To investigate the epidemiological trait of intestinal diseases of animals caused by thermophilic Campylobacter spp., isolation of etiological agent was carried out. Isolated Campylobacter spp. were biotyped, serotyped and the susceptibility of the isolates to antimicrobial agents were examined. Isolation rates of Campylobacter spp. from 649 fecal materials of 208 cattle, 300 pigs and 141 chickens were 25.5 %, 23.7 % and 38.3 %, respectively. The majority of the 130 isolates of C jejuni was classified as biotype I (50.6 %) and biotype II (34.6 %). Most of the 46 isolates of C coli were biotype I (71.7 %). Isolated C jejuni strains showed 14 different serotype, and serotype 4, 26, 36 were most frequent. Isolated C coli strains showed 5 different serotype and serotype 31 and 21 were relatively common. Isolated Campylobacter spp. were highly susceptible to nalidixic acid, amikacin, gentamycin, colistin and chlorampehnicol

Nine strains of Yersinia species isolated from pigs and dogs in Korea, comprising 5 strains of Yersinia enterocolitica, 2 strains of Y. kristensenii and each strain of Y. pseudo-tuberculosis and Y. intermedia, were examined for the presence of virulence-associated plasmids, calcium dependency and provocation of guinea pig conjunctivitis (Sereny test). Three strains of Y. enterocolitica isolated from pigs were positive in calcium dependency and harbored one plasmid of about 45 megadalton, but negative in Sereny test

This study was conducted to evaluate the possibility of application of a micro-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (micro-ELISA) for the serodiagnosis of specific toxoplasma antibodies in swine sera and this test was performed as a microplate system by coating the polystyrene plates with toxoplasma soluble antigen, incubated serially diluted sera, then added horse radish peroxidase labelled goat anti-swine IgG(r) conjugate followed by o-phenylenediamine as substrate. The color development by enzyme-substrate reaction was determined by the photometric reading [ELISA reader at 490nm (OD)] and visual reading. The soluble antigen was prepared from the tachyzoites in mouse peritoneal cavity. A total of 1,200 swine sera from pig slaughter-house and a total of 116 swine sera from pig breeding station (S-C farm) were tested for the detection of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. The optimal reactions of indirect ELISA for the test sera were determined by the dilution of antigen 1:256 and 1:3,200 of horse radish peroxidase conjugate [anti-swine IgG (r)]. The specific toxoplasma antibody (IgG) in pigs infected with Tp artifically were detected as the serum titers of 1:64 or 1:128 at one week postinfection. Of a total of 1,200 swine sera from pig slaughter-house 505 samples of sera were detected as positive (42.1 %) and of a total of 116 swine sera from S-C pig breeding station 68 samples of sera as positive (58.6 %). The specific antibody (IgG) detection rates against a total of 1,200 test sea from pig slaughter-house were not significant between male (43.1 %) and female (40.7 %). The indirect ELISA was proved to be a sensitive and specific procedure for the serodiagnosis of swine toxoplasmosis and also evaluated as an effective screening test for the large scale of test samples in laboratory

To investigate the epidemiological trait of intestinal diseases of animals caused by thermophilic Campylobacter spp., isolation of etiological agent was carried out and the profiles of plasmids and the transfer of resistance plasmid in the isolated Camplyobacter spp. were examined. A total of 110 isolates of C jejuni and C coli were subjected to the test for the presence of plasmid DNA. Of the isolates examined, 60 % of the isolates were noted to harbor plasmid DNA. Plasmid occurrence rate from pigs, chickens and cattle were 76.2 %, 61.7 % and 37.7 %, respectively. The plasmids of a large molecular weight, ranging from 36 Md to 86Md, were identified with the strains of tetracycline resistant. Transfer frequency of tetracycline resistant plasmids was higher in the case of the filter mating method than in the broth mating method by the factor of 10-1,000. Tetracycline resistant plasmids of C jejuni were transferarble to C jejuni and C coli by conjugation. In a low frequency, the transfer of tetracycline plasmid was also possible to Vibrio parahemolyticus. However, it was impossible to transfer to Streptococcus fecalis, E. coli and Vibrio cholerae. Tetracycline resistant plasmids of C jejuni were impossible to transfer to Campylobacter spp. and related bacteria by transformation

