Monitoring of environmental contamination by Echinococcus multilocularis in an urban fringe forest park in Hokkaido, Japan.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis environmental contamination in an urban fringe-the Nopporo forest park of Sapporo city, Hokkaido, Japan. A secondary aim was to determine possible transmission risks areas by associating percentage occurrence of E. multilocularis-positive faeces with the different land-use classes.

Taenia taeniaeformis: colonic hyperplasia in heavily infected rats.

Only one study previously mentioned the involvement of colon during Taenia taeniaeformis larvae infection in rats with inconsistent occurrence of lesions. Present study aimed to determine the consistency of histopathologic changes in colonic epithelia, and the proliferation of mucosal cells through BrdU and PCNA immunohistochemistry. Results demonstrated that crypt hyperplasia of the colon was found in all infected rats, although variable in degree even in a single tissue section.

Immunohistochemical characterization of cellular proliferation in small intestinal hyperplasia of rats with hepatic Strobilocercus fasciolaris infection.

Rats infected with the larvae of Taenia taeniaeformis harbour the intermediate stage of the parasite Strobilocercus fasciolaris within the liver. Affected animals also develop gastric and intestinal hyperplasia. The pathogenesis of the gastric hyperplasia has been extensively investigated, but few studies have addressed the nature of the intestinal changes.

Taenia taeniaeformis: fate and proliferation of mucosal cells during gastric hyperplasia in larvae infected rats.

Fate and proliferation of gastric mucosal cells during hyperplasia of Taenia taeniaeformis eggs inoculated Wistar rats were investigated using PCNA immunohistochemistry, BrdU labeling and other histopathologic staining techniques. Results revealed marked cell proliferation in gastric corpus and antral mucosa of infected rats as evidenced by increased lengths of proliferative zones and indices of BrdU labeling. The gastropathy in corpus was characterized by massive accumulation of precursors, neck and intermediate cells following significant decreases in numbers of parietal and zymogenic cells.

Current control strategies targeting sources of echinococcosis in Japan.

The authors describe the current control strategies targeting definitive hosts of the most important zoonotic parasite in Japan, Echinococcus multilocularis. A dramatic increase in the prevalence of echinococcosis in foxes in Hokkaido (the second largest of Japan's islands), the invasion of wild foxes into urban areas, infection among pet and stray dogs, and the possibility of spreading the disease to the main island of Japan (Honshu)--all these pose significant threats to public health. Previous research findings and current strategies such as control measures against infections in wild foxes, suggest that it will be possible to eliminate echinococcosis in the future.

Potential remedy against Echinococcus multilocularis in wild red foxes using baits with anthelmintic distributed around fox breeding dens in Hokkaido, Japan.

The effect of bait-delivered anthelmintic to reduce the prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis in wild red foxes was evaluated in Koshimizu, in the eastern part of Hokkaido, Japan. The study area (200 km2) was divided into baited and non-baited sections. The anthelmintic baits were distributed around fox den sites in the baited section every month for 13 months.

Taenia taeniaeformis larval product induces gastric mucosal hyperplasia in SCID mice.

The effects of intraperitoneal implantation of Taenia taeniaeformis larvae and inoculation of in vitro larval products on gastric mucosa of SCID mice were investigated in this study. Mice surgically implanted with T. taeniaeformis larvae developed slight and moderate gastric hyperplasia.

Gastric hyperplasia and parietal cell loss in Taenia taeniaeformis inoculated immunodeficient mice.

Immunodeficient mice were studied to determine their suitability as models in investigating the role of Taenia taeniaeformis larval products in the development of gastric hyperplasia. Recombinant active gene 2 (RAG2)-deficient and severe combined immune-deficient (SCID) mice were studied as candidate animal models. RAG2-deficient mice inoculated orally with T.

Inhibitory effect of different UV lamps on the infectivity of taeniid eggs.

The expanding distribution of alveolar echinococcosis in Hokkaido, Japan necessitates a search for control measures, particularly for killing Echinococcus eggs; and UV radiation is a potential tool. To determine the effective UV lamp and its optimum duration of exposure to inhibit the infectivity of taeniid eggs, three UV lamps (UVA, UVB and UVC) with peak emissions at different wavelengths were used to irradiate eggs of Taenia taeniaeformis. Irradiation was done in durations of 30, 90, 270, 810, 2,430 and 7,290 s.

Epidemiology of Mecistocirrus digitatus and other gastrointestinal nematode infections in cattle in Mindanao, Philippines.

Over a period of 14 months, faecal and serum samples were collected monthly from cattle of 1 to 30 months old on three ranches (20-25 animals ranch-1 sample-1) in Mindanao, Philippines. Individual faecal egg counts, serum pepsinogen levels and Mecistocirrus digitatus specific antibodies were determined, and infective larvae from pooled faecal samples were examined. Post mortem worm counts were carried out on tracer calves (n = 16) that had been kept for 30 days with the herds on two of the ranches.

Pathophysiological aspects of Mecistocirrus digitatus (Nematoda: Trichostrongylidae) infection in calves.

Three groups of four calves were experimentally infected with infectious larvae of Mecistocirrus digitatus. One group received a trickle infection of 5000 L3 per day for 8 days, the other two groups received a single infection of 5000 and 40,000 L3, respectively. All animals were necropsied 120 days after infection.

Thelazia rhodesii (Desmarest, 1828) infections in cattle in Mindanao, Philippines.

Thelazia rhodesii was found in the eyes of 149 of 643 bovine heads (23%) that were examined at the abattoir of Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines, during the period February 1994 to February 1995. In nearly half of the animals both eyes were infected and an average of 4.1 worms per infected animal was recovered.

Mammomonogamus laryngeus (Railliet, 1899) infections in cattle in Mindanao, Philippines.

During one year, 597 cattle were examined for Mammomonogamus laryngeus infections in the abattoir of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines. The overall prevalence was 23% with no obvious seasonal variations. The infection rate was 19% in animals up to 4 years old and 24% in animals 4-12 years old.