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Parasitology Nov 2022The complete circular mitogenome of (Platyhelminthes: Paragonimidae) from Japan, obtained by PacBio long-read sequencing, was 17 591 bp and contained 12 protein-coding...
The complete circular mitogenome of (Platyhelminthes: Paragonimidae) from Japan, obtained by PacBio long-read sequencing, was 17 591 bp and contained 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 mitoribosomal RNA and 22 transfer RNA genes. The 8 gene was absent, and there was a 40 bp overlap between 4L and 4. The long non-coding region (4.3 kb) included distinct types of long and short repeat units. The pattern of base usage for PCGs and the mtDNA coding region overall in Asian and American species (, , and ) and the Indian form of was > > > . On the other hand, East-Asian used > > > . Five Asian and American species and had TTT/Phe, TTG/Leu and GTT/Val as the most frequently used codons, whereas the least-used codons were different in each species and between regional forms of . The phylogenetic tree reconstructed from a concatenated alignment of amino acids of 12 PCGs from 36 strains/26 species/5 families of trematodes confirmed that the Paragonimidae is monophyletic, with 100% nodal support. was resolved as a sister to The clade was clearly separate from remaining congeners. The latter clade was comprised of 2 subclades, one of the East-Asian and the other of the Indian Type 1 samples. Additional mitogenomes in the Paragonimidae are needed for genomic characterization and are useful for diagnostics, identification and genetic/ phylogenetic/ epidemiological/ evolutionary studies of the Paragonimidae.
Topics: Animals; Paragonimus; Genome, Mitochondrial; Phylogeny; Trematoda; Lung
PubMed: 36101009
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182022001184 -
The American Journal of Tropical... Jul 2023Paragonimiasis is an important but neglected foodborne trematodiasis caused by Paragonimus mexicanus in Costa Rica. Immunological techniques for diagnosing this...
Paragonimiasis is an important but neglected foodborne trematodiasis caused by Paragonimus mexicanus in Costa Rica. Immunological techniques for diagnosing this parasitosis in humans do not exist in Central America. The objective of the present study was to use recombinant Paragonimus westermani cysteine protease 7 to standardize an ELISA for the detection of antibodies against Paragonimus spp. Human sera positive for P. westermani, P. mexicanus, or Paragonimus spp., human sera infected with other helminths, as well as sera of healthy humans without parasitic infections, were analyzed. The sensitivity of the ELISA was 92.9%, and the specificity was 91.9%. This report is the first to describe the development of an ELISA for the diagnosis of Paragonimus spp. in Costa Rica and Central America. Using this ELISA in the health system of Costa Rica is recommended to detect infections.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Paragonimiasis; Paragonimus westermani; Cysteine Proteases; Paragonimus; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Costa Rica
PubMed: 37253437
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.22-0452 -
Journal of Parasitic Diseases :... Sep 2022Flukes from the genus Braun, 1899 are medically important foodborne trematodes predominantly occurring throughout Asian countries. Providing molecular genetic...
Flukes from the genus Braun, 1899 are medically important foodborne trematodes predominantly occurring throughout Asian countries. Providing molecular genetic characteristics based on ITS2 and partial 28 S rDNA of the paragonimids from the Russian Far East, Northeast, South, and Southeast Asian countries, we performed a partial reappraisal of species complex. Members of this complex are genetically distinct worms with different divergence times and explosive expansion during Miocene-Pliocene epochs. We confirm the taxonomic status as valid species for stat. n. (from the Russian Far East and Northern China), and (from the Philippines), which were previously considered subspecies of , and reinstated the species name (from Japan). We suggest considering the worms from South Korea the Korean variety of , because Korean specimens are sister and genetically closest to from Northeast China and Primorsky region of Russia. Worms from South (India (type 2), Sri Lanka), Southeast (Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand (types 1 and 2)) and East Asia (Taiwan) were left in the paragonimid systematics as sp. We propose to consider Indian worms of type 1 as true , but in further revisions, due to the lack of holotype and unknown exact type locality, new type specimens (neotype) should be established.
PubMed: 36091260
DOI: 10.1007/s12639-022-01481-7 -
The Journal of Infection Jan 2021Paragonimiasis is a global foodborne zoonosis. Overlapping clinical and imaging features with other lung pathologies hamper correct diagnosis and require differential...
OBJECTIVES
Paragonimiasis is a global foodborne zoonosis. Overlapping clinical and imaging features with other lung pathologies hamper correct diagnosis and require differential diagnosis.
METHODS
During 1982-2003, 49,012 samples were referred for immunodiagnosis of helminthiases. We detected paragonimiasis cases by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We assessed clinical, radiographical and laboratory characteristics, and diagnostic dilemmas associated with delayed diagnosis.
