• 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.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 1998

To investigate the distribution of Borrelia burgdorferi and human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) agent in ticks, adult ixodid ticks of Ixodes spp. and Haemaphysalis spp. were collected from the high mountain areas of Kangwon Province. Using DNAs extracted and purified in the collected ticks, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to amplify the specific nucleotide sequences of both agents. Of the 516 ticks, a total of 68 (13.2%) ticks was positive for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato with PCR analysis (2 for B. burgdorferi sensu stricto； 1 for B. afzelii；33 for B. garinii； 8 for B. tanukii；4 for B. turdae). However a little more than half of PCR-positive ticks (37/68) was found to be positive in the southern blot analysis with Bl6S oligonucleotide probe. One hundred and one (19.2%) ticks were positive for Ehrlichia spp. in PCR, and a quarter of them (25/101) was positive in southern blot with El6S oligonucleotide probe. But none of them was found to be the DNA of HGE agent. And 0.6% (3/516) ticks were positive for both of B. burgdorferi sensu late and Ehrlirhia spp. These findings might implicate the possibility of the outbreak of Iyme borreliosis and ehrlichiosis in Korea, and more extensive studies may be need for the diagnosis of multiple tick-borne diseases.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.20.1-20.8
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• 2022

Background: Emergent and re-emergent canine tick-borne infections are attracting increasing attention worldwide. The rise in pet ownership and the close relationship between dogs and their owners are the most concerning factors because dogs may act as competent reservoirs for human tick-transmitted infectious agents. Objectives: This study contributes to the epidemiological surveillance of canine tick-transmitted infections with zoonotic risk in the Republic of Korea (ROK) by investigating the seroprevalence of the pathogens, Anaplasma spp., Borrelia burgdorferi, and Ehrlichia canis. Methods: Four hundred and thirty whole blood samples from domestic dogs were collected in seven metropolitan cities and nine provinces in the ROK and tested using SensPERT Ab test kits (VetAll Laboratories^®) to detect seroreactive animals. Results: The seroprevalence rates identified were 9.8% (42/430) for Anaplasma spp., 2.8% (12/430) for B. burgdorferi, and 1.4% (6/430) for E. canis. The risk factors evaluated in this study that could be associated with the development of a humoral immune response, such as sex, age, and history of tick exposure, were similar. There was only one exception for dogs seroreactive to Anaplasma spp., where the risk factor "tick exposure" was statistically significant (p = 0.047). Conclusions: This serological survey exhibited the widespread presence of Anaplasma spp., B. burgdorferi, and E. canis throughout the ROK. Hence, dogs may play a key role as the sentinel animals of multiple zoonotic infectious agents in the country.

• 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.

• 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.44 no.2
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• pp.93-102
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• 2021

In this study, a total of 9,449 hard ticks were collected once a month from April to October 2020 from a neighborhood park in Daejeon by flagging & dragging method and CO₂ manned trap method. The collected ticks were classified according to the Yamagutsi search table using a stereoscopic microscope and molecular biological analysis of four pathogens (SFTSV, Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., Borrellia spp.). As a result of the study, Haemaphysalis longicornis were collected the most in all areas of the five boroughs at a rate of 82 to 96 percent, while adults were collected the most in May to July, nymphs were collected the most in April to June, and larvae from August to October at a rate of 78 percent to 98 percent. In pathogens, three cases of SFTSV were detected, showing a minimum infection rate (MIR) of 0.46%, while Anaplasma spp. and Ehrlichia spp. were detected one each, with 0.15% and Borrelia spp. with a minimum infection rate of 0.46%. The detected SFTSV showed 99.9% homogeneity with the KF781490 detected in Cheongwon-gun, Chungbuk Province, Anaplasma spp. showed 99.0% homogeneity with JN990105 detected in China, and Erhlichia spp. showed 98.9% genetic similarity with U96436 separated from the U.S. In this study, the distribution status and pathogen infection rate of the hard ticks in the Daejeon area are analyzed and provided as basic data for the prevention of the hard tick-borne infectious disease.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.79-88
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• 2017

The study of canine vector-borne diseases in the Philippines started in the 1970s but only gained interest in the past decade. Characterization of such diseases in the Philippines remains incomplete, thus, it is necessary to obtain additional information on the prevalence and diversity of canine tick-borne diseases in the country. In this study, blood samples were obtained at two veterinary clinics in Metro Manila, Philippines from 114 dogs suspected of having canine tick-borne pathogens. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on whole blood DNA extracts followed by sequencing, and the following pathogens were detected: Hepatozoon (H.) canis (5.26%), Babesia (B.) vogeli (5.26%), Ehrlichia (E.) canis (4.39%), and Anaplasma platys (3.51%). Additionally, a set of multiplex PCR primers were developed to detect H. canis, Babesia spp. (B. canis and B. vogeli), and E. canis in canine blood. Multiplex and conventional single-reaction PCR results for the 114 dog blood samples were similar, except for one H. canis sample. Multiplex PCR is, therefore, a useful tool in screening infected dogs in veterinary clinics. This study's results, together with those of previous studies in the country, show that canine vector-borne pathogens are an emerging veterinary concern in the Philippines.