• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.289-291
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• 2008

3-year-old female Pitbull terrier dog that had been moved to Republic of Korea was diagnosed with Ehrlichia canis infection. Abnormal findings on a complete blood count (CBC) and serum chemistry profile were moderate anemia, mild thrombocytopenia, hyperproteinemia and hyperglobulinemia. Serologic screening test by a commercial ELISA kit for Ehrlichia canis was positive, and serum antibody titer was markedly high (> 1 : 10240). The morula of Ehrlichia organisms was not detected in buffy coat blood smears. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done using the peripheral blood and the result was negative. Based on the serologic test results and the clinical signs, the dog was diagnosed as ehrlichiosis. The dog responded well to doxycycline and was uneventfully recovered.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.653-659
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in the Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus). Pathogens were identified using PCR which included Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, and Theileria. Rickettsia was not detected, whereas Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Theileria infections were detected in 4, 2, and 8 animals, respectively. The most prevalent pathogen was Theileria. Of the 8 Theileria-positive animals, 2 were mixed-infected with 3 pathogens (Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Theileria) and another 2 animals showed mixed-infection with 2 pathogens (Anaplasma and Theileria). Sequencing analysis was used to verify the PCR results. The pathogens found in this study were identified as Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia canis, and Theileria sp. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report identifying these 3 pathogens in the Korean water deer. Our results suggest that the Korean water deer may serve as a major reservoir for these tick-borne pathogens, leading to spread of tick-borne diseases to domestic animals, livestock, and humans. Further studies are needed to investigate their roles in this respect.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.281-283
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• 2007

This study was conducted to survey of Ehrlichia (E.) canis and Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi antibodies among clinically healthy German shepherd dogs (116 females and 120 males) using a ELISA kit (SNAP 3Dx; IDEXX Laboratories, USA) in Korea. Whole blood samples are collected from the 236 dogs and are tested to detect E. canis and B. burgdorferi antibodies by using ELISA kit (SNAP 3Dx; IDEXX Laboratories, USA). Confidence interval comparisions revealed that dogs of 4-6 years have higher prevalence with a seropositive result (CI=0.17-0.45) in E. canis than the other age groups but there are no differences among age groups in B. burgdorferi. Also, no differences with a seropositive result were found among different regions in E. canis and B. burgdorferi antibodies. In conclusion, this study was the first large scale survey of canine E. canis and B. burgdorferi antibodies in Korea and provide an useful reference for clinicians.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.277-280
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• 2018

The report describes a case of natural E. ewingii infection confirmed by microscopic examination and molecular analyses in a domestic dog with acute lameness. After the diagnosis, the dog was successfully treated with oral doxycycline. To authors' knowledge, this is the first case report of natural E. ewingii infection in dogs in South Korea.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.204-210
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• 2011

The presence of the tick-borne pathogens Ehrlichia and Borrelia in German Shepherd dogs in Korea was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 291 dogs were randomly selected from five Korean provinces from October 2005 through September 2006. The seroprevalence of antibodies to canine Ehrlichia and Borrelia agents detected by ELISA (Snap$^{(R)}$ 3Dx$^{(R)}$ Test, IDEXX Laboratories) was 7.56% (22 dogs) and 1.72% (5 dogs) respectively, throughout the country. Positive antibodies against both pathogens were detected in two dogs (0.69%). The provincial distribution of seroprevalence against Ehrlichia was 1.28% (1 of 78) in Gyeonggi-do, 12.64% (11 of 87) in Gangwon-do, 9.76% (4 of 41) in Chungcheong-do, 8.93% (5 of 56) in Gyeongsang-do, and 3.45% (1 of 29) in Jeolla-do. According to PCR analysis, Ehrlichia chaffeensis target DNA was amplified in 3.09% (9 of 291 dogs) of blood samples, 2.41% (7 of 291) from Gangwon-do and 0.69% (2 of 291) from Chungcheong-do. The oligonucleotide sequences (SNU-EC3 and SNU-EC5) from the PCR fragment examined in Korea were closely related to E. chaffeensis isolated from the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis, in China and the state of Arkansas in the US. Based on these results, the presence of E. chaffeensis infection was identified in German Shepherds being bred in Korea. These results bring to light the importance of paying close attention to tick-borne infections such as Lyme disease during clinical diagnosis. This infectious disease should be included as a differential diagnosis for patients who participate in outdoor activity from spring to fall or who have thrombocytopenia or leucopenia.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 2006

