The migration and distribution pattern of spargana in mouse body was observed after experimental infection through mouth. The spargana were obtained from the snake, Natrix tigrina lateralis, caught in Hoengseong-gun, Kangwon-do. A total of 28 male mice (ICR strain), 21-25g in body weight, were fed each with 5 scolices (and necks) of spargana and killed after 10 minutes to 14 days. Systemic autopsy was performed on each mouse to recover the spargana. The results are as follows: The spargana were found to penetrate into the stomach or duodenal wall of mice as early as 10 minutes after infection. They completed the penetration within 30 minutes and appeared in abdominal cavity. It was observed that spargana did not migrate tangentially along the gut wall but directly perforated the wall. After 1 hour to 1 day the majority of spargana distributed in abdominal cavity of mice except few which migrated to muscles or subcutaneous tissues. It was within 7 days that nearly all of the spargana migrated to subcutaneous tissues. Out of total 28 in number found from subcutaneous tissues, 13 distributed around neck region, 12 around trunk and other 3 on head of mice and the most common sites were submandibular and subscapular areas. There was nearly no host tissue reaction to migrating spargana. The initial length of spargana given was 4 mm in average but it increased to 12 mm after 7 days and to 35 mm after 14 days. The results suggest that spargana orally given to mice penetrate the gut wall within 30 minutes followed by escaping into abdominal cavity, and after passing through thoracic cavity or abdominal wall they finally localize in subcutaneous tissues chiefly around neck region within 7 days.
parasitology-helminth-cestoda ; sparganosis ; sparganum ; mouse ; migration

A case of sparganosis was presented. The patient was a 43-year-old Korean male who had a history of having eaten raw flesh of snake and frog in Keoje Island during 1950 to 1952 for the purpose of treatment of arthritis by the oriental custom. In the summer, l959, he had slight itching sensation in the left lower scrotal area. A few months later, he noticed the appearance of a peanut-sized mass in that area. However, the mass enlarged gradually to a hen's egg size during two years. On surgical exploration, the mass was found to be a fibro-connective tissue capsule(3 to 4 cm in diameter) in the lower left scrotal area. From the capsule three larvae(l9 to 28 cm by 2 to 6 mm) were freed by dissection without much difficulty. The sources of infection of some formerly reported sparganosis in Korea were discussed. It is most probable that human sparganosis is acquired by ingestion of raw flesh of snake and frog in this country.
parasitology-helminth-cestoda-sparagnum ; sparganosis ; case report

Distribution of Sparganum mansoni in 7 species of terrestrial snakes in Wonju City was surveyed. All kinds of snakes were found to be served as intermediate hosts of this larval worm except Elaphe schrenkii which has already been recorded as important host. Authors believe that Zamenis spinalis was firstly recorded as intermediate host of Sparganum mansoni in Korea. Some aspects of infection status, host-parasite relations and sources of human infection were briefly discussed.
parasitology-helminth-cestoda-Spirometra sp. ; sparganum ; sparganosis ; human infection

To observed whether the specific IgG antibody test using ELISA was useful in diagnosis of presently ill patients of paragonimiasis, a total of 95 sera were tested. The sera were collected from 21 egg positive cases, 8 from positive reactors of intradermal test, 7 from Clonorchis infected, 9 from other parasitic diseases and 50 from apparently non-infected cases. By the result, the sensitivity of the test was 86% and the specificity was 100%. There were no cross reactions between Paragonimus antigen and other parastic infections. Specific IgG antibody test by micro-ELISA was concluded to be useful for mass screening of the presently ill paragonimiasis in the field.
parasitology-helminth-cestoda ; Spirometra sp. ; sparganum ; sparganosis ; immunology ; diagnosis ; ELISA

Animals ; Brain Diseases ; parasitology ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Sparganosis ; Sparganum

