis/diagnosis/epidemiology/*parasitology/therapy ; Animals ; Antigens, Protozoan/analysis/genetics/immunology ; DNA, Mitochondrial/analysis ; DNA, Protozoan/analysis ; Korea/epidemiology ; Life Cycle Stages ; *Naegleria/classification/genetics/immunology/pathogenicity ; Phylogeny ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique/veterinary ; Virulence/genetics

Rabbits were immunized with free-living amoebas by intravenous injections. The amoebas were Acanthamoeba culbertsoni and Naegleria fowleri and obtained by axenic cultivation in CGVS medium. Each rabbit received 10(6) of Acanthamoeba culbertsoni and 10(5) of Naegleria fowleri trophozoites respectively every other day in three doses and finally one booster dose at 1 week later. Antiserum was collected from thc following day of the booster injection up to 2 months period, and stored at -30 degree C until use. The immobilization test was performed. One drop of amoeba suspension was mixed with the test serum on slide and observed the mobile state under microscope. Maximal immobilizing phenomenon observed in 30 minutes and, then gradually recovered to normal state. Inactivation of antiserum at 56 degree C for 30 minutes did not affect the immobilization phenomenon. The immobilization rates decreased by the serial dilution of antiserum. At dilution more than 1:8, the immobilization was almost the same as in the normal serum. The immobilizing antibody in anti-Acanthamoeba culbertsoni rabbit serum showed highest titre in 3rd day after booster immunization and from first to 6th week in anti-Naegleria fowleri rabbit serum. Cross matching of Acanthamoeba culbertsoni and Naegleria fowleri showed antigenic difference of the two species. It is suggested that the immobilization reaction may be of value as a supplementary test in the diagnosis of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.
parasitology-protozoa ; free-living amoeba ; Naegleria fowleri ; Acanthamoeba culbertsoni ; rabbit ; immunology

A 25 years old sergeant of Dicrocoeliidae infection was studied. This patient was not a spurious infection case and diagnosis was based on rocovery of the characteristic eggs consistently in the feces for 2 month. This case had no history of ingestion of ingestion of ants, land snail of grasshopper. In this case with complaints of flatulence, nausea, loss of appetite and dizziness, physical examination reveald no pathological findings except pale cornea. Liver function tests were observed to be normal and there was slight eosinophilia.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda- Dicrocoeliidae ; case report

A survey of intestinal parasites was performed during the period from April 1970 to December 1971 in ROKA (Republic of Korea Army) soldiers. Samples were collected from 591 Army troops(enlisted men), 1,755 recruits at completion of 6 weeks basic training, 304 recruits during basic training and 245 stool specimens of students of ROKA Nursing School at Taegu area. Each of the specimens was examined one time or twice under the microscope, one for protozoan cysts stained with iodine solution and the other for helminth eggs. Findings were summerized as follows: A positive rate of intestinal parasites was 88.0 percent by Formalin-Ether concentration method and 89.2 percent by Kato's method. Of the 541 soldiers examined by Formalin-Ether concentration method, the infection rate of A. lumbricoides was 28.1 percent, T. trichiurus 79.3 percent, hookworm 14.2 percent, T. orientalis 30.7 percent, C. sinensis 7.8 percent and M. yokogawai 0.6 percent. Of the 1,532 soldiers examined by Kato's method A. lumbricoides showed positive rate of 45.8 percent, T. trichiurus 78.3 percent, T. orientalis 1 4.5 percent, hookworm 7.5 percent, C. sinensis 6.6 percent and Taenia sp. 0.6 percent. The incidence of E. vermicularis out of 822 samples was 19.8 percent from the anal swabs. E. histolytica was recovered in 4.2 percent among 541 samples, E. coli 6.1 percent and also infected G. lamblia, E. nana, I. butschlii and Chilomastix mesnili. Most of the infected cases revealed single or double infections.
parasitoloyg-helminth-nematoda-trematoda-cestoda-protozoa ; Ascaris lumbricoides ; Trichocephalus trichiurus ; hookworm ; Trichostrongylus orientalis ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Metagonimus yokogawai ; Taenia sp. ; Enterobius vermicularis ; Entamoeba coli ; Entamoeba histolytica ; Giardia lamblia ; Endolimax nana ; Iodamoeba butschlii ; Chilomastix mesnili ; epidemiology

The present report deals with the behaviour of mast cells in mice in the course of Entamoeba histolytica infection by the strains. Mice weighing about l6 gm were used for three experimental groups; control, sham infection and experimental. The experimental group was infected with Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites directly into cecum by laparotomy. Strains isolated from three hepatic amoebic abscess cases were used. Mesenteric samples from the region of terminal ileum were fixed in methyl alcohol and stained with Pugh's solution. The ulcers in cecum were examined. Changes in number and structure of mesenteric mast cells and blood eosinophils were as follows. The number of mast cell in mesenteric tissues of the infected group increased from first day of the infection and persisted up to 34th day of the observation period. Degranulation and disruption of mast cells increased in the infected group compared with groups of the sham operation and the contro1, but showed no difference by the strains of Entamoeba histolytica. The blood eosinophilia was observed in the infected group and persisted until the observation period. Ulcers in cecum were found in all the infected groups. The results above indicate that mast cells are keenly related with the course of Entamoeba histolytica infection.
parasitology-protozoa- Entamoeba histolytica ; mast cell ; pathology ; mouse ; amoebiasis ; cecum

