It is suggested that Haemophilus paragallinarum requires at least three haemagglutinins for adhesion during infection. This paper reports the partial purification and characterization of the HA-L haemagglutinin from H. paragallinarum strain 46-C3, a heat sensitive, trypsin sensitive haemagglutinin that has been shown to be the serovar specific haemagglutinin in this organism. Using the pi and molecular mass obtained, it was shown that this protein shares similarities with other types of adhesins found in Gram-negative bacteria. The haemagglutination assay conditions were optimized at pH 7.5 at 37 °C. It was also shown that activity is enhanced by the addition of Ca²+ and Mn²+ ions.

In three trials conducted on two separate farms the production of sheep treated for naturally acquired haemonchosis using the FAMACHA© system of targeted selective treatment (TST) (i.e. to treat only those animals unable to manage unaided in the face of heavy Haemonchus challenge) was compared to that of suppressively drenched sheep in the same flock. As expected by the research team who developed and evaluated the FAMACHA© system, TST did result in some loss in production. However, despite high levels of worm challenge in two of the trials and the fact that the comparison was with suppressive drenching which is not sustainable, the total effect was relatively small in relation to the important advantage of using the TST as regards reduced selection for anthelmintic resistance (AR). Concerning the sustainability of worm control, it is concluded that the development of drug resistance to anthelmintics leaves sheep and goat farmers in South Africa no choice but to use methods of TST such as FAMACHA©. The FAMACHA© system can also be a useful clinical aid for early on-farm detection of AR by farmers; the degree of improvement in the colour of the ocular mucous membrane from pale to red in individually drenched anaemic animals over a period of 7-14 days can give a good indication of the efficacy of the compound(s) used.

A method for the quantification of eugenol in the medicinal herb Clove was developed and validated. For preparation of sample solutions clove was dried at 60℃ for 2h and ground by mixer and extracted with 95% ethanol for shaking extraction. The elutes were analyzed by HPLC system included a reversed phase column, a isocratic mobile phase of 60% methanol and PDA detector set at 280 nm. Calibration graphs were linear with very good correlation coefficients(r² greater then 0.9999) from 0.0125~1 ㎍/ml. The limit of detection per sample injection (20 ㎕) was 0.81 ng/㎕ and limit of quantification was 2.47 ng/㎕. The method showed good intra-day precision (%RSD 0.08~0.27%) and inter-day precision (%RSD 0.32~1.19%).

This study was carried out to evaluate the antitumor, hepatoprotective and antimutagenic activities on hot water extract of Phellinus gilvus (PGE). Growth of tumor in mice that were orally given 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 gㆍkg-¹ dose of PGE was inhibited in a dose-dependant manner (p less than 0.05). The hepatoprotective effect of PGE in the carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-intoxicated rats was studied. In CCl₄+PGE groups, PGE was orally administered with 100 mg/kg/day dose 7 days before the treatment of CCl₄. The serum activity of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in CCl₄+PGE group were decreased at a rate of 59.6% and 54.1% compared with those in CCl₄ group, respectively (p less than 0.05). Also, total cholesterol and triglyceride in CCl₄+PGE group were significantly decreased at a rate of 90% and 73.6% compared with those in CCl₄ group (p less than 0.05). In the Ames test, we confirmed PGE doesn't have any activity as a mutant, and PGE showed inhibitory effect against mutagenesis induced by 2-amino fluride and sodium azide in Salmonella typhimurium TA98, TA100 and TA 1535 in a dose-dependent manner. From the above results, we may suggest that PGE might have useful as a material for functional food and/or animal pharmaceutics.

The trend in the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in Korean dairy cattle was investigated in relation to test programs used between 1961 and 2004, during which a total of 8,961,061 dairy cows were tested and 10,248 confirmed to have BTB. The annual prevalence increased in the late 1960s, then decreased during the 1970s and 1980s, and started to increase again from the late 1990s. It seemed that the prevalence varies according to the different test program used. The prevalence of BTB was higher when the tests were performed with heat-concentrated synthetic medium (HCSM) or purified protein derivative (PPD) tuberculin alone compared to that when using combined HCSM and PPD tuberculin testing.

