• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.579-581
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• 2013

In recent years, worldwide surveys of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dogs have been reported. However, only limited surveys of T. gondii infection in police dogs have been available, including China. In the present study, we report the seroprevalence of T. gondii in police dogs in Shenyang, northeastern China. Sera from 291 police dogs were examined for T. gondii antibodies with the modified agglutination test (MAT), and 30.9% animals were tested seropositive. The results of the present study indicated a relatively high prevalence of T. gondii infection in police dogs in Shenyang, China.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2010

This study was performed to test the hypothesis that Brucella abortus strain RB51 (SRB51) might protect Korean indigenous mongrel dog against challenge with either virulent B. abortus biotype 1 or B. canis. A total of 12 Korean mongrel dogs were divided into four groups (Group A, B, C and D). Dogs belonging to Group A and C were inoculated subcutaneously with $1{\times}10^9$ CFU of SRB51 in 1ml of sterile phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Dogs of Group B and D were inoculated subcutaneously with 1ml of sterile PBS as control. At 12 weeks post vaccination, dogs of Group A and B were challenged by oral inoculation of virulent strain of B. canis ($5.0{\times}10^9$ CFU) and dogs of Group C and D were challenged by oral inoculation of virulent strain of B. abortus biotype 1 ($4.4{\times}10^{10}$ CFU). The serum antibodies titers in all dogs were monitored at regular interval for eight weeks after challenge (AC) by standard tube agglutination test, plate agglutination test, rose bengal test, 2-mercaptoethanol rapid slide agglutination test and 2-mercaptoethanol tube agglutination test. No antibody titers in Group A and C was detected. Also, the challenge strains were not found from blood of all dogs of Group A and C from 1 week AC till the end of the experiment by culture and modified AMOS-PCR, whereas B. canis and B. abortus challenge strains were detected from blood of Group B and D, respectively. In addition, neither of two challenge bacteria was recovered from liver, spleen, kidneys, lymph nodes and reproductive tracts of Group A and C dogs after postmortem. However, B. canis and B. abortus challenge strains were isolated from these tissues of Group B and D, respectively. These data suggest that SRB51 could be a promising vaccine candidate for immunizing dogs to control canine brucellosis caused by B. canis or B. abortus.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.197-201
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• 2014

In Korea, brucellosis has been reported periodically in cattle and rarely in dogs; however, it has not previously been screened in domestic animals such as elk, pigs and goats. To investigate the serological prevalence, serum samples were taken from the aforementioned animals annually during 2007-2013 and screened by the rose-bengal test (RBT) or modified RBT, after which positive sera were evaluated by the standard tube agglutination test (STAT). Finally, RBT and STAT-positive sera were confirmed by competitive-ELISA. Brucella abortus biovar 1 was isolated from three elk that were shown to be positive serologically in 2008. There was no evidence of brucellosis in pigs. Based on serological monitoring and investigation of etiological agents, there is no evidence of outbreak of brucellosis in elk, pigs or goats of Korea since 2008. However, the possibility for brucellosis from cattle to affect these other livestock exists; therefore, extensive and continuous serological monitoring is required to maintain their brucellosis-free status.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2014

Pullorum disease and fowl typhoid are septicemic avian diseases transmitting through egg by transovarian infections. A series of tests has been performing in breeding flocks of chickens and test plans for proper inspection have been modified by government veterinary institute to control of such diseases. To improve inspection plans, different test methods were compared using fowl typhoid positive samples from a poultry farm located in Jeonbuk state in 2012. Based on first inspection, 11 samples among total 200 samples were positive by rapid slide agglutination (RSA) test and 7 samples among RSA positive samples were finally diagnosed as Salmonella Gallinarum infection by ELISA, bacterial isolation, PCR, and histopathologic examination. In the second inspection, 20 samples among total 100 samples were positive by RSA test. Among RSA positive ones, 19 samples were positive by ELISA, S. Gallinarm were successfully isolated in 3 samples, and 16 samples were positive by PCR in the cecal tonsils where were not successful for bacterial isolation. Based on histopathologic examination, severe inflammation in the 13 cecal tonsils and infiltration of lymphocytes and heterophils in the 11 livers were observed. Therefore, we suggest that bacterial isolation, PCR, and histopathologic examination methods in the third inspection need to be further used in various tissues for correct diagnosis and for final eradication of pullorum disease and fowl typhoid in breeding flocks of chickens.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.759-763
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• 2015

The breeding of domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) for human consumption has a long tradition in China. Infections that can affect the production of meat or even be transmitted from animals to humans are important to monitor, especially for public health reasons as well as for their impact on animal health. Thus, a total of 1,132 domestic rabbit sera from 4 regions in China were collected for serological screening for Encephalitozoon cuniculi and for Toxoplasma gondii by ELISA and modified agglutination test (MAT), respectively. Antibodies to E. cuniculi were detected in 248/1,132 (21.9%) sera tested while antibodies against T. gondii revealed a seroprevalence of 51/1,132 (4.5%). We believe that the present results are of epidemiological implications and public health importance due to the acknowledged susceptibility of humans to E. cuniculi and T. gondii infections. Therefore, routine screening tests of domestic rabbits are proposed considering the zoonotic potential of these parasites.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2009

Purpose : Neisseria meningitides is one of the most common causative pathogens of bacteremia and meningitis. Recently protein-conjugated vaccines have been developed and included in the routine vaccination schedule in a few countries. In Korea, carriage rates of N. meningitides among healthy adults have been reported. However, systematic data for childhood carriage rates are not available. This study was performed to evaluate the carriage rates of N. meningitides and the serotype distribution among healthy children attending day care centers. Methods : During the period of January through May 2005, nasopharyngeal swabs and culture were obtained from 904 children attending 13 different day care centers located in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The Vitek NHI card was used to identify N. meningitides and the crgA gene was detected via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serotype determination was performed by agglutination test using N. meningitides antisera to serotypes A, B, C, D, 29E, W135, X, Y, and Z. PCR for detection of the org2 and saiD gene confirmed serotypes A, B, C, W135, and Y. Results : The mean age among 904 children was 4.5 years; 6.5% (59/904) were children <2 years old, 53.8% (486/904) were 2-5 years old, and 39.7% (359/904) were >5 years old; 52.0% (468/904) were male. N. meningitides was isolated from only 7 children attending 5 different day care centers and the overall carriage rate of N. meningitides was 0.8%. The detected serotypes of N. meningitides were serotype A (n=2), C (n=2), and Y (n=3). Conclusion : The carriage rate of N. meningitides among healthy children attending day care centers was very low in Korea and the detected serotypes were A, C, and Y.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.363-367
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• 2013

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in birds has epidemiological significance because birds are indeed considered as a good indicator of environmental contamination by T. gondii oocysts. In this study, the prevalence of T. gondii in 313 house sparrows in Lanzhou, northwestern China was assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT). Antibodies to T. gondii were positive in 39 (12.46%) of 313 samples (MAT titer ${\geq}$ 1:5). Tissues of heart, brain, and lung from the 39 seropositive house sparrows were tested for T. gondii DNA, 11 of which were found to be positive for the T. gondii B1 gene by PCR amplification. These positive DNA samples were typed at 9 genetic markers, including 8 nuclear loci, i.e., SAG1, 5'- and 3'-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, GRA6, L358, PK1, c22-8 and an apicoplast locus Apico. Of them, 4 isolates were genotyped with complete data for all loci, and 2 genotypes (Type II variants; ToxoDB #3 and a new genotype) were identified. These results showed that there is a potential risk for human infection with T. gondii in this region. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. gondii seroprevalence in house sparrows in China.