A total of 586 reptiles, belonging to 35 species and five subspecies, were examined in surveys aimed at determining the species spectrum and geographic distribution of ticks that infest them. Of these reptiles 509 were tortoises, 28 monitor or other lizards, and 49 snakes. Nine ixodid tick species, of which seven belonged to the genus Amblyomma, and one argasid tick, Ornithodoros compactus were recovered. Seven of the ten tick species are parasites of reptiles. Amongst these seven species Amblyomma marmoreum was most prevalent and numerous on leopard tortoises, Geochelone pardalis; Amblyomma nuttalli was present only on Bell's hinged tortoises, Kinixys belliana; and most Amblyomma sylvaticum were collected from angulate tortoises, Chersina angulata. Amblyomma exornatum (formerly Aponomma exornatum) was only recovered from monitor lizards, Varanus spp.; most Amblyomma latum (formerly Aponomma latum) were from snakes; and a single nymph of Amblyomma transversale (formerly Aponomma transversale) was collected from a southern African python, Python natalensis. All 30 Namaqualand speckled padloper tortoises, Homopus signatus signatus, examined were infested with O. compactus. The seasonal occurrence of A. sylvaticum and the geographic distribution of this tick and of A. marmoreum, A. nuttalli, A. exornatum, A. latum and O. compactus are illustrated.

Catfish, Clarias gariepinus, from the Rietvlei Dam near Pretoria, South Africa were examined for nem atode parasites. Two species, Procamallanus laeviconchus in the stomach and Contracaecum spp. larvae in the abdominal cavity, were found. The morphology of these species, based on light and scanning electron microscopy, and how they compare with previously described specimens are discussed. Infection rates were mild compared to previous surveys although Contracaecum spp. had a high prevalence of 86 %.

Newcastle disease (ND) is a highly contagious disease of poultry that can cause severe economic losses throughout the world. Vaccination has been used for a long time and proved as one of the most effective method to reduce the economic loss due to ND virus infection. The measurement of antibody titer such as hamagglutination-inhibition (HI) test with sera has been used as a useful method to evaluate the immunity leve of host. However, HI test is gradually being replaced by the enzyme linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

In March 2003, classical swine fever (CSF) infection was reported in a piggery located at Iksan city, Jeollabuk-do in Korea. Subsequently, a total of 72 infected farms were confirmed between March and December, 2003. Based on epidemiological investigation of the earlier confirmed infected farms, the source of infection was shown to be from a breeding farm. Targeted surveillance of 82 piggeries that had acquired pigs from this breeding farm showed 44 piggeries were infected with CSF virus.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) continues to persist in many commercial layer farms in Korea, resulting in losses in egg production. Bacterins and live attenuated vaccines have been used for the prevention of losses caused by MG. One of these attenuated vaccines, MG 6/85 vaccine has been reported to be safe and efficacious in layers. However, MG 6/85 vaccine has not been evaluated for its safety and its efficacy in any commercial layer in Korea. Six-week-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens were vaccinated with MG 6/85 vaccine by aerosol and were challenged with virulent MG R strain at 4 weeks after vaccination.

In the present study toxicity and immunostimulating activity of the lectin (KML-C), which was extracted from Korean mistletoe (Viscum album coloratum) were investigated in swine. To determine the toxicity, lectin was injected into thigh or cervical muscles of 4-week-old piglets (Landrace) and observed clinically and pathologically. For determinatio of the immunostimulating activity, lectin (0.7 ㎍/kg of body weight)-adjuvanted vaccine of Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) (NYJ1-87) which was inactivated by 0.2% formalin was injected into the cervical muscle of antibody-negative piglets in the same age group.

Experimental animals have been used to biological and medical purposes and the animals must be, for these purposes, healthy and clean to microbial infection. However, the animals can be easily exposed to pathogenic microorganism via several routes. Of the routes, environmental conditions are the most important factors to keep the animals healthy and clean, especially air condition. Monitoring of air-condition has been required to keep the animal healthy and clean. However, any guideline is not available for experimental conditions with pigs.

A 12-year-old female Tammar Wallaby (Macropus eugenii) died after a 6-day history of depression, anorexia, and coughing. The necropsy revealed pustules of varying sizes on the lung surface from which a pure culture of Staphylococcus aureus was ioslated. Histopathologically, the pulmonary nodules formed typical granulomatous inflammation. The center of the granulomatous foci consisted of a necrotic center and grain particles with gram positive cocci that were surrounded by eosinophilic club-like bodies containing Splendore-Hoeppli material.

A 2-years-old female domesticated mouflon with a clinical history of chronic diarrhea and emaciation was submitted to NVRQS. Grossly, there were severe thickening of small intestine wall and enlargement of mesenteric lymph nodes. Microscopically, severe granulomatous inflammation was found in small and large intestine, mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen and liver. By Ziehl-Neelsen stain, innumerable acid-fast rod bacteria were found in the cytoplasm of epitheloid and Langhans type giant cells present in these organs.

Photo-catalytic products have been widely used at home and hospital to prevent bacteria, virus and fungus. Activities of anti-bacteria, anti-viruses and anti-fungi are based upon direct contact of crystals and particles of titanium dioxide with pathogens, into which titanium is catalyzed by phoo. Those antimicrobial activities of the photo-catalytic titanium dioxide have been proved in vitro. However, in vivo tests of those activities have not been carried out on dog skin. Aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of the catalytic titanium dioxide in vivo.