RESULTS
We analyzed 685 pleuropulmonary paragonimiasis cases. ELISA-positive was 665. Eggs were detected in 50. Symptom duration correlated well with the appearance of chest radiographs; 359 pleural, 33 pleuroparenchymal, and 264 parenchymal lesions (P < 0.001). Twenty-nine had normal chest images. Eosinophilia, seen in 304, was common in pleural and pleuroparenchymal patients (P < 0.05). Chest pain and dyspnea were characteristic for pleurisy patients. Sputum (odds ratios [OR]: 6.79; 95% CI: 4.41-10.47), blood-tinged sputum (OR: 5.62; 95% CI: 3.75-8.42), and foul-odor (OR: 2.70; 95% CI: 1.42-5.16) were significant in parenchymal patients. Delayed diagnosis (119) for ≥ 25 weeks was attributed mainly to misdiagnosis as tuberculosis, malignancy, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR: 111.75; 95% CI: 43.25-288.74).
CONCLUSIONS
Variable symptoms and radiographs of pleuropulmonary paragonimiasis depended on the stage of infection. Suspicion of tuberculosis, malignancy, or COPD was major cause of delayed diagnosis.
Topics: Eosinophilia; Humans; Paragonimiasis; Pleura; Sputum; Tuberculosis
PubMed: 33017628
DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.09.037 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2021Great progress has been made in the prevention and treatment of human parasitic diseases in China over the past six decades, but parasitic diseases are still one of the...
Great progress has been made in the prevention and treatment of human parasitic diseases in China over the past six decades, but parasitic diseases are still one of the most serious public health problems in the world. The specific prevalence of parasitic diseases varies in different provinces due to their geographical environment and the dietary habits of people. In this study, a total of 4,428 patients suspected to have parasitic infection by clinicians or themselves from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020 were recommended to our laboratory for further testing. In total, 5,246 samples including fecal, blood, and other body fluids were detected by etiological and immunological methods. Approximately 15.20% (673/4,428) of all suspected patients were infected by at least one species of parasite, and the overall positive rate of suspected patients from Hunan Province was 15.10% (594/3,933). A total of 18 species of parasites, namely, nematodes (4 species), trematodes (5 species), cestodes (4 species), protozoa (2 species), and medical arthropods (3 species), and 3 of them were imported parasites outside of Hunan Province. There are 9 species of foodborne parasites, accounting for 89.92% (464/516) of patients infected by one species of parasite. Common parasites in Hunan Province include plerocercoid, , , cysticercus, , and . In this study, we found that the incidence of soilborne nematode infections has decreased significantly. However, foodborne parasites gradually become the main parasitic infections as well as multiple infections are becoming more common. Therefore, we should not only continue the prevention and control of soil-derived nematodes but also focus on the prevention and control of foodborne parasites in the future.
Topics: Animals; China; Humans; Parasites; Parasitic Diseases; Prevalence; Soil
PubMed: 34722349
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.774980 -
Radiology Case Reports May 2022More than 40 different species of the parasitic flatworm have been identified worldwide, including in Vietnam, but only 10 species are known to cause disease in humans,...
More than 40 different species of the parasitic flatworm have been identified worldwide, including in Vietnam, but only 10 species are known to cause disease in humans, particularly are transmitted through the ingestion of raw foods, especially freshwater shrimp, and crab. Paragonimiasis causes pneumonia, which can present as acute or chronic, with symptoms including prolonged cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, and hemoptysis. Hematologic changes include eosinophilia and the presence of specific antibodies for in the blood. Diagnosis is confirmed when specimens or eggs are found in the sputum or pleural fluid. The specificity of imaging is not high, but imaging can be used to guide the diagnosis. After the failure of microbiological diagnostic methods, lung biopsy can be used to confirm a diagnosis of paragonimiasis. We present a paragonimiasis case associated with unique features, including epidemiologic factors, atypical clinical signs, no increases in blood eosinophils, and negative microbiological tests. Although the patient was suspected of tuberculosis or lung cancer, imaging studies were consistent with the presence of lung flukes. Three transthoracic lung biopsies were performed, and pathology revealed a cystic structure containing on the third biopsy.
PubMed: 35309377
DOI: 10.1016/j.radcr.2022.02.046 -
Infection, Genetics and Evolution :... Jun 2021Southeast Asian lung flukes, the causative agents of human and animal paragonimiasis, comprise at least 14 species. Of these, seven species; Paragonimus bangkokensis, P....
Genetic differentiation of Southeast Asian Paragonimus Braun, 1899 (Digenea: Paragonimidae) and genetic variation in the Paragonimus heterotremus complex examined by nuclear DNA sequences.
