Malignant theileriosis of sheep is a highly fatal, acute or subacute disease is caused by the tick-borne protozoan parasite, Theileria hirci. In this investigation ten healthy male lambs aged 5-6 months were randomly divided into two groups, A and B and were kept in isolated tick-proof pens. They were treated for internal and external parasite before commencement of the experiment. The lambs were experimentally infected with T. hirci by placing ticks Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum infected with T. hirci on them. The ticks used in this survey had originally been isolated from sheep and colonies of them were established in an insectarium. Before and after infection rectal temperatures and clinical signs of the lambs were recorded, blood and prescapular lymph node smears were prepared and examined to determine the extent of the parasitaemia, and blood samples were analyzed to evaluate their haemoglobin (Hb) and packed cell volume (PCV) rates. Three days after the commencement of a febrile reaction and appearance of the schizonts in the lymph node smears, treatment of the lambs in Group A with an extract containing the alkaloids of Peganum harmala (wild rue) was commenced. Group B lambs were kept untreated controls. Before treatment there were no significant differences in the rectal temperature, parasitaemia rate, and the Hb and PCV values between animals in the two groups but after treatment significant differences in these values was detected (P < 0.05). After treatment, the clinical signs and parasites in the lymph node smears of the animals in Group A disappeared and they all animals recovered. These parameters in the animals of Group B progressed until their death. Pathological studies showed the characteristic lesions of theileriosis in lambs in Group B, but not in Group A. The results indicate a therapeutic effect of the alkaloids of P. harmala for treatment of ovine malignant theileriosis.

The helminth community infecting Miniopterus natalensis was studied at two localities, the De Hoop Nature Reserve (DHNR) (n = 57), Western Cape Province and Pretoria (n = 12), Gauteng Province, South Africa. Hosts from the DHNR had formed part of an earlier, unrelated study and were all pregnant females. A single hymenolepidid cestode species, the nematodes Molinostrongylus ornatus and Litomosa chiropterorum together with nematodes of the subfamily Capillariinae were present at both study sites, while a single digenean, Allassogonoporus sp., was only found in hosts from the DHNR. The prevalence of helminth infections was high at both localities, 68.4 % in the DHNR and 77.7 % in Pretoria, whereas the mean intensity of infection was low at the DHNR (3.76 ± 3.15), but higher in Pretoria (10.4 ± 9.9). Molinostrongylus ornatus and, to a lesser extent L. chiropterorum, were the main contributors to the higher intensities in Pretoria. The species richness ranged from 0 to 4 at both localities.

The testis and epididymis are important organs of the male reproductive system; the function is to produce, mature, transport, and store sperm. It is important to understand the localization and expression of specific proteins based for the studies of its physiological processes. In the study, we investigated the expression and distribution of galectin-3, one beta-galactoside-binding proteins, in the testis and epididymis of mouse using western blot and immunohistochemistry. Western blot analysis revealed that the expression of galectin-3, 29 kDa protein, was low in the testis. In the epididymis, high expression was detected in the body and tail part, but moderate expression in the head part. By immunohistochemical analysis, we found that positive localization of galectin-3 was detected in some myoid cells and Leydig cells in the testis, but few in the seminiferous tubules. In the epididymis, galectin-3 was intensely expressed in the epithelium of epididymis, especially in the epithelium of both body and tail epididymis. Collectively, these results suggest that galcetin-3 is constitutively expressed in the testis and epididymis of mouse with varying intensity, and the role of galectin-3 in the male reproductive organ may be involved in the specific function of its structures.

In veterinary medicine amitraz has been used as an insecticide to eliminates mites, lice, and ticks in dogs, cats, goats, swine and cattle. The objective of present study was to developed an analytical method using one-step extraction and determination of the amitraz in veterinary drugs by liquid chromatography (LC). The amitraz was analyzed by LC equipped with Waters XTerra RP18 (4.8×250 mm; 5 ㎛; Waters, USA) analytical column, using 75% acetonitrile (acetonitrile/D.W; 75/25) at 1.0 ml/min. The UV-VIS detection of amitraz was made at 290 nm. Calibration graphs were linear with very good correlation coefficients (r² greater than 0.9999) from 80~120 ㎍/ml. The limit of detection was 0.09 ㎍/ml and limit of quantification was 0.27 ㎍/ml. The method showed good intra-day precision (CV 0.05~0.09%) and inter-day precision (CV 0.06~0.18%).

