Experimental transmissions of cloned Theileria parva in cattle with Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks were compared to transmissions with uncloned T. parva during studies on the potential for genetic recombination during syngamy of Theileria to produce antigenic diversity for evasion of bovine immunity. Prevalence and abundance of T. parva infection in adult ticks, which resulted from the feeding of nymphs on the calves, were significantly higher in the uncloned compared to the cloned T. parva. Development of sporoblasts of T. parva in the ticks to produce infective sporozoites was similar. There was no statistically significant difference in the clinical course of infection in cattle between cloned and uncloned T. parva. It was concluded that cloned T. parva has characteristics that reduce its viability during the tick stages of its life cycle.

During the period between January 1999 and December 2000, the distribution and seasonal patterns of Fasciola gigantica infections in cattle in the highveld and lowveld communal grazing areas of Zimbabwe were determined through monthly coprological examination. Cattle faecal samples were collected from 12 and nine dipping sites in the highveld and lowveld communal grazing areas respectively. Patterns of distribution and seasonal fluctuations of the intermediate host-snail populations and the climatic factors influencing the distribution were also determined by sampling at monthly intervals for a period of 24 months (November 1998 to October 2000) in six dams and six streams in the highveld and in nine dams in the lowveld communal grazing areas. Each site was sampled for relative snail density and the vegetation cover and type, physical and chemical properties of water, and mean monthly rainfall and temperature were recorded. Aquatic vegetation and grass samples 0-1 m from the edges of the snail habitats were collected monthly to determine the presence or absence of F. gigantica metacercariae. Snails collected at the same time were individually checked for the emergence of larval stages of F. gigantica. A total of 16 264 (calves 5 418; weaners 5 461 and adults 5 385) faecal samples were collected during the entire period of the study and 2 500 (15.4 %) of the samples were positive for F. gigantica eggs. Significantly higher prevalences were found in the highveld compared to the lowveld (P < 0.001), for adult cattle than calves ( P < 0.01) and in the wet season over the dry season (P < 0.01). Faecal egg output peaked from August / September to March / April for both years of the study. Lymnaea natalensis, the snail intermediate host of F. gigantica was recorded from the study sites with the highveld having a significantly higher abundance of the snail species than the lowveld (P < 0.01). The snail population was low between December and March and started to increase in April reaching a peak in September / October. The number of juvenile snails peaked between April and August. The mean number of snails collected was negatively correlated with rainfall and positively correlated with temperature. Mean number of snails collected was also positively correlated with Potamogeton plant species and negatively correlated with Cyperus plant species. However, none of the L. natalensis collected from the habitats were found shedding Fasciola cercariae. Metacercariae were found on herbage from the fringes of the snail habitats between February and August for both years, with most of the metacercariae concentrated on herbage 0-1 m from the banks of the habitats. Based on the findings of this study, anthelmintic treatment should be administered in December / January to control chronic and mature fasciolosis. A second treatment should be given in April / May to reduce pasture contamination and subsequently snail infection, as this is the time the snail population starts to build up. To control acute fasciolosis due to the immature liver flukes a third treatment should be given in August. The first application of molluscicides to control the snail intermediate hosts can be done in June the time when the snail is harbouring the parasite and a second application in September in order to kill new generations of infected snails.

During the period between January 1999 and December 2000, the distribution and seasonal patterns of Schistosoma mattheei infections in cattle in the highveld and lowveld communal grazing areas of Zimbabwe were determined through monthly coprological examination. Faecal samples of cattle were collected from 12 and nine dipping sites in the highveld and lowveld communal grazing areas, respectively. Patterns of distribution and seasonal fluctuations of the intermediate host-snail populations and the climatic factors influencing the distribution were also determined at monthly intervals from November 1998 to October 2000, a period of 24 months, in six dams and six streams in the highveld and nine dams in the lowveld communal grazing areas. Monthly, each site was sampled for relative snail density, the vegetation cover and type, and physical and chemical properties of the water. Mean monthly rainfall and temperature were recorded. Snails collected at the same time were individually examined for shedding of cercariae of S. mattheei and Schistosoma haematobium. A total of 16 264 (5 418 calves, 5 461 weaners and 5 385 adults) faecal samples were collected during the entire period of study and 734 (4.5 %) were positive for S. mattheei eggs. Significantly higher prevalences were found in the highveld compared to the lowveld (P < 0.001), calves compared to adult cattle (P < 0.01) and the wet season compared to the dry season (P < 0.01). Faecal egg output peaked from October/ November to March / April for both years of the study. Bulinus globosus, the snail intermediate host of S. mattheei was recorded from the study sites with the highveld having a significantly higher abundance of the snails than the lowveld (P < 0.01). Monthly densities of B. globosus did not show a clearcut pattern although there were peaks between March / May and September / November. The mean num ber of snails collected was positively correlated with the water plants Nymphaea caerulea and Typha species. Overall, 2.5 % of B. globosus were shedding Schistosoma cercariae. In the highveld, 2.8 % of B. globosus were infected with schistosome cercariae and 1.5 % in the lowveld, with the figures at individual sites ranging from 0-18.8 % in the highveld and from 0-4.5 % in the lowveld. The cercariae recorded here were a mixture of S. mattheei and S. haematobium since they share the same intermediate host. The transmission of Schistosoma cercariae exhibited a marked seasonal pattern, being more intensive during the hot, dry season (September / November).