In total, 1,142 serum samples were collected from 223 goat flocks rising in five different regions of Korea. These samples were screened for the presence of border disease virus (BDV) antibodies using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Of the 1,142 samples, we found 47 bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) positive cases (4.1%). These positive serum samples were also examined further by using the virus neutralization test against BDV. In addition, samples were tested for both BVDV and classical swine fever virus (CSFV). All of the samples that were seropositive for BDV also demonstrated positive antibody titers against BVDV and CSFV. Due to their common antigenicity, we also determined further the prevalence and carried out virus neutralization test against three pestiviruses: 314 of the goat samples were screened using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with primer pairs specific to common pestivirus genome regions. Overall, 1.6% (5/314) of the samples tested was positive for pestivirus. Based on the nucleotide sequence data and the phylogenetic analysis, three isolates were characterized as BVDV type 1 and two isolates as BVDV type 2. However, none of the isolates could be classified as BDV. These results indicate that BVDV-1 and BVDV-2 are the pestivirus strains circulating among Korean goat populations.

Mesenteric torsion was diagnosed in a 2-year-old, spayed female Miniature Schnauzer. The patient was presented with acute depression, vomiting, lethargy and hematochezia. On physical examination, severe dehydration, tachycardia, tachypnea, weak femoral pulse, delayed capillary refill time and pale mucous membrane were found and the dog was in shock. Radiography and ultrasonography revealed intestines distended with gas, ascites and the "C" shaped distended intestine. Medical treatments including fluid therapy, analgesics, antibiotics and lidocaine for reducing reperfusion injury were applied. And then, the mesenteric torsion was definitively diagnosed through exploratory laparotomy and intestinal resection and anastomosis were performed. The dog made an uneventful recovery and was free of clinical sign one week after surgery. Mesenteric torsion is an unusual and life-threatening disease in dogs. It has usually been described in the middle and large breed dogs, especially German Shepherds. However, the mesenteric torsion should be included in the differential diagnostic lists for acute abdomen even in small breed dog. The mortality rate of mesenteric torsion can be reduced through prompt diagnosis, proper preventive therapy for shock and reperfusion injury and emergency surgery.

Pesticides are extensively used for the control of crop pests in agriculture and forestry. Organophosphate (OP) and carbamate pesticides are especially effective for the control of a variety of harmful insects. However, these cholinesterase inhibitors are also dangerous to non-target organisms (wildlife and other animals) because of their high acute toxicity. Most poisonings by pesticides occur as a result of misuse or accidental exposure, but intentional killing of unwanted animals also occurs. At the request of a local autonomous entity, we investigated wild bird poisonings by pesticides from 2003 to 2007. The 207 suspicious samples of pesticide poisoning based on the necropsy were analyzed by GC/NPD, GC/FPD, or GC/MSD. We looked for trends in the identification of pesticides in wild birds thought to have died from poisoning. Pesticides were determined in 59% of the total samples analyzed. Phosphamidon and monochrotophos were the most common pesticides identified, which amounted to 77% of the subtotal. Other OP and carbamate pesticides were also found in various concentrations from dead wild birds. The determined rates of pesticides were as high as 86% and 76% in 2003 and 2006, respectively, during an outbreak of avian influenza in Korea.

We report here two cases of Rhodococcus (R.) equi-causing pneumonia of Throughbred foals in Gyeonggi-do in 2006. R. equi was isolated from the lung lesions of the dead foals, and from the feces and soils on the farms where the clinical cases of R. equi infection occurred. The isolates were characterized by biochemical properties, polymerase chain reaction for vapA gene and antimicrobial susceptibility. In drug susceptibility test, erythromycin, gentamycin, vancomycin, and rifampin were found to be the most susceptible for all isolates. These results suggest that R. equi pneumonia may be endemic in the horse-breeding farms in inland Korea and the farm environment may be widely contaminated with virulent R. equi.

Lactic acid bacteria have been reported their beneficial roles on host including reduction of infectious diarrhea problems. In this study, preventive effect of Lactobacillus (L.) reuteri HY25101 and L. johnsonii HY25103 on porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) was investigated in suckling piglets. Two groups of one day old PEDV naive piglets were orally administered L. reuteri HY25101 and L. johnsonii HY25103 for three days respectively before challenge with lethal dose of PEDV. In second experiment, passive immunized one day old piglets using colostrums containing PEDV specific IgA were used. The survival rates of the L. reuteri HY25101 administered group were significantly higher than that of L. johnsonii HY25103 administered group and viral shedding was rapidly diminished in L. reuteri HY25101 administered group. Interestingly piglets born from the sow immunized with attenuated PEDV vaccine were not completely protected from PEDV challenge, however coadministeration of L. reuteri HY25101 and colostrums containing PEDV specific IgA were more effectively prevent PEDV infection. These results suggested that dietary treatment using L. reuteri HY25101 could reduce diarrheal problem and mortality rate caused by PEDV in suckling pigs. In addition, L. reuteri HY25101 could be used as one of effective compensation treatment with attenuated live vaccine for PED.