Akabane disease is caused by an arthropod-borne viral pathogen and leads congenital abnormalities of the central nervous system in infected ruminants. One isolate, KV0505, showed cytopathic effect in Vero cells. The KV0505 isolate was obtained from plasma, which was collected from a cattle raised on Jeju Island in May 2005. Jeju Island is located near the southern part of the Korean peninsula. The isolate was confirmed as Akabane virus (AKAV) by immunofluorescence assay using AKAV specific monoclonal antibodies and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Suckling mice inoculated with the isolate showed signs of paralysis and died within 10 days post-inoculation. Comparisons of the KV0505 N gene sequence with 39 other known AKAV strains revealed nucleotide homologies ranging from 83.6% (MP496 strain) to 99.7% (M171 strain). When compared with the K-9 strain, which was isolated from a cow in Korea in 1994, the nucleotide sequence homology with the N gene was 99.7%. Thus, genes of the KV0505 isolate were closely related to those of the M171 strain, which were clustered into the Ic group of AKAV.

Torque teno virus (TTV), a species of Anellovirus, is a non-enveloped single stranded DNA virus with a wide range of animal hosts. The incidence of TTV is quite ubiquitous throughout the world. A total of 235 serum samples obtained from 137 pigs and 98 cattle at slaughterhouses in Korea during April 2005 to May 2005 were tested by TTV-specific PCR as to monitor prevalence of TTV among swine and cattle. As a result, the prevalent rates of TTVs in pigs and cattle were 43.1% and 4.1%, respectively. It seems that TTV infection is quite prevalent in swine population.

We report the electrocution of Korean native cattle by a fallen electric wire, which caused the death of thirteen animals. The owner of the cattle felt an electric shock on touching the steel pen and found a fallen 220-V wire on the roof of the barn; additionally, the roof was singed. Clinically, the animals developed spasm, difficulty breathing, and excessive salivation. Histopathologically, many visceral organs revealed severe congestion or hemorrhage, which is consistent with previous reports. This study revealed that the proper installation of electric wires on farms is essential to prevent economic loss by electrocution.

We assessed the seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) in cattle on Ulleung Island, Korea in a population-based follow up study for 4 years and determined the spatial distribution and risk factors associated with C. burnetii. The seroprevalence of C. burnetii was determined to be 1.4-2.0% during 2011-2014. Overall, nine cattle from three farms that tested seropositive showed C. burnetii antibody seroconversions between 2011 and 2014. The number of seropositive cattle was low, suggesting that movement of and contact between animals was possible risk factors for the transmission of C. burnetii.

Akabane and bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) viruses cause vector - borne diseases. In this study, inactivated Akabane virus (AKAV)+Bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) vaccines with or without recombinant vibrio flagellin (revibFlaB) protein were expressed in a baculovirus expression system to measure their safety and immunogenicity. Blood was collected from mice, guinea pigs, sows, and cattle that had been inoculated with the vaccine twice. Inactivated AKAV+BEFV vaccine induced high virus neutralizing antibody (VNA) titer against AKAV and BEFV in mice and guinea pigs. VNA titers against AKAV were higher in mice and guinea pigs immunized with the inactivated AKAV+ BEFV vaccine than in animals inoculated with vaccine containing revibFlaB protein. Inactivated AKAV+BEFV vaccine elicited slightly higher VNA titers against AKAV and BEFV than the live AKAV and live BEFV vaccines in mice and guinea pigs. In addition, the inactivated AKAV+BEFV vaccine was safe, and induced high VNA titers, ranging from 1 : 64 to 1 : 512, against both AKAV and BEFV in sows and cattle. Moreover, there were no side effects observed in any treated animals. These results indicate that the inactivated AKAV+BEFV vaccine could be used in cattle with high immunogenicity and good safety.

Eosinophilic myositis lesions are characterized by severe eosinophil infiltration along muscles of affected animals. The exact cause of the lesion remains controversial and the carcass is condemned once this lesion is seen during meat inspection. A cow slaughtered in Chonbuk province, Korea was observed to have disseminated pale foci throughout the musculature; meat samples were obtained and macroscopically investigated. Cut ends of neck and thigh muscle tissues showed variably sized, multifocal pale white-grayish nodular lesions. Histopathological examination consistently revealed inflammatory lesions with adjacent infiltration of eosinophilic granulocytes and focal necrotic calcification. However, no parasites, including Sarcocystis sp., could be discerned in the affected carcass. This case was diagnosed as idiopathic eosinophilic myositis in cattle.

In present study the transtracheal aspiration technique using a commercial polypropylene 5 fr. urinary catheter with 13-gauge 2.5 inch hypodermic needle was applied to bovine medicine in order to determine the availability of this procedure for diagnosis of lower respiratory tract disease. The subjects were forty adult cattle which consisted of thirty-one cows with respiratory signs such as cough and nasal discharge and nine cows without these signs. This procedure appeared suitable for collecting specimens of the lower respiratory tract secretions without uncontamination by the flora of the mouth, respiratory distress and any complications. The most of microorganisms isolated was Pasteurella multocida (48.7 %) and a mucopurulent inflammatory response was the most appeared accounting for 40 % of cytological basis. Most cows with severe clinical signs showed a mucopurulent inflammation (60 %) and Pasteurella multocida were isolated dominantly in severe cases (63.2 %). Cows with mild clinical signs were distributed in each of the five cytological classification and Pasteurella multocida was the most isolated accounting for 40 % of mild cases. In the cytologic examination, a few neutrophils and epithelial cells were seen in the fluid of mucoid inflammation, and many neutrophils with epithelial cells and thick mucoid exudate were seen in the fluid of mucopurulent inflammation. Various number of neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages and epithlial cells were examined in the fluid of mixed cell inflammation. The columnar ciliated epithelial cells were examined mainly in normal aspirates. From these results the transtracheal aspiration technique as a diagnostic aid for lower respiratory tract disease of cow is considered as a simple, safe and useful method and can be performed in the field situation