Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

"Acanthotrema felis"

Case Report

Four Human Cases of Acanthotrema felis (Digenea: Heterophyidae) Infection in Korea: Jong-Yil Chai, Jae-Lip Kim, Min Seo; Korean J Parasitol 2014;52(3):291-294.
Published online June 26, 2014; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2014.52.3.291

Abstract
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Acanthotrema felis is an intestinal trematode of cats originally reported from the Republic of Korea. Only 1 human case infected with a single adult worm has been previously recorded. In the present study, we report 4 human cases infected with a total of 10 worms recovered after anthelmintic treatment and purging. All 4 patients reside in coastal areas of Jeollanam-do, Korea, and have consumed brackish water fish including the gobies, Acanthogobius flavimanus. The worms averaged 0.47 mm in length and 0.27 mm in width, and had 3 sclerites on the ventrogenital sac; 1 was short and thumb-like, another was long and blunt-ended, and the 3rd was long and broad-tipped. They were identified as A. felis Sohn, Han, & Chai, 2003. Surveys on coastal areas to detect further human cases infected with A. felis are required.

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Original Articles

Infection Status of Estuarine Fish and Oysters with Intestinal Fluke Metacercariae in Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea: Shin-Hyeong Cho, In-Sang Kim, Eun-Jung Hwang, Tong-Soo Kim, Byoung-Kuk Na, Woon-Mok Sohn; Korean J Parasitol 2012;50(3):215-220.
Published online August 13, 2012; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2012.50.3.215

Abstract
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The source of human infection with intestinal flukes was surveyed in estuarine fishes, including the dotted gizzard shad, common sea bass, common blackish goby, redlip mullet, black sea bream, and oyster collected from Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea during August and September 2007. Collected fishes and oysters were artificially digested in pepsin-HCl solution and examined under a stereomicroscope. In 36 shads (Konosirus punctatus) and 20 basses (Lateolabrax japonicus) examined, Heterophyopsis continua metacercariae were found in 58.3% and 100%, and their average numbers were 12.0 and 6.3 per infected fish, respectively. In 34 gobies (Acanthogobius flavimanus) examined, metacercariae of H. continua were detected in 79.4%, Stictodora lari in 97.1%, and Acanthotrema felis in 92.1%, and their average numbers were 45.8, 189.3, and 235.3 per infected fish, respectively. In 37 redlip mullets (Chelon haematocheilus), Heterophyes nocens metacercariae were found in 56.8%, Pygidiopsis summa in 94.6%, and Stictodora fuscata in 45.9%, and the average metacercarial densities were 17.4, 31.3, and 35.1 per infected fish, respectively. In 30 black sea breams (Acanthopagrus schlegeli) and 45 oysters (Crassostrea gigas) examined, no metacercariae were detected. From the above results, it has been confirmed that the dotted gizzard shad, common sea bass, common blackish goby, and redlip mullet from Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea are infected with the metacercariae of heterophyid flukes.

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First Record of Pygidiopsis summa and Ascocotyle longa in Iraq
Ghadeer M. Al-Suwaij, Basim H. Abdullah
Academia Open.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Infection Status with Digenetic Trematode Metacercariae in Fishes from Coastal Lakes in Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
Woon-Mok Sohn, Byoung-Kuk Na, Shin-Hyeong Cho, Soon-Won Lee
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2019; 57(6): 681. CrossRef
Infections with Zoonotic Trematode Metacercariae in Yellowfin Goby, Acanthogobius flavimanus, from Coastal Areas of Republic of Korea
Woon-Mok Sohn, Byoung-Kuk Na, Shin-Hyeong Cho, Jung-Won Ju, Soon-Won Lee, Won-Seok Seok
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2018; 56(3): 259. CrossRef
Fishborne zoonotic heterophyid infections: An update
Jong-Yil Chai, Bong-Kwang Jung
Food and Waterborne Parasitology.2017; 8-9: 33. CrossRef
Pygidiopsis summa (Digenea: Heterophyidae): Status of Metacercarial Infection in Mullets from Coastal Areas in the Republic of Korea
Woon-Mok Sohn, Byoung-Kuk Na, Shin-Hyeong Cho, Won-Ja Lee, Mi-Yeoun Park, Soon-Won Lee, Seung-Bong Choi, Beom-Nyung Huh, Won-Seok Seok
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2016; 54(4): 497. CrossRef
Four Human Cases of Acanthotrema felis (Digenea: Heterophyidae) Infection in Korea
Jong-Yil Chai, Jae-Lip Kim, Min Seo
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2014; 52(3): 291. CrossRef