Ticks cause economic losses to the deer industry by decreasing the growth and production of the farmed animals. The mediation of ticks affects humans and animals by causing contagious disease both directly and indirectly. Blood from farmed deer from the areas near Jangsu branch was collected for screening of infectious protozoa and rickettsial disease. Seventy deer blood samples were collected from 30 different deer farms located in Jinan, Jangsu and Muju. This blood samples were used for blood slide smear examination and hematological analysis. DNA from these samples was extracted and was used for PCR analysis for detection of gene fragments of Theileria spp, Babesia spp, Anaplasma spp and Ehrlichia spp. In the blood slide smear examination and PCR analysis all samples did not show presence of protozoal and rickettsial diseases. Eight blood samples showed anemia, 1 sample showed iron deficiency and 7 samples showed regenerative anemia. Results for PCR analysis showed 2 samples were positive for T orientalis. All DNA samples were negative for Babesia spp, Anaplasma spp, and Ehrlichia spp.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.187-193
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• 2008

Ehrlichia chaffeensis infects human and animals, and causes human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis (HME). It is emerging as a tick-borne zoonosis of concern. Although deer are important natural reservoir hosts of E chaffeensis, few surveys of deer in Korea for E chaffeensis have been conducted. Therefore, we conducted this study to confirm the occurrence of E chaffeensis in deer. To accomplish this study, we collected blood from total 27 deer and then polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and 16S rRNA sequence analyse to evaluate the samples for the presence of E chaffeensis. The results of this study indicated that 9 (33%) of the deer were infected with E chaffeensis. This is the first study to demonstrate that deer in Korea are infected with E chaffeensis, which indicates that they can act as a natural reservoir host for E chaffeensis.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.515-519
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• 2009

Antibodies to Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia chaffeensis were detected by the immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test in sera collected from cats, thoroughbred horses and Holstein cattle in Gwangju, Jeonju and Jeju Island of Korea. Two hundred fifty four sera (33 feral and pet cats, 92 grazing horses and 129 grazing cattle) were obtained from Republic of Korea. Antibodies to A. phagocytophilum (titer $\geq$ 80) were detected in 6 of the 33 feral and pet cats (18.2%), and 1 seropositive cat (3.0%) also had antibodies to E. chaffeensis. Only 1 of 129 (0.8%) cattle and 2 of 92 (2.2%) horses had antibodies to A. phagocytophilum. Antibodies to E. chaffeensis were not detected in either of these animals. This is the first report of serological evidence of A. phagocytophilum and E. chaffeensis from cats, cattle and horses in Korea. These rickettsial agents could have an important impact on human health or impact animal health with economic losses among industrial grazing animals in Korea.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.126-128
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• 2019

A 5-year-old male Labrador Retriever that lived outdoors was presented to the animal hospital with a right hind limb lameness. The lameness had been present for more than 10 days, and there was a severe swelling of the right stifle joint. The dog underwent physical, laboratory, and radiographic examinations. As a result, the dog was diagnosed with infectious monoarthropathy secondary to granulocytic ehrlichiosis. The dog received medication for the rickettsial arthritis and surgical treatment for reconstruction of the soft tissue damage caused by the infection. After treatment, the function of the dog's leg was recovered. This report describes a case of atypical monoarthropathy caused by ehrlichiosis in a dog.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2016

This study was carried out to investigate the tick-borne pathogens from one hundred nineteen cattle farms (38 farms of Andong, 41 of Yeongju, 12 of Uiseong, 5 of Cheongsong, 5 of Yoengyang, 18 of Bonghwa) in northern areas of Gyeongbuk province by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Among 119 cattle farms, the positive ratios against Babesia, Theileria, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and Rickettsia were 3.4% (4/119), 10.1% (12/119), 6.7% (8/119), 1.7% (2/119) and 16.8% (20/119), respectively. Also, the PCR results revealed that 8 farms were positive for T. sergenti in positive of Theileria and 2 farms were positive for A. phagocytophilum in positive of Anaplasma. Therefore, further studies regarding vectors, environmental condition, interaction between domestic and wild animals and development of control program are needed to reduce the numbers of bovine tick-borne disease in northern areas of Gyeongbuk province.