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Tropical Medicine & International... Jan 1998The specificity of three major polypeptides (35, 33 and 32.5 kD) from Paragonimus heterotremus antigens prepared from ether-extracted adult worms was tested against sera...
The specificity of three major polypeptides (35, 33 and 32.5 kD) from Paragonimus heterotremus antigens prepared from ether-extracted adult worms was tested against sera from heterologous infections as well as against P. westermani-infected sera. Only the 35 kD polypeptide was not present, its antigenic determinant being bound to the antibodies from all P. westermani-infected cases. Its cross-reactivity against various sera from heterologous helminthiases and other lung infections showed that it is not bound to these antigenic polypeptides. These major bands cannot be detected by Concanavalin A detector. Our research encourages the pattern (35, 33 and 32.5 kD) of immunoblot reactions for the diagnosis of P. heterotremus infections; the 35 kD antigen is specific for corresponding species and able to differentiate infections between both species of Paragonimus.
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Helminth; Antigens, Helminth; Cross Reactions; Diagnosis, Differential; Epitopes; Helminthiasis; Humans; Immune Sera; Immunoblotting; Lung Diseases; Paragonimiasis; Paragonimus; Peptides; Species Specificity
PubMed: 9484969
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-3156.1998.00172.x -
Vaccines Jul 2021For epidemiological studies of infectious diseases, pathogen-specific antibody levels in an area give us essential and appropriate information. The antibodies against... (Review)
Review
For epidemiological studies of infectious diseases, pathogen-specific antibody levels in an area give us essential and appropriate information. The antibodies against pathogens are usually detected in blood, the drawing of which inconveniences people. Collection of blood increases the risk of accidental infections through blood, and it is difficult to obtain the participation of the target populations, especially the younger generation. On the other hand, urine samples, which contain a high enough level of antibodies for ELISA, can be harmlessly and easily collected and therefore have been used for epidemiological studies for diseases. The antibody examination of urine has been used for the epidemiology of parasitic diseases with a high sensitivity and specificity of serum samples. In this paper, we reviewed antibody assays with urine for seven parasitic diseases that urine diagnostic methods have reported in the past, and these are important infections included in NTDs, caused, for example, by , , , , , , , and . The easy and safe urine surveillance system might be an admirable tool for future epidemiological studies for infectious diseases.
PubMed: 34358194
DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9070778 -
GigaScience Jan 2019Foodborne infections caused by lung flukes of the genus Paragonimus are a significant and widespread public health problem in tropical areas. Approximately 50...
BACKGROUND
Foodborne infections caused by lung flukes of the genus Paragonimus are a significant and widespread public health problem in tropical areas. Approximately 50 Paragonimus species have been reported to infect animals and humans, but Paragonimus westermani is responsible for the bulk of human disease. Despite their medical and economic importance, no genome sequence for any Paragonimus species is available.
RESULTS
We sequenced and assembled the genome of P. westermani, which is among the largest of the known pathogen genomes with an estimated size of 1.1 Gb. A 922.8 Mb genome assembly was generated from Illumina and Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) sequence data, covering 84% of the estimated genome size. The genome has a high proportion (45%) of repeat-derived DNA, particularly of the long interspersed element and long terminal repeat subtypes, and the expansion of these elements may explain some of the large size. We predicted 12,852 protein coding genes, showing a high level of conservation with related trematode species. The majority of proteins (80%) had homologs in the human liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini, with an average sequence identity of 64.1%. Assembly of the P. westermani mitochondrial genome from long PacBio reads resulted in a single high-quality circularized 20.6 kb contig. The contig harbored a 6.9 kb region of non-coding repetitive DNA comprised of three distinct repeat units. Our results suggest that the region is highly polymorphic in P. westermani, possibly even within single worm isolates.
CONCLUSIONS
The generated assembly represents the first Paragonimus genome sequence and will facilitate future molecular studies of this important, but neglected, parasite group.
Topics: Animals; Genome Size; Genome, Helminth; Genome, Mitochondrial; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Molecular Sequence Annotation; Paragonimus westermani; Phylogeny; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Whole Genome Sequencing
PubMed: 30520948
DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giy146 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2022This study performed a follow-up investigation of parasitic infections and the evolution of the infection spectra in Shanghai and its surrounding areas in Eastern China....