Southeast Asian lung flukes, the causative agents of human and animal paragonimiasis, comprise at least 14 species. Of these, seven species; Paragonimus bangkokensis, P. harinasutai, P. macrorchis, P. siamensis, P. westermani, P. heterotremus and P. pseudoheterotremus were studied. Two regions of domain 1 of taurocyamine kinase; TkD1 (exon) and TkD1Int2 (intron 2), were used as genetic markers for elucidating their genetic differentiation, genetic variation, and heterozygosity. The TkD1 region was conserved between these species but can potentially be used to differentiate all seven species. However, the TkD1Int2 region had a high level of polymorphism, which is suitable for investigation of genetic variation within or between closely related species, especially P. heterotremus and P. pseudoheterotremus as well as for a phylogenetic analyses of the genus Paragonimus. Heterozygosity was mostly observed in DNA samples extracted from adult P. heterotremus including samples taken from sputum of paragonimiasis patients, whereas DNA extracted from metacercariae was not, except in the samples from Myanmar. Our findings provide evidence of DNA recombination and incomplete lineage sorting of P. heterotremus and P. pseudoheterotremus in TkD1Int2, which suggesting gene flow between these two species.
Topics: Animals; Asia, Southeastern; Cell Nucleus; DNA, Helminth; Genetic Variation; Paragonimus
PubMed: 33577999
DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.104761 -
The American Journal of Tropical... Nov 2023
Topics: Humans; Animals; Paragonimiasis; Pleural Effusion; Paragonimus
PubMed: 37549895
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0301 -
Parasitology Research Oct 2019Accurate discrimination of the Schistosoma japonicum cercariae gender is very important for establishing monosexual infection animal models and for standardizing the...
Accurate discrimination of the Schistosoma japonicum cercariae gender is very important for establishing monosexual infection animal models and for standardizing the real intensity of infection. In this study, a multiplex PCR technique consisting of two pairs of primers, of which one amplifies a 185-bp band specific for the W chromosome and the other amplifies a 420-bp band for the Z chromosome, was established to sex the S. japonicum cercariae. For male cercariae (ZZ), a single 420-bp band is expected, and for female cercariea (ZW), two distinct 185-bp and 420-bp bands can be observed. There was no cross-reaction with S. mansoni, S. haematobium, Clonorchis sinensis, Paragonimus westermani, and Trichinella spiralis. After sexing the cercariae escaped from a single snail, mice in group A were infected with 60 male cercariae and mice of group B were infected with 40 female cercariae. Meanwhile, mice in group C were infected with 10 male and 10 female cercariae that were sexed by multiplex PCR. At 45 days postinfection, male and female adult worms were recovered to verify the accuracy of multiplex PCR for sexing S. japonicum cercariae and to calculate the male and female survival rate and paired worm ratio. Our results showed that the multiplex PCR technique could distinguish male cercariae with 100% accuracy. However, sometimes the discrimination results of multiplex PCR mis-scored mixed sexual cercariae as female cercariae. The mean male adult worm burden in mice of group C was 10.7 ± 2.4, and the mean female adult worm burden was 7.7 ± 2.5. There was a significant difference between the male worm burden and female worm burden in group C. The P value was 0.013. The real paired worm ratio of group C was 74.2% (95%CI 56.6~91.8%). These results demonstrated a male-biased sex ratio in the mice model with equilibrated sex ratio cercariae infection, as predicted by our multiplex PCR technique. In conclusion, our multiplex PCR technique is an effective tool for sexing S. japonicum cercariae, especially for distinguishing male cercariae, which is of great value for establishing monosexual cercariae infection mice models to harvest male adult worms for anti-schistosomal drug screening.
Topics: Animals; Cercaria; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Male; Mice; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; Schistosoma japonicum; Sex Characteristics; Snails
PubMed: 31448385
DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06431-6 -
Neuropathology : Official Journal of... Aug 2022Paragonimiasis is a parasitic disease caused by Paragonimus westermani infection, and migration to the brain results in cerebral paragonimiasis. Cerebral paragonimiasis...
Paragonimiasis is a parasitic disease caused by Paragonimus westermani infection, and migration to the brain results in cerebral paragonimiasis. Cerebral paragonimiasis is now extremely rare, but a few cases are still reported. A 48-year-old Japanese woman presented with right-hand convulsion, right-hand numbness, sputum, and fatigue. Chest computed tomography demonstrated multiple nodular lesions, and head computed tomography revealed a hemorrhagic lesion in the left motor cortex. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple small ring-shaped lesions with surrounding edema. Laboratory evaluation demonstrated peripheral eosinophilia. We considered eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis and started steroid treatment as a diagnostic therapy since we wanted to avoid cerebral lesion biopsy if possible. However, the patient underwent craniotomy surgery after steroid treatment for four months because a new intracerebral mass lesion had appeared. Trematode eggs were detected in the sample, and the final diagnosis was cerebral paragonimiasis. The patient was successfully treated with praziquantel. Cerebral paragonimiasis is extremely rare but should be considered in the differential diagnosis if atypical intracranial hemorrhage and peripheral eosinophilia are observed.
Topics: Churg-Strauss Syndrome; Diagnostic Errors; Female; Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis; Humans; Middle Aged; Paragonimiasis; Steroids
PubMed: 35723635
DOI: 10.1111/neup.12841