Serological surveillance programs in animal populations are becoming increasingly important to estimate prevalence of a specific disease and subsequently to document disease-free status in a region or a country. For these purposes, the programs need to be based on both theoretical and economical aspects from the designing phase. From Aujeszky's disease (AD)-eradication program point of view, group of animals (aggregates, herds) not individual animal is the more important sampling unit of concern.

The risk of an outbreak of classical swine fever (CSF) was evaluated in relation to the vaccination and seroprevalence of antibodies. Blood samples were collected from 60 piggeries throughout Korea and information regarding CSF vaccination habits was also obtained via in-person interviews with pig farmers. The results of the survey indicated that 51 out of 60 farms were regularly performing CSF vaccinations in reproductive herds. Farmers preferred to vaccinate their reproductive pigs before weaning (41 farms) than on (9 farms) or after weaning (1 farm).

Objective--To evaluate antimicrobial activity of bovine bactericidal permeability-increasing protein (bBPI)-derived synthetic peptides against mastitis-causing gram-negative bacteria. Sample Population--Bacterial isolates from the milk of cows with clinical mastitis. Procedures--3 peptides were synthesized with sequences corresponding to amino acids 65 to 99 (bBPI6599) or 142 to 169 (bBPI142169) or the combination of amino acids 90 to 99 and 148 to 161 (bBPI9099,148161) of bBPI. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of these peptides against bacterial isolates from cows with mastitis were determined by use of a standardized broth microdilution assay. The ability of these peptides to retain their antimicrobial activity in serum and milk was also evaluated. Finally, bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-neutralizing activity of these peptides was assayed with the Limulus amebocyte lysate test. Results--Of the 3 peptides tested, bBPI9099,148161 had the widest spectrum of antimicrobial activity, with MIC and MBC values ranging from 16 to 64 Mg/mL against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter spp and from 64 to 128 Mg/mL against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. None of the peptides had any growth-inhibitory effect on Serratia marcescens. The antimicrobial activity of bBPI9099,148161 was inhibited in milk, but preserved in serum. Finally, bBPI142169 and bBPI9099,148161 completely neutralized LPS. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance--bBPI9099,148161 is a potent neutralizer of the highly proinflammatory molecule bacterial LPS and has antimicrobial activity against a variety of gram-negative bacteria. The ability of bBPI9099,148161 to retain antimicrobial activity in serum suggests a potential therapeutic application for this peptide in the management of gram-negative septicemia.

A 6-year-old female Maltese dog (body weight 2.0 kg) was referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Kangwon National University with primary complaints including exercise intolerance and heart murmur. Based on clinical and diagnostic findings including grade V/VI left basal continuous murmur, bounding femoral pulsation, left ventricular enlargement pattern in electrocardiogram, cardiomegaly with aortic bulging on the thoracic radiography, and shunt flow between aorta and pulmonary artery on the echocardiography, the dog was diagnosed as the left-to-right patent ductus arteriosus.

This study was performed to investigate the effects of urinary acupoint (BL-23, BL-28) by acupuncture (AP) and electroacupuncture (EA) on urinary bladder in dogs. Four healthy male dogs aged within the range of 6~8 months were used in this experiment. For Electrodes implantation on the bladder, dogs were to undergo surgical operation. The purpose of investigating the effect on urinary bladder was to evaluate electromyogram (EMG) changes according to AP or EA at Shen Shu (BL-23), Pang Guang Shu (BL-28) and non-acupoint.

The left main descending artery (LMDA) of left coronary artery (LCA) in rats runs around the left side of conus arteriosus after arising from the aortic sinus and descends to the apex of heart with branching several branches into the wall of left ventricle (LV). The ligation site of LMDA for myocardial infarction (MI) is the 2~4 mm from LCA origin, between the pulmonary trunk and left auricle. The characteristics that rat heart has no interventricular groove on the surface and its coronary arteries run intramyocardially with branching several branches give the difficulty in surgery for MI which resulted in expected size.

This study was designed to evaluate the antioxidative effects of Houttuynia cordata root on non-lipid oxidative damage. The antioxidative effects of methanolic (MeOH) extract of Houttuynia cordata root on non-lipid, including liposome oxidation, oxidation of deoxyribose, protein oxidation, chelating, scavenging, and 2'-deoxyguanosine (2'dG) oxidation were investigated. Houttuynia cordata root exhibited high antioxidative effect in a liposome model system. The inhibitory effect of MeOH extract on deoxyribose damage exhibited antioxidative effect and it afforded considerable protection against damage to deoxyribose.

Staphylococci are Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic cocci, normally found on the skin and mucosal surfaces of most warm-blooded animals and often involved in a wide variety of diseases in animals. Staphylococcal infections are treated with antibiotics and, consequently, antibiotic resistance and/or acquired resistance have developed. Staphylococcus (S.) intermedius and Staphylococcus (S.) aureus are 2 common veterinary isolates that are frequently associated with suppurative infections. This study was undertaken to examine antimicrobial susceptibility of S. aureus (23 isolates) and S. intermedius (160 isolates) isolated from dogs in Gwangju, Korea and investigate whether the antibiotic resistance of S. aureus and S. intermedius is effected by the site of isolation, age, and sex of dogs.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is an important bacterial pathogen that causes chronic gastritis and is associated with gastroduodenal ulcer disease, adenocarcinoma of the distal stomach, and gastric lymphoma in humans. The differences of host susceptibility of H. pylori infection associated with host age have not been well-defined in human. To evaluate the difference in host susceptibility to infection in relation to age of acquisition of H. pylori infection, we designed an experiment involving inoculation of H. pylori ATCC 43504 at different ages of Mongolian gerbils.

Cutaneous asthenia or dematosparaxis is an uncommon, congenital and inherited connective tissue disease of dog and cat, resembling Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) in man. EDS is characterized by loose, hyperextensible and, fragile skin, it is attributed to mutations in connective tissue gene. These mutations cause defects in type Ⅰ or Ⅲ collagen synthesis and as a result lack of strength or elasticity to skin, joint, ligament and vessels. EDS-affected animals often experience subcutaneous hematomas that have long bleeding times.