Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

Detection of intestinal parasites in leopard cat fecal samples using shotgun metagenomics: Jun Ho Choi, Singeun Oh, Myung-hee Yi, Dongjun Kang, Du-Yeol Choi, Xavier Chavarria, Arwa Shatta, Yoon Hee Cho, Seongjun Choe, Seung-Hun Lee, Ju Yeong Kim; Parasites Hosts Dis 2025;63(4):349-353.
Published online November 19, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/PHD.25032

The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) is a wild felid species that serves as a reservoir of zoonotic parasites. In this study, we investigated intestinal parasite taxa by reanalyzing previously published shotgun metagenomic sequencing data from fecal samples of wild leopard cats using a custom 18S rRNA gene reference database constructed from the NCBI nucleotide database. Among 11 metagenomic samples, 5 parasite species were identified: Toxoplasma gondii, Clonorchis sinensis, Strongyloides planiceps, Cylicospirura petrowi, and Pharyngostomum cordatum. These findings demonstrate that shotgun metagenomic analysis of fecal samples can be a useful tool for monitoring zoonotic parasite infections in this species and for investigating parasite life cycles. However, this approach is limited by its dependence on existing reference databases and requires experimental validation of the findings.

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Detection of trichomonads in induced sputum from asthma patients in Korea: Myung-hee Yi, Myungjun Kim, Jun Ho Choi, Yoon Hee Cho, Hyun Kyung Oh, Jung-Won Park, Ju Yeong Kim; Parasites Hosts Dis 2025;63(3):254-257.
Published online August 20, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/PHD.25028

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Trichomonads are flagellated protozoa that have occasionally been detected in the human respiratory tract, although detection rates have often been underestimated. We applied a nested PCR assay targeting the 18S rRNA gene of trichomonads to induced sputum from asthma patients to determine the prevalence of Trichomonas. Induced sputum was collected from 41 adults with asthma and analyzed through nested PCR using broad-range trichomonad primers and DNA sequencing for species identification. Nested PCR detected trichomonad DNA in 10 of the 41 (24.4%) samples. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed Trichomonas tenax in 8 cases and Tetratrichomonas sp. in 2 cases. These findings indicate that trichomonads can be present in the lower airways of patients with asthma, warranting further investigation into their clinical relevance.

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The storage mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae induces greater lung inflammation than house dust mites in mice: Eun-Min Kim, Ju Yeong Kim, You Shine Kwak, Myung-Hee Yi, Tai-Soon Yong; Parasites Hosts Dis 2024;62(3):365-377.
Published online August 26, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/PHD.24032

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Exposure to storage mite (SM) and house dust mite (HDM) allergens is a risk factor for sensitization and asthma development; however, the related immune responses and their pathology have not been fully investigated. The HDMs Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and SM Tyrophagus putrescentiae are potent allergens that induce asthma. Most SM-related studies have focused on the allergic reactions of individuals by measuring their immunoglobulin (Ig)E expression. Considering the limited research on this topic, the present study aims to investigate the differences in the immune responses induced by HDMs and SMs and histologically analyze lung tissues in a mouse asthma model to understand the differential effects of HDM and SM. The results revealed that all mite species induced airway inflammation. Mice challenged with T. putrescentiae had the highest airway resistance and total cell, eosinophil, and neutrophil counts in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). The SM-sensitized groups showed more severe lesions and mucus hypersecretions than the HDM-sensitized groups. Although the degree of HDM and SM exposure was the same, the damage to the respiratory lung tissue was more severe in SM-exposed mice, which resulted in excessive mucin secretion and increased fibrosis. Furthermore, these findings suggest that SM sensitization induces a more significant hypersensitivity response in mucosal immunity than HDM sensitization in asthma models.

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Alterations in immunized antigens of Anisakis pegreffii by ampicillin-induced gut microbiome changes in mice: Myungjun Kim, Jun Ho Choi, Myung-hee Yi, Singeun Oh, Tai-Soon Yong, Ju Yeong Kim; Parasites Hosts Dis 2024;62(3):351-364.
Published online August 26, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/PHD.23114

