• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.225-228
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• 2007

We observed the time gap between oocyst shedding and antibody responses in mice (3-week-old C57BL/6J females) infected with Cryptosporidium parvum. Oocyst shedding was verified by modified acid-fast staining. The individually collected mouse sera were assessed for C. parvum IgM and IgG antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay from 5 to 25 weeks after infection. The results showed that C. parvum oocysts were shed from day 5 to 51 post-infection (PI). The IgM antibody titers to C. parvum peaked at week 5 PI, whereas the IgG antibody titers achieved maximum levels at week 25 PI. The results revealed that IgM responses to C. parvum infection occurred during the early stage of infection and overlapped with the oocyst shedding period, whereas IgG responses occurred during the late stage and was not correlated with oocyst shedding. Hence, IgM antibody detection may prove helpful for the diagnosis of acute cryptosporidiosis, and IgG antibody detection may prove effective for the detection of past infection and endemicity.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.201-203
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• 2001

The present study was undertaken to know the infection status of Cryptosporidium parvum among the residents of Chorwon-gun, Kangwon-do in 1993. Total 461 fecal samples were collected from the inhabitants residing in Chorwon-gun during the period of August 12 to September 14, 1993. Fecal smears were prepared by formalin-ether sedimentation, and examined after modified acid fast staining. Of the 461 fecal samples,9 (1.9%) were positive for C. parvum oocysts. The positive cases were limited to thirties (4) patients, forties (3), and sixties (2) , and no oocyst was detected in other age groups. The oocyst positive rate for male was 1.4% and that of female was 2.6%.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.101-105
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• 2011

We investigate the resistance of Cryptosporidium (C.) parvum oocysts to commercial bleach treatment. The viability and infectivity of C. parvum oocysts suspended in 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.3 or 3.2% aqueous commercial bleach for 10, 30, 60, 120 or 180 min at room temperature were assessed by nucleic acid Syto-9 staining, histologic examination of ileum and infectivity to immunosuppressed neonatal C57BL/6N mice. Although the viability was decreased compared with normal oocysts, all oocysts in contact with serially diluted commercial bleach for 180 min were alive by nucleic acid dye Syto-9 staining. And, microscopic examination of ileum sections revealed developmental stages of C. parvum in all mice. The oocyst shedding patterns between mice infected with oocysts contacted with commercial bleach and normal control mice were not significantly different each other. Although commercial bleach is widely used as a bacterial and viral disinfectant, the present findings indicate that it is not an effective disinfectant for C. parvum oocysts under practical conditions. Authors conclude that, therefore, it is undesirable to recommend commercial bleach as a disinfectant for C. parvum oocysts.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.259-262
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• 1992

This study was performed to investigate experimental transmission of Cryptosporidium parvum in a calf. A 25-day-old Korean native calf was inoculated per os with $1{\times}10^6$ C. parvum oocysts isolated from a Korean mouse. The calf commenced oocyst discharge in feces on post-inoculation day 4, and continued until the aah 11. The number of discharged oocysts Peaked($4.9{\times}10^5$) on post-inoculation day 6. However, the calf did not show signs of diarrhea. The present results indicate that C. parvum is cross-transmissible between the calf and the mouse.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.494-498
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• 1989

Hybridoma cell lines, which secrete monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the surface antigens of Cryptosporidium parvum Sporozoites, were produced by fusing spleen cells of C. parvum Sporozoite-immunized mice with P3-X63-Ag8 myeloma cells. Two cloned antibody-secreting cell lines, Kor1 and Ea2, were established and produced IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies, respectively. Percoll-purified sporozoites were solubilized and separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Western blot assay demonstrates that an antigen of 20-kDa was bound by monoclonals. By indirect immunofluorescence microscopy, mAb exhibited uniform binding to the sporozoite surface.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2011

