• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.63-67
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• 2012

Mosquitoes are the vectors of a number of viral diseases in cattle, such as Akabane disease, bovine ephemeral fever, Ainovirus infection, Chuzan virus infection, and Ibaraki disease. These diseases are transmitted from an infected animal to a non-infected host via the blood feeding of the vector. In Korea, the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Services, Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is responsible for planning, implementation, laboratory investigations and reporting the results of the national surveillance program for mosquito-borne bovine diseases (MBD). The surveillance program, which was started in 1993, focused to determine the seroprevalence of each disease in cattle herds in space and time. From the epidemiological point of view, more important component of the surveillance program is to monitor infection rates in vectors for specific pathogens because this information is essential for a more precise understanding the dynamics of these diseases in a given environment and for determining risk of transmission. The aim of this study was to describe and compare methods for estimation of vector infection rates using maximum likelihood (MLE) and minimum infection rate in pooled samples. Factors affecting MLE such as number of pools, pooling size and diagnostic test performance are also discussed, assuming some hypothetical sampling scenarios for MBD.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.14.1-14.17
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• 2021

Scrub typhus develops after the individual is bitten by a trombiculid mite infected with Orientia tsutsugamushi. Since it has been reported that pneumonia is frequently observed in patients with scrub typhus, we investigated whether intranasal (i.n.) vaccination with the outer membrane protein of O. tsutsugamushi (OMPOT) would induce a protective immunity against O. tsutsugamushi infection. It was particular interest that when mice were infected with O. tsutsugamushi, the bacteria disseminated into the lungs, causing pneumonia. The i.n. vaccination with OMPOT induced IgG responses in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. The anti-O. tsutsugamushi IgA Abs in BAL fluid after the vaccination showed a high correlation of the protection against O. tsutsugamushi. The vaccination induced strong Ag-specific Th1 and Th17 responses in the both spleen and lungs. In conclusion, the current study demonstrated that i.n. vaccination with OMPOT elicited protective immunity against scrub typhus in mouse with O. tsutsugamushi infection causing subsequent pneumonia.

• 대한지리학회지
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• 제47권5호
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• pp.677-699
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• 2012

기후변화가 가져올 벡터매개 질병(vector-borne diseases or VBDs)의 증가는 인구 집단의 건강에 대한 중요한 위협 요인이며, 앞으로 국제사회가 심각하게 대처해야 할 공중보건 문제로 부각되고 있다. 지구온난화로 대표되는 광범위한 기후변화로 한반도 기후 특성이 아열대화 되어가는 가운데, 토지이용, 인구분포, 생태환경 변화에 따른 영향으로 각종 질병의 발생과 확산 가능성이 유례없이 높아지고 있다. 특히, 모기, 진드기와 같은 매개체에 의해 전염되는 벡터매개 질병은 최근 20년 동안 이들 매개 곤충의 서식범위가 확대되어 질병 발생 빈도가 현격하게 증가했다. 보건지리학은 국지적인 환경과 보건 자료뿐 아니라 보다 광역적인 자료들을 통합하여 처리, 분석하고, 공간 및 비공간 자료간의 연관성 또는 상호관계를 파악하여 궁극적으로 질병의 시공간적 변화를 탐구하는 것에 초점을 두고 발전되어 왔다. 인문 및 자연환경 요인들을 GIS를 통해 다면적으로 분석하여, 개인의 건강관련 지표들과의 상관성을 기술하고 분석하는 공간역학(spatial epidemiology)은 보건지리학의 새로운 영역으로, 공간과학, 환경과학, 그리고 역학을 세 가지 주요 축으로 하여 급속히 성장하고 있다. 향후 보건지리학이 기여할 수 있는 주요 연구영역 중 하나로는, 보건 연구에서 주요 수단으로 사용되고 있는 보건 감시체계에 지리정보시스템을 기반으로 한 모니터링 시스템을 도입하는 것을 들 수 있다. 특히, 실시간 모니터링 방법론, 조기발생 감식 시스템의 구축, 그리고 관련 요인들의 공간변이를 예측하는 연구 등은 벡터매개 질병의 역학을 이해하는 데 필수적인 주요 연구 과제들이 될 것이다.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.287-289
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the detection of various vector-borne pathogens in such cats. A total of 48 stray cats collected in Daejeon were included in this study. The total positive rate of hemotropic mycoplasmas and Babesia spp. was 25% and 4%, respectively. It is recommended that species-level classification of hemotropic mycoplasmas and Babesia spp. is needed and that a large-scale prevalence study of infectious agents in all the regions of South Korea be conducted.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제60권1호
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• pp.15-18
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• 2020

Canine heartworm disease is a vector-borne disease that is transmitted from dog to dog by mosquitoes. It causes epidemics that disrupt the health environments of dogs and are burdensome for many dog owners. Recent trends of changing temperatures and weather conditions in South Korea may have an impact on the population of mosquitoes, and it affects the population of dogs at risk of heartworm infection. Mathematical modeling has become an important measure for analyzing the epidemiological characteristics of infectious diseases. However, canine heartworm infection transmission has not been reported yet through mathematical modeling. We develop a mathematical model of canine heartworm infection to predict the population of infected dogs depending on the vector (mosquito) population using a susceptible, exposed, infected, and recovered model. Simulation results show that after 1 year, 3,289 dogs out of 73,602 (about 4.5%) are exposed and 134 (about 0.2%) are infected. Only 0.2% of susceptible dogs become infected after 1 year. However, if all exposed dogs are maintained in the same circumstances without any treatment, then the number of infected subjects will increase over time. This may increase the possibility of other dogs, especially dogs that live outside, being infected.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제35권5호
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• pp.175-177
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• 2018