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Epidemiological Survey on the Infection of Intestinal Flukes in Residents of Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, the Republic of Korea: Shin-Hyeong Cho, Pyo-Yun Cho, Dong-Min Lee, Tong-Soo Kim, In-Sang Kim, Eun-Jung Hwang, Byoung-Kuk Na, Woon-Mok Sohn; Korean J Parasitol 2010;48(2):133-138.
Published online June 17, 2010; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2010.48.2.133

Abstract
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Infection status of intestinal flukes was investigated in residents of Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, the Republic of Korea. Total 1,257 fecal samples of residents were examined by formalin-ether sedimentation technique and Kato-Katz thick smear method. Helminth eggs were detected from 95 (7.6%) residents, and eggs of heterophyid flukes and Clonorchis sinensis were found from 62 (4.9%) and 40 (3.2%) cases, respectively. The larger heterophyid eggs, somewhat dark-brown in color and 37.7 × 21.5 ?m in average size, and found in 32 (2.6%) out of 62 egg positive cases of heterophyid flukes. To confirm the adult flukes, we performed worm recovery from 12 cases after praziquantel treatment and purgation with MgSO₄. A total of 1,281 adult flukes, assigned to 7 species, were recovered from 9 cooperative cases. Heterophyes nocens (total 981 specimens) was collected from 9 cases, Stictodora fuscata (80) from 7, Gymnophalloides seoi (75) from 5, Pygidiopsis summa (140) from 3, Stellantchasmus falcatus (3) from 2, and Stictodora lari and Acanthotrema felis (each 1 worm) from 1 case each. The intrauterine eggs of S. fuscata collected from the recovered worm were identical with the larger heterophyid eggs detected in the stool examination. By the present study, it was confirmed that A. felis is a new intestinal fluke infecting humans, and residents in Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do are infected with variable species of intestinal trematodes.

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Infections with Zoonotic Trematode Metacercariae in Yellowfin Goby, Acanthogobius flavimanus, from Coastal Areas of Republic of Korea
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The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2018; 56(3): 259. CrossRef
Fishborne zoonotic heterophyid infections: An update
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Stellantchasmus falcatus (Digenea: Heterophyidae) in Cambodia: Discovery of Metacercariae in Mullets and Recovery of Adult Flukes in an Experimental Hamster
Jong-Yil Chai, Woon-Mok Sohn, Byoung-Kuk Na, Hoo-Gn Jeoung, Muth Sinuon, Duong Socheat
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2016; 54(4): 537. CrossRef
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Infection Status of Estuarine Fish and Oysters with Intestinal Fluke Metacercariae in Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea
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The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2012; 50(3): 215. CrossRef
Discovery ofMaritrema obstipum(Digenea: Microphallidae) from Migratory Birds in Korea
Ok-Sik Chung, Woon-Mok Sohn, Jong-Yil Chai, Min Seo, Hye-Jung Lee
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2011; 49(4): 457. CrossRef
Prevalence ofMetagonimusMetacercariae in Sweetfish,Plecoglossus altivelis, from Eastern and Southern Coastal Areas in Korea
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The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2011; 49(2): 161. CrossRef

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Brief Communications

Surface ultrastructure of the adult stage of Acanthotrema felis (Trematoda: Heterophyidae): Woon-Mok Sohn, Min Seo, Jong-Yil Chai; Korean J Parasitol 2003;41(2):107-111.
Published online June 20, 2003; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2003.41.2.107

Abstract
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The surface ultrastructure of Acanthotrema felis (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) adults, recovered from a kitten experimentally infected with the metacercariae, was observed using a scanning electron microscope. The worm was leaf-like, ventrally concave and covered with scale-like multi-pointed tegumental spines. The spines on the anterior surface were short but broad, and had 10-12 pointed tips. The cytoplasmic processes protruded around the spines, like pockets for the spines. The ventrogenital opening was crescent, or kidney-shaped, and had protuberances with minute spines on its surrounding tegument. The spines on the posterior surface were long, but narrow, with 6-8 pointed tips. The cytoplasmic processes on this tegument were ridge-like, and elevated along the row of the spines. The surface ultrastructure of A. felis is generally similar to that of other heterophyid flukes, but some features are characteristic, and may be of taxonomic and bio-ecological significance.

