Although proper exercise training induces positive physiological effects, improper exercise can lead to injury, fatigue, and poor performance. The frequency, intensity, time/duration, type, volume, and progression (FITT-VP) are the essential components of exercise training to maintain or improve physical fitness and health. The purpose of this study was to develop specific exercise programs by applying the FITT-VP principle and to examine the effects on heart rate (HR) and hematological and biochemical parameters in dogs. The healthy male Beagles (n = 4) included in this study performed continuous and interval exercises, comprising 12 protocols. The HR monitoring elicited an affirmative response to activities but varied depending on the protocols. The hematologic parameters (e.g., red blood cell count, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) were within the reference ranges both before and after exercise. The creatine kinase level significantly increased, and the cholesterol level decreased after exercises. In conclusion, the continuous and interval exercise program elicits an appropriate HR reaction, has no adverse effects on the serum parameters, and provides valuable insight for healthcare in dogs.

Seven cases of Diphyllobothrium latum infection were proved by collection of worms after praziquantel treatment between October, 1986 and July, 1987. The patients were all males aged 20-44 years residing in Seoul or Ulungdo, Kyungpook Province. All of them had the history of eating several kinds of raw marine fishes, and they had never been to abroad. One of them experienced abdominal pain and 6 experienced natural discharge of a chain of worm segments, but none revealed any sign of anemia. Total 12 worms (1-3/patient) were collected after praziquantel treatment. The worms were 85-423 cm in length, and revealed the characteristic rosette-shape uterus in their gravid proglottides. The average egg size varied 61.0-65.3 x 41.7-46.1 microns. The eggs were yellowish-brown, and ovoid to elliptical. Including the present 7 cases, the total number of human D. latum infections proven by worms in Korea becomes 28 cases.

The complete life cycle of Echinostoma hortense has been maintained in the laboratory, using Lymnaea pervia snails and Rana nigromaculata tadpoles as the first and second intermediate hosts. ICR mice was used as the definitive host. Within the egg of E. hortense, the miracidium was fully matured in 13 days of incubation at 29-30 degrees C. The miracidium was 93.8 x 53.6 microns in average size, covered with numerous cilia of 7-11 microns length. The epidermal plates were arranged in 6-8-4-2 formula. The first generation rediae (1.19 x 0.27 mm in average size) were observed in 14 days after miracidial challenge to the snails, and the second generation rediae (1.40 x 0.26 mm in average size) in 30 days. The average size of the cercaria was 295.5 x 145.0 microns. Their head crown was poorly developed, and collar spines were not yet observed. After a cercarial challenge to the tadpoles, all of the tadpoles became infected and the average worm recovery rate was 88.5%. The majority of the metacercariae (75.5%) were recovered from the muscle of the tadpole's posterior body and the rest (24.3%) from their gills. The metacercariae from the tadpoles were elliptical, and 167.7 x 129.9 microns in average size. The recovery rate of adults from the mice was different by the age of the metacercariae grown in the tadpoles. The metacercariae younger than 5 hrs could not infect mice whereas those older than 6 hrs could infect mice. The recovery rate became higher as the metacercaria matured, with the peak recovery rate of 90.0% at the metacercarial age of 9 days. Thereafter the recovery rate decreased to 55.0% at the age of 50 days. As shown by the above results, the whole life cycle of E. hortense has been completed in the laboratory. At least 55-58 days were required to maintain one egg-to-egg cycle of E. hortense.

No abstract

This study was performed to observe the susceptibility of dogs and cats as definitive hosts of Paragonimus iloktsuenensis. The metacercariae of this fluke were obtained from Sesarma dehaani collected at a focus near the mouth of Sumjin river in November, 1986 and February, 1987. The larvae isolated from the crabs were introduced per os into 7 albino rats, 2 dogs and 3 cats. The adults were recovered from the experimental animals, and they were morphologically observed and measured. The results were as follows: 1. The recovery rate of adult worms at 42 days after infection was 53.3% from three albino rats, 21.0% from a dog and 12.7% from two cats. Most of the worms were recovered from the worm capsules in the lungs. 2. The size of worms recovered from albino rats, a dog, and cats 42 days after infection averaged 6.3 x 3.2 mm, 6.3 x 3.0 mm, or 6.2 x 3.5 mm, respectively. There were little differences in the morphology of worms by different experimental animals. 3. The size of eggs from a dog was 88.9 x 49.3 microns, and that from cats was 84.3 x 53.7 microns on average. Dogs and cats were good definitive hosts of P. iloktsuenensis. This fact suggests that human infection by this fluke may be possible if the metacercariae were ingested.