BACKGROUND
This study performed a follow-up investigation of parasitic infections and the evolution of the infection spectra in Shanghai and its surrounding areas in Eastern China. The current study was conducted in the Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, a tertiary hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.
METHODS
This retrospective investigation reviewed a total of 412 parasitic infections in patients admitted to the Department of Infectious Diseases, Ruijin Hospital from January 1, 2010 to July 31, 2022. Detailed information for these patients was retrieved from the Electronic Medical Record System. Analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 5.0 and SPSS Statistics 26.
RESULTS
Overall, 17 species of parasites were detected from the 412 admissions. Over the 13 years, the number of patients peaked in 2021 and food-born parasites (FBPs) were the primary species. During the most recent 5 years, , replacing , has become the primary parasite detected among the patients, consistent with the observation that eating uncooked fish has turned into the most common route of transmission. infections declined with age, but increased with age. The periods from the onset of symptoms to definite diagnosis for some patients infected with , and were more than 6 months. Interestingly, eosinophilia was only detected in 51.83% of parasite-infected patients. In addition, superinfections of parasites were common in our study.
CONCLUSION
Our study demonstrates the transitional change in the prevalence of parasitic infection over the latest 13 years in a single center in Eastern China. The incidence of parasitic infections peaked in 2021, and the dominant parasitic species switched from a soil origin to foodborne. The direction for the diagnosis and prevention of parasitic infection among different age groups should alter according to age. It is difficult to diagnose parasitic infections and superinfections that occur in some patients. Thus, more sensitive and efficient detection methods should be developed. In addition, although eosinophilia and elevated IgE are still reliable indicators for initiating screening of parasitic infection, the development of novel parasitic diagnostic kits is still in urgent need for occult infection.
Topics: Animals; China; Eosinophilia; Immunoglobulin E; Parasitic Diseases; Retrospective Studies; Soil; Superinfection; Tertiary Care Centers
PubMed: 36249238
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.993377 -
Clinical Microbiology Reviews Jul 2013Paragonimiasis is a parasitic lung infection caused by lung flukes of the genus Paragonimus, with most cases reported from Asia and caused by P. westermani following... (Review)
Review
Paragonimiasis is a parasitic lung infection caused by lung flukes of the genus Paragonimus, with most cases reported from Asia and caused by P. westermani following consumption of raw or undercooked crustaceans. With the exception of imported P. westermani cases in immigrants, in travelers returning from areas of disease endemicity, and in clusters of acquired cases following consumption of imported Asian crabs, human paragonimiasis caused by native lung flukes is rarely described in the United States, which has only one indigenous species of lung fluke, Paragonimus kellicotti. Clinicians should inquire about the consumption of raw or undercooked freshwater crabs by immigrants, expatriates, and returning travelers, and the consumption of raw or undercooked crayfish in U.S. freshwater river systems where P. kellicotti is endemic when evaluating patients presenting with unexplained fever, cough, rales, hemoptysis, pleural effusions, and peripheral eosinophilia. Diagnostic evaluation by specific parasitological, radiological, serological, and molecular methods will be required in order to differentiate paragonimiasis from tuberculosis, which is not uncommon in recent Asian immigrants. All cases of imported and locally acquired paragonimiasis will require treatment with oral praziquantel to avoid any potential pulmonary and cerebral complications of paragonimiasis, some of which may require surgical interventions.