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.

The rapid evolution of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus (S.) aureus is of considerable concern. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains are especially one of the greatest public concerns since the treatment of infections is more difficult when encountering resistance. In this study, we conducted a nationwide survey on the antimicrobial resistance of S. aureus isolated from raw meat samples collected from 16 countries, including Korea, and investigated the prevalence of MRSA as a possible source of human infection. Of 1,984 meat samples, S. aureus was isolated from 218 (11.0%) samples consisting of 23 (12.1%) from domestic meat and 195 (10.9%) from imported meat. The isolated rates of poultry meat, pork and beef were 12.8%, 7.0% and 10.0%, respectively. With regard to imported meat, the incidence varied from 4.8% to 16.6% from 13 countries, with the exception of Austria and Poland. In a resistance test to 20 antimicrobial agents, one hundred and eighty-four isolates (84.4%) were resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents tested. Especially, 17 (7.8%), 124 (56.9%) and 28 (12.8%) isolates showed a resistance to 3, 2 and 1 drugs, respectively. One isolate originating from domestic beef was resistant to 7 drugs. Another isolate originating from imported poultry meat showed resistance to oxacillin and methicillin by the disk diffusion test and minimal inhibition concentration method, but showed negative for detection of the mecA gene.

The pirarucu, Arapaima gigas (body weight = 18.3 kg and total length = 102 cm) which had been reared in one of the private commercial aquaria for exhibition was found dead and submitted for diagnostic examination. A pure bacterial culture was isolated from the kidney, which was enlarged, and contained fluids. Results of the bacterial identification yielded Serratia fonticola. This paper describes the first isolation of S. fonticola from pirarucu.

The purpose of this study is to define the normal findings of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the clinically healthy Beagle dogs and to provide basic information in diagnosis of neurologic disorders. CSF obtained from 13 clinically healthy dogs was examined for total and differential cell counts, total protein concentration, glucose and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentration, specific gravity, turbidity, and protein electrophoresis. On gross examination, CSF samples evaluated were clear and colorless. Few red blood cells and nucleated cells were present. The mean concentration of glucose and LDH examined were 65.8 mg/dl and 2.7 mg/dl, respectively. The cellular components of CSF samples based on differential counts were monocytes (41.9%), activated macrophages (35.8%), lymphocytes (20.0%), neutrophils (1.65), and eosinophils (0.7%). The fractions of electrophoretic protein in CSF were albumin (52.7%), alpha-globulin (16.5%), beta-globulin (24.8%), and gamma-globulin (3.0%). Results of albumin quota were ranged from 0.15 to 0.38. In conclusion, this study provided normal composition of CSF in Beagle dogs.

A castrated male, 4-year old, Dachshund weighing 5.3 kg with an acute history of anorexia, vomiting, severe depression, and hypothermia for 1 day was referred. Severe leukopenia, mild increased hepatic enzymes, and mild imbalanced electrolyte were found on laboratory tests. There are no remarkable findings on abdominal radiographs. Ultrasonography showed multifocal heterogeneous and hypoechoic round regions in the liver. Ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration and drainage were performed and hepatic abscess was diagnosed. The patient was recovered normally without any complications through aggressive medical treatments from the result of culture and sensitivity test.

This study was conducted to investigate biochemical properties and O group serotypes of pathogenic 203 Escherichia (E.) coli isolates from poultry with collibacillosis in Korea during the period from April 2003 to December 2005. Biochemical and fermentative properties of 203 isolates of E. coli tested were in accordance with Cowan and Steel's classification standard. One hundred and forty one isolates (69.5%) could be classified into a total of 20 O serotypes. Among them, the predominant O groups were O78 (32.5%), O88 (7.8%), O15 (6.8%), O141 (6.4%), and O158 (3.0%) in decreased order. Other infrequently encountered serogroups included: O8 (2%), O161 (2%), O20 (1.5%), O125 (1.5%), O2 (1%). And O6, O18, O24, O46, O76, O109, O119, O138, O139 and O148 had a frequency of 0.5%, respectively. Sixty two isolates (30.5%) were non-typeable with standard 173 O antisera used in this study.