After infection of male mice with the plerocercoids (spargana) of Spirometra mansoni, serum levels of estrogen and testicular weight were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and weighing machine, respectively. The serum level of estrogen increased progressively in infected mice compared with normal controls, whereas the testicular weight of infected mice decreased significantly (P < 0.05). These results suggest that certain substances from spargana change the steroid hormone metabolisms in the host by unknown pathways, and chronic infection may contribute to change of the function of steroid hormone target organ, i.e., testis, in male mice.
Time Factors ; Testis/*parasitology/pathology ; Sparganosis/*complications ; Organ Size ; Mice ; Male ; Feminization/*parasitology ; Estrogens/blood ; Animals

The life-span of the sparganum in humans is not exactly known, but it may survive longer than 5 years in some patients. We experienced a case infected with a sparganum that is presumed to have lived for 20 years in a patient's leg. The patient was a 60-year-old woman, and she was admitted to a hospital due to ankle pain that was aggravated on dorsiflexion. She had noticed a mass on her knee some 20 years ago, but she received no medical management for it. The mass moved into the ankle joint 3 months before the current admission, and then the aforementioned symptoms appeared. A living sparganum was recovered by surgery, and the calcified tract near the knee was proved to be the pathway along which the larva had passed.
Animals ; Female ; Histocytochemistry ; Humans ; Leg/parasitology/pathology/radiography/surgery ; Microscopy ; Middle Aged ; Sparganosis/*diagnosis/parasitology/surgery ; Sparganum/*isolation & purification

In May 1974, authors encountered a 37 year old Korean male who was suffering from very serious condition of acute abdomen. On exploratory laparotomy, a ruptured granulomatous mass in the proximal portion of the ileum showing extensive inflammatory and gangrenous changes was found and about 4 ft. long of the bowel was resected. From the honey-combed fibrous capsules in the mass, four plerocercoid larvae, spargana, measuring about 3 to 7 cm in lengths were extirpated. The patient had a past history of having eaten the raw flesh of a snake as a tonic about 7 months prior to admission. Four cases of intra-abdominal sparganosis reported previously in Korea and the present case were discussed briefly. Snakes and frogs in Korea are very important second intermediate hosts for the 1arva, Sparganum stage. It is most preferable that the habitual ingestion of the raw fleshes of them should be avoided in this country.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Spirometra sp. ; sparganum ; sparganosis ; laparatomy ; intestine ; perforation ; case report

Intramuscular sparganosis is not common, and its rarity makes it difficult to be distinguished from soft tissue tumors. A case of rare intramuscular sparganosis is reported. A 44-year-old man presented with a painful mass in the left thigh for 8 months, which was initially diagnosed a as soft tissue tumor. Ultrasonography and MRI revealed a multilobulated mass in the sartorius muscle. After the needle biopsy under the guidance of ultrasonography, sparganum was discovered under microscopic examination of the excised tissue. Surgical excision was performed, and a live larva of sparganum was removed. Sparganosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of soft tissue tumors, especially among Koreans who have frequently ingested mountain water and consumed raw snakes or frogs.
Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Human ; Male ; Muscle Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; Sparganosis/*diagnosis/parasitology/radiography/ultrasonography

Prevalence of sparganum in the frog (Rana nigromaculata) was surveyed in Dae-jeon city and in suburbs of the city, Chungnam Do. 39 (3.9 per cent) out of 1,011 frogs were infected with the worm, and the highest prevalence rate of sparganum was found the frogs from Shintanjin area(11.3 per cent). Infection rates of sparganum were observed due to the body weight and sex of frogs. The highest infection rate of frogs, the body weight of 50 gms or more, showed 30.3 per cent(female: 41.7 per cent, male: none), on the other hand, no worm was found in young frogs(less than 10 gms). Distribution of sparganum in the frogs was recorded and 82.6 per cent of worms were distributed in the femoral intermuscular connective tissues of the hind legs. Among those infected frogs, number of worm burden was one to five worms, and 53.3 per cent of frogs were infected by only one worm.
parasitology-helminth-cestoda ; Spirometra sp. ; sparganum ; sparganosis ; epidemiology ; frog ; Rana nigromaculata