Metagonimus yokogawai Ancient DNA Recovered from 16th- to 17th-Century Korean Mummy Feces of the Joseon Dynasty.

Metagonimiasis is foodborne intestinal parasitism occurring by the definitive hosts' ingestion of raw or undercooked fish, mostly commonly sweetfish. Most Metagonimus infection is caused by Metagonimus yokogawai but also rarely by Metagonimus takahashii as well as Metagonimus miyatai. Despite recent molecular work on Metagonimus spp., there are still insufficient data to reveal the genetic characteristics of ancient M. yokogawai in a wide geo-historical scope. In this study, we were successful in the analysis of M. yokogawai ancient DNA (aDNA) using coprolite samples retrieved from 16th- to 17th-century Korean mummies. In BLAST and phylogenetic analyses, M. yokogawai 28S rDNA of Korean mummies were clustered along with the 28S rDNA taxa of M. takahashii and M. miyatai in GenBank. Conversely, the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) of M. yokogawai aDNA from Korean mummies was distinctly clustered apart from M. takahashii and M. miyatai sequences. This study is the first report of its kind to identify M. yokogawai aDNA retrieved from the archaeological specimens and confirms the usefulness of COI in molecular diagnosis of M. yokogawai. Considering the rarity of reports on the genetics of genus Metagonimus spp., our study will be fundamental for the future study of M. yokogawai paleogenetics.

The Genus Spirorchis MacCallum, 1918 (Digenea: Schistosomatoidea) and the Early History of Parasitology in the United States.

We know little about the founders of our discipline apart from their scientific contributions and brief biographical sketches, most frequently in published obituaries. A number of years ago, Ralph Lichtenfels, then Director of the National Parasite Collection, sent me photocopies of letters between Henry Baldwin Ward, Horace W. Stunkard, George A. MacCallum, and William G. MacCallum dating from the early years of the 20th century that hinted at a series of conflicts centered on the proposal of Spirorchis MacCallum, 1918 (Digenea: Schistosomatoidea). The description of a fluke that matured in the blood of a tetrapod and that was morphologically similar to the schistosomes of humans was in its time a transformative discovery; and the scientist who published it would have garnered some scholarly recognition. Herein, I provide an historical account of the issues and the motives of each individual and the eventual resolution of these matters.

First paleoparasitological record of digenean eggs from a native deer from Patagonia Argentina (Cueva Parque Diana archaeological site).

Eggs representative of a digenean species were found in coprolites belonged to an endemic deer from Patagonia. Samples were collected from the archaeological site named "Cueva Parque Diana". This site is a cave located at the Lanín National Park, Neuquén Province, Argentina. The coprolites were dated from 2370±70 to 580±60 years B.P. The eggs were ellipsoidal, operculated, yellowish and thin-shelled. Measurements (n=65) ranged from 120.0 to 142.5 (133.2±6.53) µm long and 62.5 to 87.5 (72.6±6.15) µm wide. Eggs were well-preserved and were identified as belonged to Class Trematoda, Subclass Digenea, similar to those of Fasciola hepatica or with another species not identified at present from Patagonia. This is the first report of digenean eggs from ancient deer worldwide. The present study confirms the presence of representatives of digenean species in endemic deer from Patagonia in ancient times and the presence of a trematode disease prior to the arrival of European cattle.

Sixteenth century Gymnophalloides seoi infection on the coast of the Korean Peninsula.

Gymnophalloides seoi is a trematode species discovered as recently as 1993. Interestingly, ancient G. seoi eggs were identified in our earlier study on a 17th Century female mummy unearthed in a Korean county (HD-1) where G. seoi infection, according to a nationwide survey of 2001, was considered not to have been endemic. Although we suspected that the geographical distribution of G. seoi might have contracted over the past several hundred years from wider coastal areas on the Korean peninsula to the much more restricted region delineated by the survey, there has been only the single, above-noted report of an ancient G. seoi infection in a currently non-endemic area. As such, more evidence is needed before our contraction theory of G. seoi infection prevalence can be confirmed as fact. Our current report in this regard will perhaps help to end the controversy. In a newly discovered 17th Century male mummy found in another Korean county considered non-endemic by the 2001 survey, we identified a large number of ancient G. seoi eggs. We believe that this additional evidence for a wider distribution of G. seoi infection prior to the 20th Century is invaluable support for our earlier hypothesis.

Gymnophalloides seoi eggs from the stool of a 17th century female mummy found in Hadong, Republic of Korea.

It was previously reported that paleoparasitological clues for parasites infecting humans could be found in the feces of mummies of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in the Republic of Korea. Here, we report the presence of trematode eggs, including Clonorchis sinensis, Metagonimus yokogawai, and Gymnophalloides seoi (a human parasite known in Korea since 1993) in the feces of a recently excavated female mummy in Hadong, Republic of Korea. This is the first report of the discovery of a G. seoi infection in a human mummy. Since Hadong is currently not an endemic area for G. seoi, we speculate that the parasite might have occurred frequently along coastal areas of the Korean peninsula several hundred years ago and that the endemic areas contracted to, more or less, restricted regions since that time.

Octomacrum europaeum (Monogenea: Octomacridae) in Europe: historical and recent perspectives.

Several specimens of Octomacrum europaeum (Octomacridae: Monogenea) were found on the gills of Alburnoides bipunctatus in the Czech Republic. The morphometry of the specimens measured in the present study was in agreement with that of the original description.

Therapy of fluke infections in the past. A review.

Chemotherapy of trematode infections has been studied intensively in the past. The compounds so far used for the treatment of those parasitic infections were not satisfactory, however, because of their poor tolerability and/or their limited anthelmintic efficacy. Since the introduction of tartar emetic in 1918, a number of antimonial as well as non-antimonial preparations have been used for the treatment of schistosomiasis. In the treatment of clonorchiasis with antimony preparations, gentian violet, emetine HCl, chloroquine diphosphate and dithiazanine iodide, only temporary clinical improvement and negative or reduced egg counts could be achieved, but complete cure was not obtained. Although Hetol (or hexachloroparaxylol), prolonged administration of oral dehydroemetine and only two doses of niclofolan showed therapeutic effect on Clonorchis infection, side effects were observed in most of the treated cases. On the other hand, bithionol proved to be a drug of choice for paragonimiasis. However, the need of multiple doses and the many adverse reactions hampered its use in the field. Recently the newly developed praziquantel (2-cyclohexylcarbonyl-1,2,3,6,7,11b-hexahydro-4H-pyrazino-[2,1-a]+ ++isoquinolin -4-one, EMBAY 8440, Biltricide) proved to be safe and effective against trematodes and appears to be the drug of choice for infections due to all species of Schistosoma, Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini, Paragonimus spp. and Metagonimus yokogawai in man.