A 3-year-old spayed female Persian feline with non regenerative anemia showed persistent autoagglutination in EDTA anticoagulated blood. Primary immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) was suspected and the underlying causes for IMHA were excluded by radiologic, sonographic, serologic and molecular studies. Cytologic examination of the bone marrow revealed that dysmyelopoiesis and dysplastic changes were prominent in the erythroid cells. These changes included asynchronous maturation of the nucleus and cytoplasm, binucleation, trinucleation, fragmented or lobulated nuclei and multilineages. Mild dysgranulopoiesis and dysmegakaryocytopoiesis were also detected including pseudo Pelger-Huet anomalies, giant band neutrophils, asynchronous maturation of the nucleus and cytoplasm in granulopoiesis and large hypolobulated forms as well as dwarf megakaryocytes in megakaryocy-topoiesis. Myelodysplastic syndrome and congenital dysmyelopoiesis was ruled out by the low number of blast cells. Finally, secondary dysmyelopoiesis associated with IMHA was diagnosed and immuno-suppressive treatment was successfully responsive.

This study describes thoracic radiographic features of normal premature minipigs at the age of 4, 8, 12 and 20 weeks. The evaluation for appearance, shape, contour, location and extent of distribution of thoracic organs was recorded through right lateral and ventrodorsal thoracic radiographs. The size of the tracheal diameter, cranial mediastinum, and the heart were measured, and information about the correlation of each organ in their thoracic conformation could be obtained. Although there were limitations with plain thoracic radiographs, basic characteristics and data for thoracic radiographs of normal premature minipigs according to each age were useful.

The cDNA of the aquabirnavirus, GC-1 isolated from rockfish Sebastes schlegeli in Korea, was synthesized using the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences were determined from cDNA of the VP2-NS-VP3 coding region of genome segment A. The nucleotide sequences of the segment A were 3,086 base pairs (bp) in length and contained large open reading frame (ORF) and terminal sequences. The large ORF was comprised of 2,916 bp nucleotides and composed of 972 deduced amino acid sequences. Pairwise comparisons were made with other aquabirnavirus sequences published previously. The study of genetic relationships between GC-1 and aquabirnaviruses in the large ORF and VP2 coding regions demonstrated that the GC-1 has the nearest genetic relationship with the marine birnaviruses (MABV strains), and the GC-1 and MABV strains can be clustered as the same genogroup. GC-1 can be included in MABV, which is the 7th genogroup of family Aquabirnaviridae.

Hips of the Golden and Labrador retrievers in Korea were evaluated with the University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program (PennHIP) and the severity of joint laxity and degenerative joint disease (DJD) were compared to the PennHIP database. The distraction index (DI) of domestic Golden and Labrador retrievers was significantly higher than the DI of the PennHIP database. In the two breeds, the Prevalence of DJD increased according to the DI. However, the severity of DJD did not show a positive correlation with the DI. Overweight dogs and dogs kept indoors showed more severe DJD and more prevalence of clinical signs. This report is thought to be the first case presentation of a large population of Golden and Labrador retrievers in Korea and the findings are representing the overall level of canine hip dysplasia (CHD) of domestic Retrievers, as the PennHIP method was not available in Korea until 2001. We can respect that the stock of retrievers can have a tighter hip joint through control of CHD using an accurate diagnostic method keyed to a phenotype especially concern for joint laxity using PennHIP method and an organized screening program. The clinical manifestation of dysplastic dog can be reduced through control of bodyweight and the environment with regular monitoring the hips with concern for joint laxity using PennHIP method.

This study was performed to examine the effect of 2,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB#118) on testis of male rats. PCB#118 (20 mg/kg/week) in corn oil was intraperitoneally injected to adult male rats for 2, 5, 8 weeks. The body and testicular weights were measured at 3, 6, 9 weeks of PCB treatment. The morphological changes in the rat testes were then analyzed by light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that PCB#118 caused significant change in the body weights and testicular weights. Moreover, the morphological studies that were conducted on the PCB-treated rats revealed that the number of spermatocytes and spermatids in their seminiferous tubules decreased than control group (LM). The nuclear membrane was damaged when PCB was administered to them for 9 weeks (TEM). These results suggest that the reproductive function of the adult male rats is sensitive to PCB#118, and that may affect the testicular morphology of adult male rats.

Granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis (GME) is a sporadic, idiopathic, non suppurative inflammatory disease of the canine central nervous system. GME appears to have a worldwide distribution and to occur mostly in young to middle-age dogs of small breeds. A 6-year-old female mixed dog with wry neck, ataxia and rolling was submitted to the Cheju National University for diagnosis. Grossly, in the brain, cerebrospinal fluid was mildly increased and dilatation of the subarachnoid blood vessels was observed. Histopathologically, the lesions were characterized by perivascular cuffs of lymphocytes, various numbers of macrophages and plasma cells in the brainstem and cerebral white matter. Numerous granuloma composed of lymphocytes and histiocytes were scattered throughout the brainstem. Two malacic foci characterized by axonal swelling and gitter cell infiltration with hemorrhage were noted in the medulla oblongata and cerebellum. Special stains failed to demonstrate any infectious agents. Immunohistochemically, the infiltrated cells demonstrated strong positive reactions for CD3, a marker for T lymphocytes origin. Based on the clinical signs, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry, this case was diagnosed as GME in a mixed dog.

