The genus Lactobacillus is the largest of the genera included in lactic acid bacteria and is associated with mucosal membranes of human and animal. Only a few Lactobacillus plasmid-encoded functions have been discovered and used. In this study, a novel plasmid (pILR091) was isolated from a wild L. reuteri isolated from pig and described the characteristics of its replicons, genetic organization, and relationship with other plasmids. After digestion of the plasmid, pILR091, with SalI, plasmid DNA was cloned into the pQE-30Xa vector and sequenced. The complete sequence was confirmed by the sequencing of PCR products and analyzed with the Genbank database. The isolate copy number and stability were determined by quantitative-PCR. The complete sequence of L. reuteri contained 7,185 nucleotides with 39% G-C content and one cut site by two enzymes, SalI and HindIII. The similar ori sequence of the pC194- rolling circle replication family (TTTATATTGAT) was located 63 bp upstream of the protein replication sequence, ORF 1. Total of five ORFs was identified and the coding sequence represented 4,966 nucleotides (70.4%). ORF1 of pILR091 had a low similarity with the sequence of pTE44. Other ORFs also showed low homology and E-values. The average G-C content of pILR091 was 39%, similar with that of genomic DNA. The copy number of pILR091 was determined at approximately 24 to 25 molecules per genomic DNA. These results suggested that pILR091 might be a good candidate to construct a new vector, which could be used for cloning and expression of foreign genes in lactobacilli.

Body weights and blood biochemical values in chickens infected with reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV)-HI, a Korean isolate, were studied. REV-HI causes severe body weight depression in chickens inoculated but not in chicken contact-infected. Body weights of infected chickens in 3, 4, and 5 weeks after infection were 78%, 76% and 65% of those of control respectively. Blood glucose levels in REV-infected chickens were extremely high compared with those in control (226±21 vs. 814±91.3 mg/dl in week 2) during the experiment period. Triglyceride levels in REV-infected chickens were significantly higher in week 2 and 3, whereas in week 4, REV-infected chickens showed significantly lower levels than the control. Blood lipase, amylase and alkaline phosphatase levels of REV-infected chickens in week 2 were significantly higher, whereas cholesterol, magnesium and calcium values in week 4 were significantly lower than the control. Other blood biochemical values such as alkaline aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and γ-glutamyltransferase were nonsignificantly different from the control. These above results suggest that weight depression by REV may be related with increase of blood glucose, which indicated that REV-infected chickens could not use blood glucose as energy source.

The objective of this study was to determine appropriate sample size that simulated different assumptions for diagnostic test characteristics and true prevalences when designing serological surveillance plan for pullorum disease and fowl typhoid in domestic poultry production. The number of flocks and total number of chickens to be sampled was obtained to provide 95% confidence of detecting at least one infected flock, taking imperfect diagnostic tests into account. Due to lack of reliable data, within infected flock prevalence (WFP) was assumed to follow minimum 1%, most likely 5% and maximum 9% and true flock prevalence of 0.1%, 0.5% and 1% in order. Sensitivity were modeled using the Pert distribution: minimum 75%, most likely 80% and maximum 90% for plate agglutination test and 80%, 85%, and 90% for ELISA test. Similarly, the specificity was modeled 85%, 90%, 95% for plate agglutination test and 90%, 95%, 99% for ELISA test. In accordance with the current regulation, flock-level test characteristics calculated assuming that 30 samples are taken from per flock. The model showed that the current 112,000 annual number of testing plan which is based on random selection of flocks is far beyond the sample size estimated in this study. The sample size was further reduced with increased sensitivity and specificity of the test and decreased WFP. The effect of increasing samples per flock on total sample size to be sampled and optimal combination of sensitivity and specificity of the test for the purpose of the surveillance is discussed regarding cost.

