Pulmonary paragonimiasis is one of the most important endemic parasitic disease in Korea. Although it is well known that Paragonimus westermani invades into the lung tissue eventually resulting respiratory failure, the pathogenesis of inducing lung lesions is not fully elucidated. It is still debatable on the nature of morphological component of 'cyst' which is known to be the most consistent change in lung paragonimiasis. For the purpose of clarification of morphological changes associated with pulmonary paragonimiasis, an experimental study was carried out by giving metacercariae of P. westermani to 10 dogs. These dogs were sacrificed 2 months and 6 months after infection respectively, and light microscopic and electron microscopic observations were made. Following conclusions were obtained. Paragonimus lung lesions could basically be classified into two categories, i.e., direct mechanical effects by the worms and eggs, and the changes secondary to the worm infection. The relative importance of these two appeared almost same. Adult worms of P. westermani reside inside the lumina of the dilated bronchi in great majority of the cases. Only exceptions were secondary abscess formation and subsequent scar where no epithelial lining was detected around the worms. In 6 months group almost all P. westermani worms were found inside the bronchial lumina. Obliterative endobronchiolitis was another prominent feature among changes that were not directly associated with worms or eggs. This finding was more prominent in the distal segments of the bronchial trees that harbor the Paragonimus worms. P. westermani eggs were found as isolated and aggregated fashions, provoking characteristic granulomatous inflammation. Some of the egg granulomas were seen in the areas apart from the locations where the worms were physically located. Ultrastructural observations of the cyst wall showed fair numbers of plasma cells and mast cells. Some of the cystlining epithelial cells showed increased deposit of glycogen granules, suggestive of early metabolic alteration of the respiratory epithelium.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Paragonimus westermani ; paragonimiasis ; dog ; lung ; histology ; pathology ; egg granuloma ; plasma cell ; glycogen

In an attempt to investigate the specific antigenic substance of Fasciola hepatica, Ouchterlony tests and immunoelectrophoretic analyses were carried out. Crude Fasciola antigen was prepared and fractionated by Sephadex G-200 column to Antigen I, II and III according to protein content. Crude antigens of Paragonimus westermani, Clonorchis sinensis and Paramphistomum sp. were also prepared for control and absorption study. Antiserum was prepared by injecting 0.5 ml of crude Fasciola antigen with same amount of complete Freund's adjuvant in rabbits, 10 times at an interval of l week. The results obtained in this study were as follows: Crude Fasciola antigen reacted with antiserum with 9 precipitin bands by Ouchterlony test and with 11 bands by immunoelectrophoresis. Cross reaction was observed between Paragonimus, Clonorchis and Paramphistomum antigens and anti-Fasciola rabbit serum respectively. By Ouchterlony test, 3-4 cross reacting bands were found. Anti-Fasciola sera which were absorbed with respective Paragonimus, Clonorchis and Paramphistomum antigens, reacted with Fasciola crude antigen. Ouchterlony test gave 5-6 precipitin bands. Further reaction between Fasciola antigen and antiserum absorbed with the above 3 antigens concomitantly gave 5 precipitin bands by Ouchterlony test and 7 bands by immunoelectrophoretic analyses. Fractionated Fasciola antigens (Antigens I, II and III) reacted with anti-Fasciola rabbit serum in immunoelectrophoresis. Antigen I, II and III gave 2, 3 and 5 precipitin bands respectively. Anti-Fasciola rabbit serum which was absorbed with 3 trematodes antigens gave, by immunoelectrophoresis, 1 band with Antigen I, 2 bands with Antigen II and III of Fasciola hepatica. From the above results, it is concluded that Fasciola hepatica possessed the specific antigenic substance not cross-reacted with other trematodes.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Fasciola hepatica ; Paragonimus westermani ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Paramphistomum sp. ; antigen ; immunology ; electrophoresis