The objective of this polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based research was to determine the prevalence of vector-borne pathogens in stray cats in Yangju and Gwacheon cities, South Korea. Total 50 stray cats were sampled for this PCR-based survey; 33 samples and 17 samples were collected from Yangju and Gwacheon cities, respectively. Total positive presence rates were 6%, 6% and 24% for hemotropic mycoplasmas, Rickettsia spp. and Babesia spp., respectively in this study. Babesia spp. was the predominant pathogen present in the stray cats of both cities followed by hemotropic mycoplasmas and Rickettsia spp. It is recommended that a large-scale study of the prevalence of infectious agents among stray cats should be undertaken in all regions of South Korea.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제23권6호
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• pp.47.1-47.16
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• 2023

Scrub typhus, a mite-borne infectious disease, is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi. Despite many attempts to develop a protective strategy, an effective preventive vaccine has not been developed. The identification of appropriate Ags that cover diverse antigenic strains and provide long-lasting immunity is a fundamental challenge in the development of a scrub typhus vaccine. We investigated whether this limitation could be overcome by harnessing the nanoparticle-forming polysorbitol transporter (PST) for an O. tsutsugamushi vaccine strategy. Two target proteins, 56-kDa type-specific Ag (TSA56) and surface cell Ag A (ScaA) were used as vaccine candidates. PST formed stable nano-size complexes with TSA56 (TSA56-PST) and ScaA (ScaA-PST); neither exhibited cytotoxicity. The formation of Ag-specific IgG2a, IgG2b, and IgA in mice was enhanced by intranasal vaccination with TSA56-PST or ScaA-PST. The vaccines containing PST induced Ag-specific proliferation of CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cells. Furthermore, the vaccines containing PST improved the mouse survival against O. tsutsugamushi infection. Collectively, the present study indicated that PST could enhance both Ag-specific humoral immunity and T cell response, which are essential to effectively confer protective immunity against O. tsutsugamushi infection. These findings suggest that PST has potential for use in an intranasal vaccination strategy.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제58권3호
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• pp.301-308
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• 2020

Owing to global climate change, the global resurgence of vector-borne infectious diseases and their potential to inflict widespread casualties among human populations has emerged as a pivotal burden on public health systems. Tsutsugamushi disease (scrub typhus) in the Republic of Korea is steadily increasing and was designated as a legal communicable disease in 1994. The disease is a mite-borne acute febrile disease most commonly contracted from October to December. In this study, we tried to determine the prevalence of tsutsugamushi disease transmitted by chigger mites living on rodents and investigated their target vector diversity, abundance, and distribution to enable the mapping of hotspots for this disease in 2015. A total of 5 species belonging to 4 genera (109 mites): Leptotrombidium scutellare 60.6%, L. pallidum 28.4% Neotrombicula tamiyai 9.2%, Euschoengastia koreaensis/0.9%), and Neoschoengastia asakawa 0.9% were collected using chigger mite collecting traps mimicking human skin odor and sticky chigger traps from April to November 2015. Chigger mites causing tsutsugamushi disease in wild rodents were also collected in Hwaseong for the zoonotic surveillance of the vector. A total of 77 rodents belonging to 3 genera: Apodemus agrarius (93.5%), Crocidura lasiura (5.2%), and Micromys minutus (1.3%) were collected in April, October, and November 2015. The most common mite was L. pallidum (46.9%), followed by L. scutellare (18.6%), and L. orientale (18.0%). However, any of the chigger mite pools collected from rodent hosts was tested positive for Orientia tsutsugamushi, the pathogen of tsutsugamushi disease, in this survey.

• 농촌의학ㆍ지역보건
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.172-176
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• 1991

Lyme disease, or Lyme borreliosis. is an infection caused by spirohete Borrellia burgdorferi. This disease was recognized in Lyme, Conneticut U.S.A. in 1975. The onset of the disease is usually heralded by the appearance of a pathognomic skin lesion, known as erythema chronicum migrans, and accompanied by flue like or meningitis like symptoms. Unless treatment is initiated early, the disease usually disseminated, often resulting carduac, neurologic, or joint manifestations. All stages of the disease are usually curable by appropriate antibiotic therapy, and can prevent severe late cardiac, neurologic, and joint complications. Lyme disease is typically defined by clinical evidence supported by serologic test. The diagnosis require serologic confirmantion of erythema chronicum migrans, occurring in patient in nonendemic countries. Determination of antibody titer against B. burgdorferi by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) currently the most practical diagnostic test. Currently Lyme disease occurs in U.S.A. Europe, and Australia. It has recently recognized in China, Japan, and Soviet Union also. In United States, Lyme disease is most common vector borne infection. There is no reported case of patients with this disease in Korea. But the vector of this disease, -Ixodes ticks- had been identified in Korea. And Korea is geographically closely related to China and Japan where Lyme disease is already reported. We expect first case of Lyme disease could he reported in near future. We review the clinical manifestations and diagnostic method of Lyme disease.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제59권6호
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• pp.615-623
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• 2021

Human sparganosis is a food-borne parasitic disease caused by the plerocercoids of Spirometra species. Clinical diagnosis of sparganosis is crucial for effective treatment, thus it is important to identify sensitive and specific antigens of plerocercoids. The aim of the current study was to identify and characterize the immunogenic proteins of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei plerocercoids that were recognized by patient sera. Crude soluble extract of the plerocercoids were separated using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled with immunoblot and mass spectrometry analysis. Based on immunoblotting patterns and mass spectrometry results, 8 antigenic proteins were identified from the plerocercoid. Among the proteins, cysteine protease protein might be developed as an antigen for diagnosis of sparganosis.