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The gut microbiome plays an essential role in host immune responses, including allergic reactions. However, commensal gut microbiota is extremely sensitive to antibiotics and excessive usage can cause microbial dysbiosis. Herein, we investigated how changes in the gut microbiome induced by ampicillin affected the production of IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies in mice subsequently exposed to Anisakis pegreffii antigens. Ampicillin treatment caused a notable change in the gut microbiome as shown by changes in both alpha and beta diversity indexes. In a 1-dimensional immunoblot using Anisakis-specific anti-mouse IgG1, a 56-kDa band corresponding to an unnamed Anisakis protein was detected using mass spectrometry analysis only in ampicillin-treated mice. In the Anisakis-specific anti-mouse IgG2a-probed immunoblot, a 70-kDa band corresponding to heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) was only detected in ampicillin-treated and Anisakis-immunized mice. A 2-dimensional immunoblot against Anisakis extract with immunized mouse sera demonstrated altered spot patterns in both groups. Our results showed that ampicillin treatment altered the gut microbiome composition in mice, changing the immunization response to antigens from A. pegreffii. This research could serve as a basis for developing vaccines or allergy immunotherapies against parasitic infections.

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Ampicillin treated German cockroach extract leads to reduced inflammation in human lung cells and a mouse model of Asthma: Seogwon Lee, Myung-Hee Yi, Yun Soo Jang, Jun Ho Choi, Myungjun Kim, Soo Lim Kim, Tai-Soon Yong, Ju Yeong Kim; Parasites Hosts Dis 2023;61(1):60-71.
Published online February 22, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/PHD.22147

Cockroaches can cause allergic sensitization in humans via contact with their feces or frass. Antibiotics can affect concentration of major allergen and total bacteria production in German cockroaches (Blattella germanica). This study examined the ability of antibiotic-treated German cockroaches to induce allergic airway inflammation and the effect of antibiotics on their lipopolysaccharide and Bla g1, 2, and 5 expression levels. Specifically, we measured the ability of German cockroach extract (with or without prior antibiotic exposure) to induce allergic inflammation in human bronchial epithelial cells and a mouse model of asthma. Bacterial 16S rRNA and lipopolysaccharide levels were lower in ampicillin-treated cockroaches than in the control group. The Bla g1, Bla g2, and Bla g5 expression in ampicillin-treated cockroaches decreased at both the protein and RNA levels. In human bronchial epithelial cell lines BEAS-2B exposed to the ampicillin-treated extract, expression levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 were lower than that in the control group. The total cell count and eosinophil count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was also lower in mice exposed to the ampicillin-treated extract than in those exposed to normal cockroach extract. Mouse lung histopathology showed reduced immune cell infiltration and mucus production in the ampicillin group. Our results showed that ampicillin treatment reduced the symbiont bacterial population and major allergen levels in German cockroaches, leading to reduced airway inflammation in mice. These results can facilitate the preparation of protein extracts for immunotherapy or diagnostics applications.

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Asthma research in mice: An overview of current models and their methodological variability
Yan-Jiao Chen, Cai-Tao Chen, Gabriel Shimizu Bassi, Yong-Qing Yang
International Reviews of Immunology.2025; 44(3): 127. CrossRef
Invasive indoor pests under the microbiological lens: bacterial and viral diversity from local to global scales in bed bugs and cockroaches
Jose E Pietri, Maureen Laroche
Current Opinion in Insect Science.2025; 69: 101344. CrossRef
Multi-omics of cockroaches infected with Salmonella Typhimurium identifies molecular signatures of vector colonization
Diing DM Agany, Eduardo A. Callegari, Maria D. Paez, Jose E. Pietri
BMC Genomics.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Microbiome of laboratory‐reared and environmentally collected cockroaches
Sohyeon Yun, Jun Ho Choi, Singeun Oh, Myungjun Kim, Myung‐hee Yi, Dongjun Kang, Yun Soo Jang, In‐Yong Lee, Tai‐Soon Yong, Juan Kim, Heung Chul Kim, Jae Rok Lee, Ju Yeong Kim
Entomological Research.2024;[Epub] CrossRef

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Microbiome of Haemaphysalis longicornis Tick in Korea: Myungjun Kim, Ju Yeong Kim, Myung-hee Yi, In-Yong Lee, Dongeun Yong, Bo-Young Jeon, Tai-Soon Yong; Korean J Parasitol 2021;59(5):489-496.
Published online October 22, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2021.59.5.489

Ticks can transmit pathogenic bacteria, protozoa, and viruses to humans and animals. In this study, we investigated the microbiomes of Haemaphysalis longicornis according to sex and life stages. The Shannon index was significantly higher for nymphs than adult ticks. Principal coordinates analysis showed that the microbiome composition of female adult and male adult ticks were different. Notably, Coxiella-like bacterium (AB001519), known as a tick symbiont, was found in all nymphs and female adult ticks, but only one out of 4 male adult ticks had Coxiella-like bacterium (AB001519). In addition, Rickettsia rickettsii, Coxiella burnetii, and Anaplasma bovis were detected in this study.