Serological studies on toxoplasmosis were conducted with rabbits sera that were immunized with RH strain or infected with Beverley strain of Toxoplasma gondii. Complement fixation tests, agar-gel double diffusion tests and agar-gel immunoelectrophoresis were performed. Toxoplasma crude antigen was prepared from the organisms in mice peritoneal fluids, which were infected with RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii. The organisms were suspended in saline volume originally exudated and counted in hemocytometer for purity of the organisms over 99 per cent. These suspended organisms were prepared by sonication, and the solution was centrifuged for 30 min. at 10,000 rpm in 4C. These supernatant fluids were used as crude antigen. On the other hand, purified antigens were fractionated on Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. A Sephadex G-200 column, 80 by 4 cm, equilibrated with Tris-HCl-(0.1 M)-NaCl (1.0 M) buffer, pH 8.0 was used. The eluate fractions were collected in 3 ml per hour and the absorbance at 280 nm was measured with a Beckman Du-2 spectrophotometer. Each tube is pooled into 6 fractions by protein density graph. For immunization of rabbits, crude antigen of RH strain was emulsified with an equal amount of incomplete Freund's adjuvant and l ml of mixture was injected subcutaneously into them once a week for 5 successive weeks. Antisera were obtained at an interval of a week, beginning the first week after the last immunization, while several rabbits were infected with Beverley strain of Toxoplasma gondii by inoculating about 200 cysts and antisera were obtained from them serially at a week interval. The results were as follows: The sera from the rabbits immunized with the RH strain or infected with Beverley strain of Toxoplasma gondii againist the crude antigen showed the first positive reactions in 2 or 3 weeks after the administration or immunization in complement fixation tests. Maximum titers appeared in 4 or 5 weeks after immunization with RH strain and in 7 or 9 weeks after infection with Beverley strain respectively. Complement fixation tests showed the positive reactions in the rabbits sera immunized with RH strain against the purified antigens II, III, IV, V and VI: moreover, antigen IV fraction showed the highest titer. On the other hand in the rabbits sera infected with Beverley strain against the purifed antigens II, III and IV fractions showed the positive reaction; especially, antigen fraction IV showed the highest titer. In immuno-diffusion tests, the sera from the rabbits immunized with RH strain and infected with Beverley strain, against the crude antigen appeared the precipitin bands 2 weeks after the immunization or infection. And the former showed the 2 or 5 precipitin bands after 5-8 weeks and the latter showed the l or 2 precipitin bands after 6 weeks. The sera from the rabbits immunized with RH strain against the purified antigens II, III, IV,V and VI showed the precipitin bands, and the sera from the rabbits infected with Beverley strain against the purified antigens II, III and IV showed the precipitin bands in the immuno-diffusion tests. Especially antigen IV was the strongest reaction against the sera from RH strain and Beverley strain. In agar-gel immunoelectrophoresis, the immunized sera against the crude antigen showed 8 arcs. But the infected sera against the crude antigen showed 4 or 5 arcs. The immunized sera against the fractionated antigens II, III, IV, V, VI showed arcs, but against the fractionated antigen IV showed 6 arcs and in the antigens II, III, V, VI showed l or 2 arcs only. On the other hand, the infected sera against the fractionated antigens IV showed 4 arcs, II and III showed the l arcs, which was the most weak of all.
parasitology-protozoa-Toxoplasma gondii ; toxoplasmosis ; rabbit ; immunology ; electrophoresis

In an attempt to investigate the antigen-antibody relations and the value of immunodiagnosis for several helminths, Ouchterlony tests and immunoelectrophoreses were carried out. Taenia saginata, Cysticercus sp. of cestodes, Clonorchis sinensis, Fasciola hepatica and Paramphistomum sp. of trematodes,and Ascaris suum of nematodes were used as antigens. On the other hand, antisera were obtained by injecting 0.5 ml each of the above antigens and the same amount of complete Freund's adjuvant into rabbits ten times at an interval of one week. The result obtained in this study are as follows: A larger number of precipitin arcs were demonstrated in homologous antigen-antibody reactions than in heterologous antigen-antibody reactions both in Ouchterlony tests and immunoelectrophoreses. Gross reactions were observed between the different species of the same class, but no cross reactions were noticed when the classes were different with one or two exceptions, such as between T. saginata, F. hepatica and A. suum. In A. suum, the difference between the male and female was more distinct in Ouchterlony test and immunoelectrophoresis than in the examination of organs such as genital organ and coeliac fluid. Immunoelectrophoresis revealed specific arcs and higher sensitive reaction than Ouchterlony test, and was considered to be a more valuable method for identifing species and immunological diagnosis.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; cestoda ; nematoda ; immunoelectrophoresis ; Taenia saginata ; Cysticercus ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Fasciola hepatica ; Paramphistomum sp. ; Ascaris suum ; antigen ; immunology

In an attempt to investigate the sensitivity of immunodiagnosis in cats experimentally infected with Paragonimus westermani, agar-gel precipitin reaction were studied. Metacercariae of P. westermani were administered to cats in various doses(2-100 metacercariae per cat) and antisera were obtained at an interval of a week. Precipitin bands appeared in homologous antigen-antibody in experimental paragonimiasis between 3 and 5 weeks after infection in all the cats. Almost all the cases in which a large number of worms were detected, showed strong reactions as revealed by deeply stained bands. Precipitin reactions did not necessarily parallel with the number of worms detected. This may be attributable to the individual difference of a cat's conditions. Very weak precipitin reactions were noticed between Clonorchis antigen and Paragonimus antisera of cats, but no reactions were noticed between Paragonimus antigen and Clonorchis antisera of cats or rabbits.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; paragonimiasis ; Paragonimus westermani ; immunology ; Clonorchis sinensis ; cat ; rabbit