Topics: Animals; Decapoda; Humans; Paragonimiasis; Paragonimus; Snails; United States
PubMed: 23824370
DOI: 10.1128/CMR.00103-12 -
The Korean Journal of Parasitology Oct 2009Zoonotic parasites are animal parasites that can infect humans. The major zoonotic protozoa in the Republic of Korea are Babesia bovis, Chilomastix mesnili,... (Review)
Review
Zoonotic parasites are animal parasites that can infect humans. The major zoonotic protozoa in the Republic of Korea are Babesia bovis, Chilomastix mesnili, Cryptosporidium parvum, Endolimax nana, Entamoeba coli, Entamoeba hitolytica, Giardia lamblia, Iodamoeba bütschlii, Pneumocystis carinii, Sarcocystis cruzi, and Toxoplasma gondii. The major zoonotic helminths in Korea include trematodes, cestodes, and nematodes. Trematodes are Clonorchis sinensis, Echinostoma hortense, Echinostoma spp., Fasciola hepatica, Heterophyes nocens, Metagonimus yokogawai, and Paragonimus westermani. Cestodes are Diphyllobothrium latum, Dipylidium caninum, Echinococcus granulosus, Hymenolepis nana, Raillietina tetragona, sparganum (Spirometra spp.), Taenia saginata, T. solium, and T. asiatica. Nematodes are Ancylostoma caninum, Brugia malayi, Capillaria hepatica, Dirofilaria immitis, Gnathostoma dololesi, Gnathostoma spinigerum, Loa loa, Onchocerca gibsoni, Strongyloides stercoralis, Thelazia callipaeda, Trichinella spiralis, Trichostrongylus orientalis, Trichuris trichiura, and Trichuris vulpis. The one arthropod is Sarcoptes scabiei. Many of these parasites have disappeared or were in decline after the 1990's. Since the late 1990's, the important zoonotic protozoa have been C. parvum, E. nana, E. coli, E. hitolytica, G. lamblia, I. buetschlii, P. carinii and T. gondii. The important zoonotic helminths have been C. sinensis, H. nocens, M. yokogawai, P. westermani, D. latum, T. asiatica, sparganum, B. malayi, T. orientalis, T. callipaeda and T. spiralis. However, outbreaks of these parasites are only in a few endemic areas. The outbreaks of Enterobius vermicularis and head lice, human parasites, have recently increased in the kindergartens and primary schools in the Republic of Korea.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Parasites; Parasitic Diseases; Parasitic Diseases, Animal; Republic of Korea; Zoonoses
PubMed: 19885329
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2009.47.S.S133 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Mar 2022Cerebral paragonimiasis (CP), caused by aberrant migration of Paragonimus worms, frequently invokes serious illness. The causal relationship between the lesion...
Cerebral paragonimiasis (CP), caused by aberrant migration of Paragonimus worms, frequently invokes serious illness. The causal relationship between the lesion characteristics and patients' symptoms has poorly been understood. CP serodiagnosis has not been properly evaluated to date. A total of 111 CP cases were diagnosed in our laboratory between 1982 and 2003. This study retrospectively assessed the clinical and imaging characteristics of the 105 patients along with the evaluation of diagnostic potentials of recombinant P. westermani yolk ferritin (rPwYF) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) employing patients' sera and cerebrospinal fluids (CSFs). We analyzed 60 male and 45 female patients; 50 early-stage patients with non-calcified enhancing nodule(s) (median age, 38 years; interquartile range [IQR], 24.75-52; median symptom duration, 0.75 years; IQR, 0.2-2) and 54 chronic cases having calcified lesion(s) (median age, 33 years; IQR, 25-41; median symptom duration, 10 years; IQR, 5-20). One patient showed a normal neuroimage. The patients were largely diagnosed in their 30s. The parietal lobe was most commonly affected, followed by occipital, frontal, and temporal lobes. Twenty-six patients had lesions encompassing ≥ two lobes. The patients complained mainly of seizures, headaches, hemiparesis, and focal neurologic deficits (P < 0.001). Seizures and visual defects were predominant in patients with calcified lesion(s) (P < 0.001). The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of rPwYF against serum/CSF were 100%/97% and 97.2%/92.5%, respectively. The specific IgG antibody levels against rPwYF in sera and CSFs showed a positive correlation (r = 0.59). The clinical manifestations of the early-stage patients might be associated with cortical lesions or meningeal irritation, while those in the chronic stage were caused by conglomerated space-occupying lesions. rPwYF would be useful for the serodiagnosis of both early and chronic CP cases.
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Helminth; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Ferritins; Humans; Male; Paragonimiasis; Paragonimus; Retrospective Studies; Seizures; Serologic Tests
PubMed: 35294433
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010240 -
World Journal of Clinical Cases Jun 2022The most common site of paragonimiasis is in the lungs. The migratory route passes through the duodenal wall, peritoneum, and diaphragm to the lungs; thus, the thoracic...