A 29-year-old Korean woman visited the Department of Surgery in MizMedi Hospital with a palpable itching mass on the right breast that had existed for the past 7 months. She had no history to eat either frogs or snakes, but had the history of drinking impure water. Sonography revealed a serpiginous hypoechoic tubular structure associated with partial fat necrosis in breast parenchymal layer and subcutaneous fat layer. It also revealed oval cystic lesions. At operation, an ivory white opaque ribbon-like worm that measured 16.5 cm in length and 0.5 cm in width was extracted. Anti-sparganum specific serum IgG level in the patient's serum (absorbance = 0.71), measured by ELISA, was found to be significantly higher than those of normal controls (cut off point = 0.21). Sonography and ELISA appear to be helpful to diagnose sparganosis. Breast sparganosis is rarely found throughout the world.
Adult ; Animals ; Antibodies, Helminth/blood ; Breast/*parasitology ; Breast Diseases/diagnosis/*parasitology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Human ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Sparganosis/diagnosis/*parasitology ; Sparganum/immunology/isolation & purification ; Ultrasonography, Mammary

The indirect fluorescent antibody test was performed to demonstrate the antibody production in the rabbits immunized with free-living amoebas; Acanthamoeba culbertsoni and Naegleria fowleri, and antibody titer changes by immunization duration. Rabbits were immunized with Acanthamoeba culbertsoni and Naegleria fowleri which were cultured axenically in CGVS medium. For experiments, rabbits were divided into two groups; small dose group received 10(4) intravenously with live or dead free-living amoebas trophozoites as an immunizing dose three times with one week interval, and large dose group received 10(6) live or dead trophozoites respectively. The control group received physiologic saline or medium for culture of free-living amoebas intravenously. Antiserum was collected 4 times at interval of 3 days in the first 10 days, and also up to 2 months later. In the group immunized with live Acanthamoeba culbertsoni, fluorescent antibody titer was higher than in the group of dead one, and also in the large dose group than in the small dose group. Antibody titer of anti-Naegleria fowleri serum in the large dose group showed no difference by the source of amoeba antigen; live or dead. But in the small dose group, antibody titer was higher in the immunized with live Naegleria fowleri than in the group with dead one. No cross reactivity was demonstrated between the Acanthamoeba and Naegleria. And no cross reaction was observed when the free-living amoebas antigens were tested against human sera of amoebiasis, paragonimiasis and clonorchiasis.
parasitology-protozoa ; free-living amoeba ; Acanthamoeba culbertsoni ; Naegleria fowleri ; immunology ; fluorescence ; rabbit ; amoebiasis ; paragonimiasis ; clonorchiasis

PURPOSE: To determine the long-term follow-up CT findings of paraquat-induced lung injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six patients who ingested paraquat underwent sequential follow-up CT scanning during a period of at least six months, and the results were analysed. Scans were obtained 1-6 (mean, 3.3) time during a 7-84 (mean, 25.7) months period, and the findings at 1-2 months, 3-12 months, 1-2 years, 2-3 years, and more than above 7 years after poisoning were analyzed. RESULTS: We observed irregular-shaped areas of consolidation with traction bronchiectasis at 1-2 months (5/5), irregular-shaped consolidation and ground-glass opacity (5/5) at 3-12 months, and irregular-shaped consolidations/ ground-glass opacity (4/5) and focal honeycombing (1/5) one year later. In the same patients, follow-up CT scans showed that some areas of focal consolidation could not be visualized and the radio-opacity of the lesions had decreased. CONCLUSION: The HRCT findings of paraquat-induced lung injury were irregular shaped areas of consolidation 1-2 months after ingestion, and irregular-shaped consolidation and ground-glass opacity or focal honeycombing 3-12 months later. At this thim slight improvement was observed.
Bronchiectasis ; Eating ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Lung Injury* ; Lung* ; Paraquat* ; Poisoning ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Traction

Female BALB/c mice weighing 18-20 g were immunized by three injections of 1 x 10(6) Naegleria fowleri trophozoites intraperitoneally at the interval of one week 6 times for the pregnant mice and 3 times for the offspring mice. One week after immunization the mice were challenged intranasally with N. fowleri trophozoites 5 x 10(4) under secobarbital anesthesia. Experimental primary amoebic meningoencephalitis developed between day 7 and 16 after infection. All mice were dead due to amoebic meningoencephalitis in all experimental groups except in the offspring born to non-immune mothers. Mean of survival time, which is the duration of survival of mice from infection to death, was delayed in the groups of mice born to immune mothers, immune mice born to immune mothers. Active or passive protective immunity against N. fowleri infection was demonstrated in the immunized mice and mice born to immune mothers. But the effectiveness of immunization was greatly impaired in terms of mortality in the immune mice born to immune mothers when N. fowleri was infected intranasally.
parasitology-protozoa ; Naegleria fowleri ; meningoencephalitis ; brain ; immunology ; pregnancy