Feline serum samples (n = 434) were classified as hypercalcemic, normocalcemic, or hypocalcemic based on both total calcium (tCa) and ionized calcium (iCa) concentrations. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), positive diagnostic likelihood ratio (PDLR), and negative diagnostic likelihood ratio (NDLR) were calculated for prediction of hypercalcemia and hypocalcemia in all samples, in hypoalbuminemic cats, and in those with chronic renal failure (CRF) as compared with cats that had other conditions. Diagnostic discordance in prediction of iCa using tCa was 40%. Sensitivity of tCa in prediction of ionized hypercalcemia was low and specificity was high. The PDLR for prediction of ionized hypercalcemia or hypocalcemia was low in all cats, especially in those with CRF. Due to the high level of diagnostic discordance, tCa should not be used to predict iCa concentration. Concentration of iCa should be measured directly when accurate assessment of calcium status is needed.

Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) are important foodborne pathogens in Canada. VTEC of the O157:H7 serogroup have been the focus of regulatory action and surveillance in both Canada and the USA, due to their role in a number of high profile outbreaks. However, there is increasing evidence that other VTEC serogroups cause a substantial proportion of human illness. This issue is of particular importance to the cattle industry due to the role of beef as a vehicle for VTEC transmission. In this review, the evidence for non-O157 VTEC as cause of human illness in Canada and the potential for Canadian beef and cattle to serve as a source of VTEC are presented. In addition, the available strategies for the control of VTEC in cattle and beef are discussed.

This report describes the genetics of the prion protein gene (PRNP) at codons 136, 154, and 171 for sheep diagnosed with naturally acquired classical scrapie in Canada between 1998 and 2008. Genotyping analysis was performed on 249 sheep with confirmed classical scrapie infection representing 98 flocks from 6 provinces. A further case-control analysis of 3 of these flocks compared the genotypes between infected sheep (n = 72) and those of their healthy flockmates (n = 1990). The incidence of classical scrapie in the Canadian sheep population was highly associated with the ARQ haplotype (91.8%) and the ARQ/ARQ genotype (91.6%). In addition, the ARQ haplotype was found at significantly higher frequency in scrapie-infected sheep when compared with their healthy flockmates. Comparison with other published data suggests that the scrapie risk of PRNP genotypes differs between Canada and countries where the VRQ allele is associated with the highest susceptibility to infection.

This study investigated the effects of onion juice on the serum lipid components and blood pressure in obese rats fed high fat diets. Thirty-nine of Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups, and were treated for 8 weeks: (1) normal diet (ND); (2) high fat diet (HFD); (3) HFD for first 4 weeks and high fat diet with 40% onion juice for the last 4weeks (H-H+O); (4) HFD with 40% onion juice for 8 weeks (H+O); (5) HFD for first 4 weeks and ND for the last 4 weeks (H-N); (6) HFD for first 4 weeks and ND with 40% onion juice for the last 4 weeks (H-N+O). The rates of increasing body weight were reduced in H+O and H-H+O groups compared with HFD group. The levels of triglyceride, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol and total cholesterol in blood serum were significantly decreased in the H+O and H-H+O groups compared with the HFD group. Administration of onion reduced the size of adipocyte, steatosis, and serum hyperlipidemia in obese rats fed HFD. Moreover, the antihypertensive effects of onion were observed in obesity rat fed HFD. Overall results suggest that onion reduces the serum lipid components and improves hypertension in obese rat fed HFD.

Linear and non-linear regressions were used to derive the calibration function for the measurement of roxithromycin plasma concentration. Their results were compared with weighted least squares regression by usual weight factors. In this paper the performance of a non-linear calibration equation with the capacity to account empirically for the curvature, y = ax∨b + c (b not equal to 1) is compared with the commonly used linear equation, y = ax + b, as well as the quadratic equation, y = ax²+ bx + c. In the calibration curve (range of 0.01 to 10 ㎍/mL) of roxithromycin, both heteroscedasticity and nonlinearity were present therefore linear least squares regression methods could result in large errors in the determination of roxithromycin concentration. By the non-linear and weighted least squares regression, the accuracy of the analytical method was improved at the lower end of the calibration curve. This study suggests that the non-linear calibration equation should be considered when a curve is required to be fitted to low dose calibration data which exhibit slight curvature.