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Unveiling the Presence of Coxiella-like bacteria in Rhipicephalus microplus Ticks from Punjab, North India: A 16S rRNA metagenomic study
Vikas Sharma, Shriya Goel, Kamlesh Bisht, Taruna Kaura, Salony Verma, Abhishek Mewara, Gagandeep Singh Grover, Manisha Biswal
Veterinary Microbiology.2026; 312: 110783. CrossRef
Microbiome Composition of Haemaphysalis flava in Korea and Diversity Analysis Based on Region, Developmental Stage, and Sex
Min Kyu Sang, Jie eun Park, Dae Kwon Song, Jun Yang Jeong, Chan‐Eui Hong, Hyeonjun Shin, Hyeok Lee, Kyoung Won Lee, Hee Ju Hwang, Hyun woo Kim, Seong Yoon Kim, Wook‐Gyo Lee, So Young Park, Se Won Kang, Jung Han Park, Bharat Bhusan Patnaik, Sung‐Jae Cha, S
Entomological Research.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Analysis of tick-borne pathogens using next-generation sequencing in ticks from wild animals in the Republic of Korea
Hye-Ryung Byun, Mi-Sun Rieu, Seong-Ryeong Ji, Hyun-Young Nam, Seulgi Seo, Chang-Yong Choi, Ki-Jeong Na, Jong-Taek Kim, Soyeon Cho, Bo-Yeon Hwang, Joon-Seok Chae
Journal of Veterinary Science.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Nationwide investigation of eukaryotic pathogens in ticks from cattle and sheep in Kyrgyzstan using metabarcoding
Singeun Oh, Nathalie Amvongo-Adjia, Hyun Jung Kim, Jun Ho Choi, Xavier Chavarria, Myung-hee Yi, Arwa Shatta, Bekbolsun Aknazarov, Ju Yeong Kim, Jung-Won Ju, Bekir Oguz
PLOS One.2025; 20(8): e0327953. CrossRef
Microbiome of Invasive Tick Species Haemaphysalis longicornis in North Carolina, USA
Loganathan Ponnusamy, Nicholas Travanty, D. Watson, Steven Seagle, Ross Boyce, Michael Reiskind
Insects.2024; 15(3): 153. CrossRef
Organ-specific bacterial microbiota in the engorged female Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks
Sisi Li, Chen Yang, Yufan Zhang, Kaili Chen, Xiaoyu Zhang, Jingze Liu, Yankai Zhang
International Journal of Acarology.2024; 50(3): 320. CrossRef
Effect of Silencing subolesin and enolase impairs gene expression, engorgement and reproduction in Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks
Md. Samiul Haque, Mohammad Saiful Islam, Myung-Jo You
Journal of Veterinary Science.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Microbiome of two adult tick species and their laboratory-reared offspring shows intra- and inter-species differences
Joshua Kamani, Jonathan Gonçalves-Oliveira, Jerome Nicolas Janssen, Joby Robleto Quesada, Yaarit Nachum-Biala, Shimon Harrus, Ricardo Gutiérrez
Acta Tropica.2024; 257: 107315. CrossRef
Comparative microbiome analysis of Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks at the Korea Combat Training Center in 2022
Minsung Kim, Singeun Oh, Myung‐hee Yi, Myungjun Kim, Sohyeon Yun, Jun Ho Choi, Moonsoo Yoon, Tai‐Soon Yong, Buddle Lee, Kyung Tae Noh, Quehn Park, Chanhee Lee, Ju Yeong Kim
Entomological Research.2023; 53(12): 627. CrossRef
Bacterial microbiota analysis demonstrates that ticks can acquire bacteria from habitat and host blood meal
Si-Si Li, Xiao-Yu Zhang, Xue-Jiao Zhou, Kai-Li Chen, Abolfazl Masoudi, Jing-Ze Liu, Yan-Kai Zhang
Experimental and Applied Acarology.2022; 87(1): 81. CrossRef
Characterization of Haemaphysalis longicornis microbiome collected from different regions of Korean peninsula
Min Kyu Sang, Jie eun Park, Dae Kwon Song, Jun Yang Jeong, Hee Ju Hwang, Hyun woo Kim, Tae Yun Kim, So Young Park, Se Won Kang, Bharat Bhusan Patnaik, Sung‐Jae Cha, Yeon Soo Han, Hee Il Lee, Yong Seok Lee
Entomological Research.2022; 52(6): 271. CrossRef
The toxicity of the monoterpenes from lemongrass is mitigated by the detoxifying symbiosis of bacteria and fungi in the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis
Desmond O. Agwunobi, Min Wang, Zihao Wang, Ruwei Bai, Ruotong Wang, Qiuyu Hu, Zhijun Yu, Jingze Liu
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.2022; 247: 114261. CrossRef