In order to establish the extent of Streptococcal arthritis piglets, isolation of Streptococci from arthritic lesions of 34 piglets were undertaken from November 1987 to October 1988 in Korea. Also determined were isolation frequency of Streptococci in nasal cavity of 250 healthy sows and antibiotic susceptibilities of the isolates. Streptococci were isolated from 52.9 % of 34 arthritic piglets and 20 strains isolated belonged to 4 S suis type I, 8 S suis type II, 2 Lancefield group C and 6 group E. From 28.8 % of 250 healthy sows, 72 strains of Streptococci were isolated and these consisted of 9 S suis type I, 51 S suis type II and 12 group C. Streptococcal arthritis seemed to occur prominently in piglets aged 2 to 4 weeks and in male than female. No significant difference were recognized in tarsal and carpal joints as affecting site. All of 92 isolates were sensitive to ampicillin and penicillin, and all strains of S suis type I and group E Streptococcus were also sensitive to chloramphenicol and cephalothin. To cephalothin all strains of group C Streptococcus were sensitive. The 1.7 to 100 % of 92 isolates were resistant with different prevalence to colistin, erythromycin, kanamycin, tetracycline, gentamycin, chloramphenicol and cephalothin. The 92.5 % of these resistant Streptococci were multiply drug-resistant strains. The drug resistant patterns most frequently encountered were Tc Cl Em Km Gm (16.3 %) in quintuple pattern, Tc Cl Em Km (16.3 %) in quadruple pattern, Tc Cl Em (10.9 %) in triple pattern and Cl Em (14.1 %) in double pattern

A total of 108 strains of C jejuni isolated from pigs and chickens were examined for the susceptibility to 10 antimicrobial agents and normal sera of cattle, sheep, guinea pigs and chickens. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges of antimicrobial agents to C jejuni isolates were = 100 micro g/ml for erythromycin, rifamycin, streptomycin and tetracycline, 50 to 100 micro g for cephalothin, = 50 micro g for ampicillin,

The present study was conducted to investigate the incidence of Pasteruella multocida infection in Youngnam swine herds during the period from March 1988 to Ferbruary 1989 and some properties of the isolated organisms. P multocida was isolated from 22 (43.1 %) of 51 growing pigs of 4 to 12 weeks of age and from 8 (80.0 %) of 10 herds. From nasal turbinates of 102 slaughtered pigs, 47 (46.1 %) pigs were culture positive and pigs from 8 (88.9 %) of 9 heards were found to be infected with P multocida. From lungs of 101 slaughtered pigs, 42 (41.6 %) pigs were culture positive and the pigs from 11 (91.7 %) of 12 herds were found to be infected with P multocida. The majority of biochemical and cultural propertis of the P multocida isolates were identical to those of the standard strains. The isolation frequencies of P multocida in relation to pig snout lesion grades of 0 to 5 were 28.6 %, 41.6 %, 48.0 %, 50.0 % 85.7 %, and 100 %, respectively

The capsular serogroupes and drug susceptibility of 111 isolates of Pasteurella multocida from pigs with atrophic rhinitis and pneumonic lesions were investigated. Of the 111 P multocida isolates, 42 were from lung lesions, 47 from nasal turbinate lesions and the remaining 22 from the nasal swabs. P multocida isolates were typed for capsular serogroupes A by hyaluronidase inhibition of capsule and D by acriflavine auto-agglutination. Most isolates (64.9 %) were type A, 23.4 % were type D and the remaining 11.7 % were untypable. Resistance to triple sulfa (97.3 %) was most frequent, followed by resistance to tiamulin (71.2 %), tylosin (56.8 %), streptomycin (36.9 %), and neomycin (36.0 %). The majority of the organisms were susceptible in order of prevalence to baytril (100 %), ampicillin (98.2 %), linsmycin (97.3 %), cephalothin (94.6 %), gentamycin (93.7 %), amikacin (92.3 %), tetracycline (91.9 %), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (91.0 %), and kanamycin (90.1 %). No differneces in drug resistance in relation to capsular serogroupes of P multocida and the origin of lesions were noted. A high prevalence of multiple drug resistance was observed and the most common resistant patterns were Sss, Tm, Ty (12.6 %) and Sm, Sss, Tm, Ty (8.1 %) patterns

Five hundred and forty-eight samples of pig heart muscle were collected from the abattoirs of many regions in Korea to reveal the frequency of Sarcocystis infections and to identify the species from June 1988 to April 1989. Heart muscle of the pigs was inspected for sarcocysts by the direct detection technique and for bradyzoites by the trypsin digestion technique. For examination of development of the parasites in the final host, 5 cross bred mature dogs, 5 puppies and 5 kittens were fed 100g, 50g and 50g of the infected meat respectively, four times in 2 days. Of 402 fattened and 146 older culled breeding pigs, 3 fattened pigs and 39 culled pigs were positive for Sarcocystis. Sarcocystis cysts from heart muscle measured an average of 425 x 169 micro m and bradyzoites an average of 15.6 x 3.5 micro m. Of 15 animals, only 2 puppies were infected with Sarcocystis. The prepatent period was 11 to 12 days and patent period was not examined since the puppies were infected with some another infections and one died on day 11 and another died on day 12 after ingestion of the meat. The sporulated oocysts were detected 11 days after ingestion of the meat and sporocysts 12 days from the puppy feces. The sporulated oocysts measured an average of 16.5 x 11.5 micro m and sporocysts an average of 12.6 x 7.9 micro m. On scaping examination of the intestinal mucosa, fully sporulated oocysts were detected in the tip of the intestinal villi. Considering above all descriptions, Sarcocystis in pig heart muscle in Korea was identified with Sarcocystis suicanis