BACKGROUND
The most common site of paragonimiasis is in the lungs. The migratory route passes through the duodenal wall, peritoneum, and diaphragm to the lungs; thus, the thoracic cavity and central nervous system, as well as the liver, intestine, and abdominal cavity may be involved. Here, we present a case of intraperitoneal paragonimiasis without other organ involvement, mimicking tuberculous peritonitis.
CASE SUMMARY
A 57-year-old man presented with recurrent abdominal pain for 4 wk. Physical examination revealed tenderness in the right lower quadrant. Laboratory findings showed complete blood counts within the normal range without eosinophilia. Multiple reactive lymph nodes and diffuse peritoneal infiltration were noted on abdominal computed tomography (CT). There were no abnormalities on chest CT or colonoscopy. Intraoperative findings of diagnostic laparoscopy for the differential diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis and peritoneal carcinomatosis included multiple small whitish nodules and an abscess in the peritoneum. Pathological reports confirmed the presence of numerous eggs of (). A postoperative serum enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed positivity. Persistent and repetitive history-taking led him to retrospectively recall the consumption of freshwater crab. After 3 d of treatment with praziquantel (1800 mg; 25 mg/kg), he recovered from all symptoms.
CONCLUSION
In patients who require diagnostic laparoscopy for the differential diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis and peritoneal carcinomatosis, repetitive history-taking and preoperative serologic antibody tests against may be helpful in diagnosing intraperitoneal paragonimiasis without other organ involvement.
PubMed: 35812672
DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i16.5359 -
The Korean Journal of Parasitology Dec 2009The present study investigated the infection status of Paragonimus westermani metacercariae in freshwater crabs (n = 363) and crayfish (n = 31) from October 2007 to...
The present study investigated the infection status of Paragonimus westermani metacercariae in freshwater crabs (n = 363) and crayfish (n = 31) from October 2007 to October 2008 using the crush method. All of the freshwater crabs, Eriocheir japonicus, were negative for P. westermani metacercariae while 10 (32.3%) of the 31 examined crayfish were positive. The 10 positive crayfish were caught in Haenam, Jeollanam-do, and there were 8-59 (mean 28.4) metacercariae per infected crayfish. These results suggest that P. westermani metacercariae are still transmitted by crayfish enzootically in southern Korea, and that freshwater crabs may transmit metacercariae only on rare occasions.
Topics: Animals; Astacoidea; Brachyura; Humans; Korea; Paragonimiasis; Paragonimus westermani; Prevalence
PubMed: 19967096
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2009.47.4.425 -
The Journal of Veterinary Medical... Jul 2006Helminth parasites were collected from 9 raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) and 2 Japanese weasels (Mustela itatsi sho) on Yakushima Island, Japan. The...
Paragonimus westermani and some rare intestinal trematodes recovered from raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) introduced recently on Yakushima Island, Japan.
Helminth parasites were collected from 9 raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) and 2 Japanese weasels (Mustela itatsi sho) on Yakushima Island, Japan. The former carnivore was introduced to this World Natural Heritage Area presumably within the last two decades, expanding its population thence, although detailed process(es) of the introduction is unknown. The collected trematodes from raccoon dogs included the triploid form of Paragonimus westermani, Brachylaima tokudai, Maritrema eroliae, and Pseudocryptotropa sp. Simultaneously, Paragonimus ohirai was found in one weasel killed by a traffic accident. Although the triploid form of P. westermani and P. ohirai are known to be distributed in some river-mouth areas of Yakushima Island based on previous surveys on crab hosts, natural infection was detected for the first time in wild final hosts. Particularly, the raccoon dog infected with P. westermani was caught in a mountainous area, distant from human residence or river-mouth areas. Although it is possible that the infected raccoon dog moved from a river-mouth area endemic with P. westermani after infection, the alternative scenario remains to be pursued; the endemic area of this zoonosis is expanding along with the recent expansion of raccoon dogs or feral cats (Felis catus), that became prevalent recently on this island including the mountainous areas. Maritrema eroliae taking a variety of shorebirds as its natural final hosts, and a minute trematode, Pseudocryptotropa sp., taking unknown natural final host(s) were recorded for the first time in raccoon dogs.
Topics: Animals; Japan; Mink; Paragonimus westermani; Raccoon Dogs; Trematoda; Trematode Infections
PubMed: 16891780
DOI: 10.1292/jvms.68.681