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Comparative Microbiome Analysis of Three Species of Laboratory-Reared Periplaneta Cockroaches: Seogwon Lee, Ju Yeong Kim, Myung-hee Yi, In-Yong Lee, Won-Ja Lee, Hye Su Moon, Dongeun Yong, Tai-Soon Yong; Korean J Parasitol 2020;58(5):537-542.
Published online October 22, 2020; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2020.58.5.537

Cockroaches inhabit various habitats, which will influence their microbiome. Although the microbiome can be influenced by the diet and environmental factors, it can also differ between species. Therefore, we conducted 16S rDNAtargeted high-throughput sequencing to evaluate the overall bacterial composition of the microbiomes of 3 cockroach species, Periplaneta americana, P. japonica, and P. fuliginosa, raised in laboratory for several generations under the same conditions. The experiments were conducted using male adult cockroaches. The number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) was not significantly different among the 3 species. With regard to the Shannon and Pielou indexes, higher microbiome values were noted in P. americana than in P. japonica and P. fuliginosa. Microbiome composition was also evaluated, with endosymbionts accounting for over half of all OTUs in P. japonica and P. fuliginosa. Beta diversity analysis further showed that P. japonica and P. fuliginosa had similar microbiome composition, which differed from that of P. americana. However, we also identified that P. japonica and P. fuliginosa host distinct OTUs. Thus, although microbiome compositions may vary based on multiple conditions, it is possible to identify distinct microbiome compositions among different Periplaneta cockroach species, even when the individuals are reared under the same conditions.

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The Medical Importance of Cockroaches as Vectors of Pathogens: Implications for Public Health
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Diversity, antibacterial and phytotoxic activities of actinomycetes associated with Periplaneta fuliginosa
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Composition and diversity of the gut microbiota across different life stages of American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)
Zhiyu Chen, Sihao Wen, Juan Shen, Jie Wang, Wenbin Liu, Xiaobao Jin
Bulletin of Entomological Research.2023; 113(6): 787. CrossRef
Of Cockroaches and Symbionts: Recent Advances in the Characterization of the Relationship between Blattella germanica and Its Dual Symbiotic System
Amparo Latorre, Rebeca Domínguez-Santos, Carlos García-Ferris, Rosario Gil
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Kara A. Tinker, Elizabeth A. Ottesen
Frontiers in Microbiology.2021;[Epub] CrossRef

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5 Web of Science
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Reactivity of German Cockroach Allergen, Bla g 2, Peptide Fragments to IgE Antibodies in Patients' Sera: Haeseok Lee, Kyoung Yong Jeong, Kwang Hyun Shin, Myung-hee Yi, Darambazar Gantulaga, Chein-Soo Hong, Tai-Soon Yong; Korean J Parasitol 2008;46(4):243-246.
Published online December 20, 2008; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2008.46.4.243

Abstract
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Bla g 2 is a cockroach allergen of great importance. This study was conducted to identify IgE-binding epitope(s) of Bla g 2 using the recombinant protein technique. Approximately 50% of tested sera showed IgE reactivity to Pichia-expressed Bla g 2 (PrBla g 2) and E. coli-expressed Bla g 2 (ErBla g 2). Only 5.3% of serum samples showed stronger reactivity to PrBla g 2 than ErBla g 2, indicating that serum was reactive to conformational or carbohydrate epitopes. The full-length and 5 peptide fragments of Bla g 2 were produced in E. coli. All fragments showed IgE-binding activity to the cockroach-allergy patients' sera. Specifically, peptide fragments of amino acid residue 1-75 and 146-225 appeared to be important for IgE-binding. The information about the IgE-binding epitope of Bla g 2 can aid in the diagnosis and treatment for cockroach allergies.

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IgE-Binding Epitope Mapping and Tissue Localization of the Major American Cockroach Allergen Per a 2
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Preparation and Characterization of an Extract of German Cockroach From a Korean Source
Kyoung Yong Jeong, Soo-Young Choi, Jae-Hyun Lee, Joo-Shil Lee, Tai-Soon Yong, Chein-Soo Hong, Jung-Won Park
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Identification of Novel Allergenic Components from German Cockroach Fecal Extract by a Proteomic Approach
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Sensitization to per a 2 of the American cockroach correlates with more clinical severity among airway allergic patients in Taiwan
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