Cryptosporidium parvum is known as one of the most highly resistant parasites to gamma irradiation. To morphologically have an insight on the radioresistance of this parasite, ultrastructural changes in C. parvum sporozoites were observed after gamma irradiation using various doses (1, 5, 10, and 25 kGy) following a range of post-irradiation incubation times (10 kGy for 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hr). The ultrastructures of C. parvum oocysts changed remarkably after a 10-kGy irradiation. Nuclear membrane changes and degranulation of dense granules were observed with high doses over 10 kGy, and morphological changes in micronemes and rhoptries were observed with very high doses over 25 kGy. Oocyst walls were not affected by irradiation, whereas the internal structures of sporozoites degenerated completely 96 hr post-irradiation using a dose of 10 kGy. From this study, morphological evidence of radioresistance of C. parvum has been supplemented.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.71-75
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• 2008

The diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis has been carried out using coprologic techniques in the Republic of Korea. However, antibody responses to Cryptosporidium have rarely been studied. Serum antibodies from HIV-positive/oocyst-positive Korean patients recognized significantly 31 and 27 kDa antigens, and HIV-negative/oocyst-positive individuals clearly reacted to 15/17 kDa antigens. Compared with oocyst-positive cases, 18.7% and 75.8% of sera from HIV-positive patients reacted to 31 and 27 kDa antigens. Only 11.1% of HIV-negative individuals reacted to 15/17 kDa. Based on these findings, serum antibody responses were different between HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals infected with Cryptosporidium, and it is suggested that HIV-positive patients are more frequently exposed to C. parvum compared to HIV-negative individuals.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.293-297
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• 2009

Improved methods for detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts in environmental and clinical samples are urgently needed to improve detection of cryptosporidiosis. We compared the sensitivity of 7 PCR primer sets for detection of Cryptosporidium parvum. Each target gene was amplified by PCR or nested PCR with serially diluted DNA extracted from purified C. parvum oocysts. The target genes included Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein (COWP), small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA), and random amplified polymorphic DNA. The detection limit of the PCR method ranged from $10^3$ to $10^4$ oocysts, and the nested PCR method was able to detect $10^0$ to $10^2$ oocysts. A second-round amplification of target genes showed that the nested primer set specific for the COWP gene proved to be the most sensitive one compared to the other primer sets tested in this study and would therefore be useful for the detection of C. parvum.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.631-636
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• 2016

This study aimed to develop a multiplex-touchdown PCR method to simultaneously detect 3 species of protozoan parasites, i.e., Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia lamblia, and Cyclospora cayetanensis, the major causes of traveler's diarrhea and are resistant to standard antimicrobial treatments. The target genes included the Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein for C. parvum, Glutamate dehydrogenase for G. lamblia, and 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) for C. cayetanensis. The sizes of the amplified fragments were 555, 188, and 400 bps, respectively. The multiplex-touchdown PCR protocol using a primer mixture simultaneously detected protozoa in human stools, and the amplified gene was detected in > $1{\times}10^3$ oocysts for C. parvum, > $1{\times}10^4$ cysts for G. lamblia, and > 1 copy of the 18S rRNA gene for C. cayetanensis. Taken together, our protocol convincingly demonstrated the ability to simultaneously detect C. parvum, G. lamblia, and C. cayetanenesis in stool samples.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.244-249
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• 2009

Designing an ozone contactor is complicated because the residual ozone, log C. parvum inactivation, and bromate formation should be optimized with fluctuating water quality. OCM software was developed to assist a plant designer or an operator to fulfill the sophisticated optimization required in the design or operation of a new or an existing plant. In this article, numerical simulations were carried out using the OCM software for the design of a new ozone contactor under diverse design factors (i.e., three pHs, three temperatures, low and high dispersion numbers, and four and ten cells with complete mixing) with kinetic parameters obtained from the sand-filter effluent of a water treatment plant treating water from the Paldang impoundment. The results of the simulation suggested that a high residual ozone concentration at low pH and low temperature would be challenging, and PFR-like hydrodynamics could lower the residual ozone concentration. The inactivation of C. parvum oocysts increased at a lower pH. A lower dispersion number and more cell division increased the inactivation efficiency. Bromate was instantaneously formed during the initial ozonation stage. The effluent concentration was much lower than the regulatory levels imposed by the USEPA because of the low bromide level in raw water.