In order to search the availability of the lectin extracted from Korean mistletoe (Viscum album coloratum) as an adjuvant for the avian vaccines, attempts were made to determine toxicity of the lectin in chicks and its immunostimulating activity on the inactivated vaccines against Newcastle disease virus (NDV). For the determination of toxicity, the lectin was injected into the thigh muscle of SPF chicks (Charles River) of 1-week-old and observed hematologically and pathologically.

The VP2 full gene of Korean infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) strain, SH/92, three attenuated vaccine strains, Bur706, Bursine-2 and CEVAC strains, were amplified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and sequenced and compared with published PV2 gene sequences of IBDVs. The VP2 nucleotide sequence similarity between SH/92 and three vaccine stains was 95.6~96.5% whereas the nucleic acid similarity among three vaccine strains was 97.5~98.5%. The amino acid sequence similarity of VP2 of SH/92 compared with three vaccine strains was between 94.4 and 97.6% while the amino acid similarity among three vaccine strains was between 97.4 and 98.4%.

To determine the effects of exposure to formalin on the secondary stress indices, changes in haematology and blood chemistry were monitored in healthy crucian carps (Carassius auratus). Fishes were separately exposed in a concentration range of 125 to 500 ppm formalin for 60 min. After exposure, red blood cell (RBC) count and packed cell volume (PCV) were elevated in the 500 ppm formalin exposed group. However, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) were decreased significantly in the 500 ppm formalin exposed group.

This study was performed to assess the growth plate closure time with aging in the Korean native goat. Radiographs of proximal and distal epiphysis of humerus, radius, ulna, femur and tibia were obtained at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21, 30, 43 and 52 weeks after birth in 30 Korean native goats. The secondary ossification centers were scrutinized and assessed the maturity process on the basis of the criteria (stage 0 to 10). The secondary ossification centers of proximal and distal epiphysis of humerus, radius, femur and tibia and proximal ulna epiphysis appeared immediately after birth.

Parallux∨TM, a solid-phase fluorescence immunoassay (SPFIA) developed for antibiotics residue detection in milk, was applied for analysis of fish muscle. The recommended therapeutic dose of ampicillin (100 mg/kg body weight, withdrawal period 7 days) was orally administered to a group of 25 olive flounders (Paralichthys olivaceus) for consecutive five days. Muscle was sampled after drug treatment 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th day. The concentration of ampicillin in muscle, determined by SPFIA, was compared with that of internal standard (10 ppb as ampicillin).

Ethanol abuse is associated with liver injury, neurotoxicity, modulation of immune responses, and increased risk for cancer, whereas moderate ethanol consumption exerts protective effects against liver injury. However, the underlying signal transduction mechanisms of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) which play an important regulatory role in various metabolism mechanisms are not well understood. We investigated the effects of ethanol-induced p42/44 activity on IGF-I secretion, IGF-I receptor and IGFBP-1 secretion using radioimmunoassay and western blotting in primary cultured rat hepatocytes.

Suaeda (S.) asparagoides M∧IQ, one of the halophyte groups, has been used as a folk remedy for digestive disturbances in Korea. However, its pharmacological activity on gastrointestinal motility has not been reported yet. In this study, the effects of this halophyte extracts with various solvent fractions (ethanol, hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water) on mice ileal spontaneous motility was examined. All solvent fractions at the concentration of 100 ㎍/ml showed inhibitory actions on spontaneous motility of ileum with the potency order of water greater-than 70% ethanol greater-than hexane much greater-than chloroform greater-than or equal to butanol greater-than or equal to ethyl acetate, respectively.