Animal disease surveillance system, defined as the continuous investigation of a given population to detect the occurrence of disease or infection for control purposes, has been key roles to assess the health status of an animal population and, more recently, in international trade of animal and animal products with regard to risk assessment. Especially, for a system aiming to determine whether or not a disease is present in a population sensitivity of the system should be maintained high enough not to miss an infected animal. Therefore, when planning the implementation of surveillance system a number of factors that affecting surveillance sensitivity should be taken into account. Of these parameters sample size is of important, and different approaches are used to calculate sample size, usually depending on the objective of surveillance systems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of the current national serological surveillance programs for four selected bovine diseases assuming a specified sampling plan, to examine factors affecting the probability of detection, and to provide sample sizes required for achieving surveillance goal of detecting at least an infection in a given population. Our results showed that, for example, detecting low level of prevalence (0.2% for bovine tuberculosis) requires selection of all animals per typical Korean cattle farm (n = 17), and thus risk-based target surveillance for high risk groups can be an alternative strategy to increase sensitivity while not increasing overall sampling efforts. The minimum sample size required for detecting at least one positive animal was sharply increased as the disease prevalence is low. More importantly, high reliability of prevalence estimation was expected with increased sampling fraction even when zero-infected animal was identified. The effect of sample size is also discussed in terms of the maximum prevalence when zero-infected animals were identified and on the probability of failure to detect an infection. We suggest that for many serological surveillance systems, diagnostic performance of the testing method, sample size, prevalence, population size, and statistical confidence need to be considered to correctly interpret results of the system.

A 5-year-old female Cocker spaniel dog (body weight 7.0 kg) was presented with primary complaints of exercise intolerance and loud precordial thrill which was noticed since she was a puppy. Physical examination revealed a grade Ⅴ/Ⅵ continuous murmur over the maximal point of the left basal area, bounding femoral pulse, but no differential cyanosis. Tall R waves were detected in electrocardiogram, suggesting left ventricular enlargement. Diagnostic imaging studies showed enlarged left ventricle, bulged descending aorta (dAo), markedly dilated right pulmonary artery, and continuous shunt flow between the dAo and main pulmonary artery. Based on these findings, the dog was diagnosed as left to right shunted patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). The patent ductus arteriosus was treated by lodging a PDA duct occluder via the transvenous approach. Clinical signs were markedly improved after the ductal occlusion, the shunt flow was mildly persistent. The case presented is the first case of PDA occluded by the PDA duct occluder via the transvenous approach in a small breed of dog. Although the residual shunt flow was mildly persisted, the dog was clinically normal without detectable murmurs.

A 2-year-old lineolated parakeet (Bolborhynchus lineola) was presented with abdominal distention and respiratory distress for two months. The bird was poorly fleshed and the liver was enlarged on coelomic palpation. Plain and contrast radiographic examinations exhibited hepatomegaly and distended intestinal loop, which compromised the air sacs. Multifocal yperechogenecity was observed in the liver on ultrasonography. Postmortem gross examination revealed hepatomegaly with numerous pinpoint tan foci in the hepatic parenchyma and distended small intestine filled with adult ascarids. Microscopically, granulomatous hepatitis and enteritis infected by intrahistiocytic acid-fast bacilli were evident. Polymerase chain reaction indicated that the acid-fast bacilli were Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium.

A trematode species belonging to the genus Prosthogonimus (family: Prosthogonimidae) was collected in August, 2004 from the bursa of Fabricius of a single Little Grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis, caught in Chuncheon, Korea. Five specimens were collected in total and fluke morphology was examined under using a light microscope. The average parasite size was 5.6 × 3.2 mm (length × width; based on 4 specimens). The genital pore was located on the anterior right margin of the oral sucker. The cirrus sac was strongly sinuous and extended beyond the intestinal bifurcation to the ventral sucker. The prepharynx was extremely short and the pharynx was small. The vitellaria consisted of 6 follicle bunches and extended from the ventral sucker to the posterior of the testes. Finally, the uterus filled the body cavity posterior to the testes. In addition, there were no heavy slings occurred anterior to the testes. Based on these morphological characteristics, the parasites were identified as P. cuneatus. The discovery of P. cuneatus within a Little Grebe constitutes a new host identification and a new geographical record. This is the first reported case of Prosthogonimus infection within wild birds in Korea.

The large amount of tissue culture medium (TCM), which contains some of the active secretory components of Korean wild ginseng (KWG; Panax ginseng) such as saponins, is usually discarded after harvest of KWG. The present study was aimed to investigate the efficacy of oral administration of the TCM-KWG on growth performance and diseases resistance in broiler chickens. A day old broiler chickens randomized in 6 groups (n=60/groups) were administered orally with 0, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 mL/L TCM-KWG through drinking water for 5 weeks and examined the change of weight gain, feed intake and blood components. Also, five weeks old broiler chickens (n=15/groups) were challenged orally with Salmonella (S.) gallinarum and investigated the mortality in broiler chickens. An average weight gain and feed intake significantly didn't change in TCM-KWG administration groups as compared to control group. The concentration of calcium (Ca), phosphate (Pi) and potassium (K) in serum were increase by TCM-KWG administration in broiler chickens. We also found that oral administration of TCM-KWG through drinking water significantly reduced the mortality in broiler chickens experimentally infected with virulent S. gallinarum. The results of this study indicated that TCM-KWG administration may elevate the resistance on disease and improved the skeleton formation and body homeostasis of chickens, and TCM-KWG can be used as a cost-effective and environmentally alternative additives to control of the disease and growth.