A 17-month-old intact male Cocker Spaniel was presented with primary complaints of severe ascites, exercise intolerance, and diarrhea. Diagnostic studies revealed tricuspid and pulmonic regurgitation on phonocardiogram, right ventricular enlargement on the electrocardiogram, typical right cardiac enlargement signs on the thoracic radiography and tricuspid valve malformation and marked enlargement of the right atrium and right ventricle on the echocardiography and tricuspid and pulmonary regurgitation on the color spectral echocardiography, suggesting tricuspid valve dysplasia and pulmonary hypertension. Using angiography and cardiac catheterization, pulmonary hypertension was ruled out. Further echocardiographic study revealed membranous valvular structures cranial to pulmonary annulus causing pulmonary regurgitation. Based on these findings on the diagnostic investigation, the case was diagnosed as tricuspid valve dysplasia complicated with pulmonic regurgitation. The dog was medically managed with furosemide, enalapril, nitroglycerine transdermal patch and pimobendan after the ascitic fluid removal.

We have investigated efficiency of a recombinant subunit Pasteurella multocida toxin (PMT) that was mixed with a vaccine consisted of inactivated whole cells of Bordetella bronchiseptica, P. multocida (type A and D). For verification of the efficacy of the vaccine, all experimental pigs (suckling piglets, sow and gilts) in the three farms were vaccinated. Antibody titers against B. bronchiseptica and P. multocida type A of the vaccinated pigs by microplate agglutination were significantly higher than those of the control pigs (p less than 0.05). Similar patterns were observed in the analysis of anti- PMT neutralizing antibody by serum neutralizing method using Vero cell (p less than 0.05). Anti- P. multocida type D antibody titer of the vaccinated sows and gilts by ELISA showed significant differences with those of the non-vaccinated pigs (p less than 0.05). Although antibody titers increased, it was unable to fine out the differences in the clinical signs between the vaccinated and non-vaccinated pigs. However, the increase in body weight of the vaccinated piglets was observed in comparison with the non-vaccinated piglets on a farm. At slaughtering of the pigs, pathological lesions in the turbinate bones of the vaccinated pigs were significantly lower than those of the non-vaccinated pigs (p less than 0.001). These results suggested that efficacy of the vaccine in pigs demonstrated to protect against atrophic rhinitis in Korea.

Akabane disease is caused by an arthropod-borne viral pathogen and leads congenital abnormalities of the central nervous system in infected ruminants. One isolate, KV0505, showed cytopathic effect in Vero cells. The KV0505 isolate was obtained from plasma, which was collected from a cattle raised on Jeju Island in May 2005. Jeju Island is located near the southern part of the Korean peninsula. The isolate was confirmed as Akabane virus (AKAV) by immunofluorescence assay using AKAV specific monoclonal antibodies and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Suckling mice inoculated with the isolate showed signs of paralysis and died within 10 days post-inoculation. Comparisons of the KV0505 N gene sequence with 39 other known AKAV strains revealed nucleotide homologies ranging from 83.6% (MP496 strain) to 99.7% (M171 strain). When compared with the K-9 strain, which was isolated from a cow in Korea in 1994, the nucleotide sequence homology with the N gene was 99.7%. Thus, genes of the KV0505 isolate were closely related to those of the M171 strain, which were clustered into the Ic group of AKAV.

In total, 1,142 serum samples were collected from 223 goat flocks rising in five different regions of Korea. These samples were screened for the presence of border disease virus (BDV) antibodies using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Of the 1,142 samples, we found 47 bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) positive cases (4.1%). These positive serum samples were also examined further by using the virus neutralization test against BDV. In addition, samples were tested for both BVDV and classical swine fever virus (CSFV). All of the samples that were seropositive for BDV also demonstrated positive antibody titers against BVDV and CSFV. Due to their common antigenicity, we also determined further the prevalence and carried out virus neutralization test against three pestiviruses: 314 of the goat samples were screened using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with primer pairs specific to common pestivirus genome regions. Overall, 1.6% (5/314) of the samples tested was positive for pestivirus. Based on the nucleotide sequence data and the phylogenetic analysis, three isolates were characterized as BVDV type 1 and two isolates as BVDV type 2. However, none of the isolates could be classified as BDV. These results indicate that BVDV-1 and BVDV-2 are the pestivirus strains circulating among Korean goat populations.