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Identification of Acanthotrema felis (Digenea: Heterophyidae) metacercariae encysted in the brackish water fish Acanthogobius flavimanus: Woon-Mok Sohn, Eun-Taek Han, Min Seo, Jong-Yil Chai; Korean J Parasitol 2003;41(2):101-105.
Published online June 20, 2003; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2003.41.2.101

Abstract
PDF

The metacercariae of Acanthotrema felis Sohn et al., 2003 (Digenea: Heterophyidae) were discovered in a species of the brackish water fish, Acanthogobius flavimanus, in the Republic of Korea. They were experimentally fed to kittens, and adult flukes were harvested 7 days later. The adults were morphologically characterized by the presence of a bipartite seminal vesicle, the ventral sucker associated with a ventrogenital sac enclosing 3 sclerites (2 long and pointed, and 1 short and thumb-like), and an unarmed gonotyl. The adult flukes were identified as A. felis Sohn et al., 2003, and the brackish water fish A. flavimanus has been verified as one of its second intermediate hosts.

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Infections with Zoonotic Trematode Metacercariae in Yellowfin Goby, Acanthogobius flavimanus, from Coastal Areas of Republic of Korea
Woon-Mok Sohn, Byoung-Kuk Na, Shin-Hyeong Cho, Jung-Won Ju, Soon-Won Lee, Won-Seok Seok
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2018; 56(3): 259. CrossRef
Fishborne zoonotic heterophyid infections: An update
Jong-Yil Chai, Bong-Kwang Jung
Food and Waterborne Parasitology.2017; 8-9: 33. CrossRef
Four Human Cases of Acanthotrema felis (Digenea: Heterophyidae) Infection in Korea
Jong-Yil Chai, Jae-Lip Kim, Min Seo
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2014; 52(3): 291. CrossRef
Infection Status of Estuarine Fish and Oysters with Intestinal Fluke Metacercariae in Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea
Shin-Hyeong Cho, In-Sang Kim, Eun-Jung Hwang, Tong-Soo Kim, Byoung-Kuk Na, Woon-Mok Sohn
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2012; 50(3): 215. CrossRef
Epidemiological Survey on the Infection of Intestinal Flukes in Residents of Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, the Republic of Korea
Shin-Hyeong Cho, Pyo-Yun Cho, Dong-Min Lee, Tong-Soo Kim, In-Sang Kim, Eun-Jung Hwang, Byoung-Kuk Na, Woon-Mok Sohn
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2010; 48(2): 133. CrossRef
Fish-borne Zoonotic Trematode Metacercariae in the Republic of Korea
Woon-Mok Sohn
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2009; 47(Suppl): S103. CrossRef
Echinostoma hortense and Heterophyid Metacercariae Encysted in Yellowfin Goby, Acanthogobius flavimanus, from Shinan-gun and Muan-gun (Jeollanam-do), Korea
Woon-Mok Sohn, Byoung-Kuk Na, Shin-Hyeong Cho
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2009; 47(3): 307. CrossRef
Heterophyid metacercarial infections in brackish water fishes from Jinju-man (Bay), Kyongsangnam-do, Korea
Do Gyun Kim, Tong-Soo Kim, Shin-Hyeong Cho, Hyeon-Je Song, Woon-Mok Sohn
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2006; 44(1): 7. CrossRef
Two species of goby, Boleophthalmus pectinirostris and Scartelaos sp., as the new second intermediate hosts of heterophyid fluke in Korea
Woon-Mok Sohn, Jung-A Kim, Hyun-Jae Song
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2005; 43(4): 161. CrossRef