Ethanol is considered to activate the brain reward system by increasing the release of an endogenous opioid receptor ligand, β-endorphin. The polymorphism A118G in the µ-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) causes the amino acid change Asn40Asp and has been reported to affect the affinity of the ligand for the receptor. The association of this polymorphism with the vulnerability to alcohol dependence has been studied in many populations, but not yet in Japanese people. In the present study, we compared the frequencies of the polymorphism OPRM1 A118G between patients with alcohol dependence and healthy control subjects living in a Japanese provincial prefecture. We also genotyped a polymorphism, G1510A, in the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene (ALDH2), in which the A allele causes poor metabolism of acetaldehyde, a major metabolite of alcohol. Both OPRM1 118G and ALDH2 1510G were significantly associated with alcohol dependence. These results suggest that OPRM1 118G in addition to ALDH2 1510G might be one of the risk factors for alcohol dependence in Japanese people.

Of 247 rodents comprising 5 genera and 7 species collected at 17 sites throughout Japan from 2003 to 2005, Babesia microti was detected microscopically and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 36 rodents comprising 2 genera and 3 species from 12 sites. Based on the analysis of small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSUrDNA) sequences, the Kobe‐type, the etiological type of the first Japanese case of human infection was found in Apodemus speciosus and Apodemus argenteus in Aomori, the northernmost prefecture of the Japanese mainland, while the U.S.‐type was found on Hokkaido Island and the Otsu‐type was widely distributed. In addition, a new Otsu‐related type was detected exclusively in Eothenomys andersoni in Nagano, a prefecture in central Japan. The sequences of internal transcribed spacer 1 to 2 (ITS1/2) of the present Kobe‐ and Otsu‐types were almost identical to those of the same types previously identified. The ITS1/2 sequence of the U.S.‐type identified in Hokkaido in this survey was somewhat different from that of the U.S.‐type strain originating from the U.S.A., with approximately 95% identity. This value was similar to the 94% identity found between the ITS1/2 sequences of the Otsu‐type and the new Otsu‐related type. The new Otsu‐related type of B. microti was isolated as the Nagano strain, which was serologically differentiated from the other type strains of B. microti. The divergence and distribution of genotypes are important factors in investigating the epidemiology of human B. microti infection in Japan.

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This suggests that the rs6943555 and rs9886351 A-A haplotype might affect the vulnerability to alcohol dependence pathogenesis. Further studies are needed to confirm the reproducibility of the results of this study with increased numbers of subjects.