Necropsy was performed on a total of twenty three either white leghorn or ogol chickens which were more than 150 weeks of age. Among twenty three chickens examined, fifteen chickens were laying and the rest eight chickens were non-laying. On necropsy, neoplastic mass in the five chickens among non-laying chickens was found. These neoplastic masses were present mostly in the ovaries and one case in the liver and characterized by multifocal to coalescing 1 to 5 mm tan firm nodular formation. On histopathology, ovarian adenocarcinoma with widespread abdominal seeding and hepatic metastasis was diagnosed in the three chickens. Oviductal leiomyoma was also found in two chickens that had a focal well-demarcated nodules in the oviduct. Taken together, the number with ovarian adenocarcinoma among non-laying chickens over 150 week old was 37.5%. As most animal species do rarely develop ovarian tumors, the high rate of spontaneous ovarian adenocarcinoma in non-laying hen suggest that the hen is a proper model for human ovarian cancer study.

A high incidence of Anisakiasis has been reported in many countries where people eat frequently raw or undercooked seafood. Anisakis spp. larvae were obtained from the mackerel acquired from a fish market of Cheongju city. They were divided into several groups and placed in culture dishes containing RPMI-1640 (culture media), in the presence or absence of different concentrations of herbal extracts (Meliae ezadarach, Dryopteris crassirhizoma, Quisqualis indica var villosa). The objective of the present study was to investigate the activity of larval migration inhibition in vitro. Meliae ezadarach at the concentrations of 7.5, 15, and 30 mg/ml effectively inhibited the larvae migration in time-dependent manner during experimental period of 0-24 h. Treatment of Meliae ezadarach at the three concentrations completely inhibited the larvae migration in vitro. Dryopteris crassirhizoma at the concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 mg/ml also effectively inhibited the larvae migration in a time-dependent manner. The treatment of Dryopteris crassirhizoma for 12 h completely inhibited the larvae migration. The inhibitory effect of Dryopteris crassirhizoma was stronger than that of Meliae ezadarach. Although Quisqualis indica var villosa also showed the inhibitory effect on larvae migration, its inhibitory efficacy was the weakest among tested herbal extracts. These results indicated that some herbal extracts may be useful in controlling human anisakiasis.

An 8-year-old male mynah (Gracula spp.) was presented for depression, anorexia, and respiratory distress. The patient's diet consisted of sponge cake and yogurt alone. Physical examination revealed high body condition score (4/5), abdominal distention, and severe orthopnea. Hepatomegaly was observed on abdominal radiographs. The patient died 4 h after presentation, and severe hepatomegaly was observed at necropsy. Based on histopathological findings, the bird was definitively diagnosed with iron storage disease with concurrent hepatic lipidosis.

A 2-year-old female Pekingese dog was presented with primary complaints including exercise intolerance and neurological sign associated with hepatic encephalopathy. The major findings in clinical examination included an intermittent seizure, a slow heart rate with pulse deficit, leukocytosis and anemia in hemogram, elevated pre- and post-prandial serum bile acid and hepatic enzymes, hypoproteinemia, coagulopathy, ammonium urate crystaluria and bilirubinuria. Diagnostic tests revealed an intrahepatic portosystemic shunt complicated with a second degree atrioventricular block and QT prolongation. The case was successfully treated with a transvenous coil embolization. Clinical signs were gradually improved and cardiac bradyarrhythmia disappeared. This case is a rare case of intrahepatic portosystemic shunts complicated with a cardiac bradyarrhythmia in a small breed dog fixed by a transvenous coil embolization.

An adult one-year-old male Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) died of a traumatic injury to its right leg from a fall. At necropsy, fibrinopurulent exudates were observed in the thoracic cavity. Histopathologic examination showed that the pericardium, thoracic wall, pulmonary pleura and the lungs were markedly thickened due to mixtures of necrotic cellular debris, neutrophils, fibrin, red blood cells, and bacterial aggregates. Pure culture of Klebsiella (K.) pneumoniae was isolated from the thoracic exudates, pleura and heart tissues. Based on these findings, this is the first report describing pleuritis and pericarditis associated to K. pneumoniae in a beaver.