Indirect fluorescent antibody tests were performed with sera of paragonimiasis patients and skin test positive sera against Paragonimus antigen. Paragonimus antigen was prepared from lyophilized adult worms of P. westermani by defatting with ethyl-ether before extracting with barbital buffered saline. Preparation of Paragonimus antigen for the indirect fluorescent antibody test was based upon Sato's method used for sero-diagnosis of anisakiasis, with Sephadex G-25 instead of Sepharose 4B. The results were as follows: The indirect fluorescent antibody titers of paragonimiasis patient's sera ranged from 1:64 to 1:512, whereas the control sera showed titers of less than 1:16. As controls, Clonorchis patient's sera and parasite-free healthy human sera were used. In indirect fluorescent antibody tests, the skin test positive human sera against Paragonimus antigen showed a positive rate of 41.5 per cent in the case of titers more than 1:40. On the other hand, complement fixation tests on the same sera showed a positive rate of 32.5 per cent in the case of titers more than 1:20.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; paragonimiasis ; Paragonimus westermani ; diagnosis ; indirect fluorescent antibody tests ; serum ; ethyl-ether

In order to find out a valuable control measure for soil-transmitted parasties, the infectivity in mice of Ascaris eggs irradiated with Cobalt(60) were examined. The results were summarised as follows. In vitro, Ascaris eggs irradiated with larger doses of Cobalt(60) developed poorly, and no difference was found between fresh eggs and those cultured for a few days. Ascaris eggs irradiated with doses of 200,000 rad. developed at the rate of 90 percent after 4 weeks, whereas those irradiated with 1,000,000 rad. developed 28 percent. Ascaris eggs irradiated with Cobalt(60) after 2 weeks of culture were poor in development compared with those of 4 week culture. Eggs cultured for 5 weeks showed weaker infectivity in mice than those cultured for 8 weeks. In the control groups, the infectivity in mice of Ascaris eggs was remained the same between 5 and 8 weeks. The minimum dose of Cobalt(60) irradiation effective for preventing infectivity in mice was estimated to be 200,000 rad.
parasiotology ; radiology ; prevention ; Ascaris suum ; nematode ; Cobalt(60) ; irradiation

PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effect of postpartum exercise on mental health. Mental health comprises a 9 symptom dimension of Somatization, Obsessive-Compulsive, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Depression, Anxiety, Hostility, Phobic anxiety, Paranoid Ideation, and Psychoticism. METHOD: A non-equivalent pre-test, post-test control group study was conducted. Fifty-two puerperal women who were admitted to a postpartum ward of a mother-baby clinic in Pusan were recruited; 26 women were assigned to the experimental group and 26 women to the control group. Postpartum exercise was applied to the experimental group from postpartum day 3 for a period of 8 weeks while no exercise program was applied to the control group. Mental health with SCL-90-R was measured before and after exercise. Data was analyzed using mean, x2-test, t-test, and ANOVA by SPSS 10.0. RESULT: The mental health status in the exercise group did not show a statistically significant decrease when compared to that of the control group. CONCLUSION: There is no effect of postpartum exercise on women's mental health during the first 8 weeks of the postpartum period. Further studies are needed for randomized clinical trials with a larger sample size.
Anxiety ; Busan ; Depression ; Female ; Hostility ; Humans ; Mental Health* ; Postpartum Period* ; Sample Size

Usually egg count technique has been employed to know the intensity of infestation of human intestinal helminths and to elucidate the effects of anthelmintics. Comparing the three egg count methods - Stoll's egg dilution method, Beaver's direct smear method and FHK counting board method - the authors reached the following results: As the result of application of the three methods to 75 Ascaris egg positives and 95 Trichocephalus egg positives, in the case of Ascaris eggs, the egg detection rate was 99 per cent by Stoll's method, 97 per cent by Beaver's method and was lowest by FHK method at 79 percent. Meanwhile, in Trichocephalus eggs, Stoll's method revealed 92 percent, Beaver's method 95 percent, and FHK method 95 percent, there being no noticeable differences. With regard to EPG, in counting Ascaris eggs, Stoll's method showed a value closest to the actual number of eggs, and the value revealed by FHK method was smaller than the actual number. As the result of comparing the coefficiencies of variation of the three egg counting methods, both in Ascaris eggs and Trichocephalus eggs, the FHK method showed the smallest, followed by Stoll's method and Beaver's method.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Ascaris lumbricoides ; Trichuris trichiura ; diagnosis

In order to study host-parasite relationship in trematode, the susceptibility in rabbits of Clonorchis sinensis were examined. A certain number of metacercariae of C. sinensis were administered orally to rabbits, and rats and dogs were used to compare with rabbits. the results were summerized as follows: The rabbits were successfully infected with metacercariae of C. sinensis in all case of the groups given 10 to 500 each. But the highest recovery rate of the worm was 33.0 percent in the case given 100 metacercariae. In the early stage of infection, the worms were hardly found, but 10 days after the infection, the number of worms were detected easily. Three months after the infection, the recovery rate of worms was 31.3 percent in the rabbits given 300 metacercariae. The recovery rates of the worms in two months after the infection were 27.4 percent in rabbits, 51.0 percent in rats and 54.6 percent in dogs. Morphologically the body length and the body width markedly increased in the period until 10 days after the infection, and after that the genital organs began to get mature gradually while the growth of the body showed down. The measurement of adult C. sinensis recovered from the animals two months after the infection was the largest in rabbits followed by rats and the worms from dogs showed the smallest measurement.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Clonorchis sinensis ; rabbit ; biology