The shigellae are common etiological agents of bacillary dysentery in humans and primates. During four years from 2002 to 2005, 22 strains of Shigella spp. were isolated from the diarrheic patients in Seoul region. All of them were identified as S. flexneri by biochemical tests and serotyping. The prevalence of serotypes were variable by year, but the major serotypes were 2a and 3a. In an antimicrobial susceptibility test, all of the isolates were resistant to streptomycin and tetracycline, and susceptible to amikacin, kanamycin, cefoxitin, and gentamicin.

Serum samples of 30 chickens per flock from 6 grand parent stock (GPS) farms and 70 parent stock (PS) farms were collected for seroprevalent study of pullorum disease-fowl typhoid (PD-FT) infection by serum plate agglutination test (SPA). The incidence of PD-FT infection in GPS flocks and PS flocks were 0% and 15.7%, respectively. Especially PS flocks infected with PD-FT showed age dependent patterns that 22.2% of flocks between 20 to 30 weeks of age and 38.9% of flocks between 30 to 40 weeks of age were positive.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) strain Chinju99, which was previously isolated from piglets suffering from severe diarrhea was used to characterize the membrane (M) protein gene to establish the molecular information, and the results will be useful in elucidating concepts related to molecular pathogenesis and antigenic structures of PEDV isolates. The Chinju99 M gene generated by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) consisted of 681 bases containing 22.3% adenine, 22.3% cytosine, 23.1% guanine and 32.3% thymine nucleotides, and the GC content was 45.4%.

Discospondylitis is an infection of intervertebral discs, associated end plates, and adjacent vertebral bodies causing destruction and proliferation. A 10-year-old intact female Rhodesian Ridgeback dog was referred to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Seoul National University with paraparesis and severe pain at T13-L1 region for one week duration. The treatment with PDS for one week by referring veterinarian showed no clinical improvement. At time of presentation, clinical signs of the patient included depression, vaginal discharge, and fever.

We have studied pharmacokinetics of a new anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) agent VP-0501 and its amino acid prodrug VP-0501AL which is designed to improve oral bioavailability. After oral administration at 100 mg/kg dose in rats (n=4), VP-0501 was not detectable in plasma (less than 50 ng/ml), while after the administration of VP-0501AL, VP-0501 was quantitatively detected, at least for 8 hrs, with Cmax of ca. 2.5 μg/ml and AUC of 8 hr*μg/ml.

Iridovirus is an icosahedral cytoplasmic double-stranded DNA virus with a genome size of 170-200kb. Outbreaks of fish iridovirus infection are characterized by their wide geographic distribution and broad host spectrum, especially in water temperatures of 22-27℃ Recently, the causative agent of high mortalities in flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) was identified as fish iridovirus in Korea. Iridoviral infection repeatedly occurs in the same area for long periods, suggesting the possibility of viral infection in nursery.

This paper describes the slaughter check results of breeding pigs from the Korean Swine Testing Station for the control of endemic diseases. Gross lesions monitored in the present study included those conditions commonly associated with economically significant subclinical herd infections enzootic pneumonia, pleuropnemonia, pleuritis, atrophic rhinitis, liver white spots, papular dermatitis and ileitis. A total of 128 slaughter pigs were investigated at 4 subsequent tests according to the slaughter check procedures established.

A 3-month-old, 2.8 kg, female Cocker spaniel was presented with chronic history of dysphagia since weaning. Video fluoroscopic examination revealed swallowing problems in the upper esophageal sphincters. It was diagnosed as cricopharyngeal achalasia. Cricopharyngeal and thyropharyngeal myectomy was performed. One day after surgical management, normal swallowing movement was observed in the video fluoroscopic examination of the dog. There was no evidence of recurrence for 15 months.

This case was found in Holstein cow suffering from dystocia. The twin calves in uterus were dead and removed by fetotomy. Gross anatomical analysis of thoracopagus siamese calf was carried out. Two normal heads were present on two necks, however, the twins were fused in the thoracic region. There were four forelimbs and an abnormal orientation of ribs. Two separate vertebral columns along the length of the animal ended with two tails. A single pericardium lay on the midline when opening the thorax.

A 7-month-old female Shih-tzu dog was presented with intermittent trembling, dyspnea, generalized muscle weakness, and unconsciousness after exercise. No remarkable findings were shown in the complete blood counts and the radiographic examination. On serum biochemical profiles, alkaline phosphatase and creatine phosphokinase were mildly elevated. Based on history takings, physical examination, and neurological findings, presumptive diagnosis was made as a myasthenia gravis (MG).