Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is a member of the Avibirnavirus genus of the Birnaviridae family which genome consists of two segments (A and B) of double stranded RNA. Segment A gene of KNU08010 isolate, which was isolated from a 15-day-old chicken flock in 2008, was sequenced and compared with other IBDV isolates including SH/92 strain, the first Korean very virulent (vv) IBDV isolate. The amino acid sequences of segment A gene showed that KNU08010 had 99.2% homology with SH92 strain. KNU08010 isolate had specific amino acids A222, I242, I256, I294 and S299 which are highly conserved among vvIBDV strains. Phylogenetic analysis based on the nucleotide sequences of variable region of the VP2 gene of 18 IBDV strains revealed that KNU08010 was grouped with vvIBDVs and was closely related to Korean vvIBDVs isolated from wild birds.

In Korea, groundwater is main water source in livestock farms. Most dairy and cattle farms have constructed their own wells for human drinking and livestock farming. However, these private residential wells have not been controlled by government and also there was scant study about livestock drinking water quality. Therefore this study was to monitor of the livestock farms' groundwater quality in Korea. Water samples were collected at 123 dairy and cattle farms and were analysed forty six substances with quality standard for drinking water approved by the Minister of Environment. Seventy eight (63.4%) of 123 samples failed to drinking water stand a test. The most frequent contaminants were nitrate-nitrogen and microbial. 22.8% (n = 28) of samples showed nitrate-N concentration of higher than 10 mg/L meant that can't be used drinking water for human and the Nitrate-N concentration analysed in the range of 0.2 to 61.2 mg/L. All of 78 failed to drinking samples had microbial problems, especially 5.7% (n = 7) of samples indicated water could be contaminated by feces. Other contaminants detected were zinc and evaporation residue. Especially detected zinc concentration (32 mg/L) was about ten times higher than standard of zinc (3 mg/L). Regression analysis indicated that groundwater pH did not influence to nitrate-N concentration but the hardness and chloride could affect to nitrate-N concentration in the groundwater. Most livestock farms were adjacent to crop farmland in Korea. This could cause contamination of groundwater with nitrate-N and pesticide that could accumulate livestock product. Moreover Heavy metal such as zinc and copper could be released from a corrosive plated water pipe in livestock farm. Put together, Korea livestock system is indoor, not pasture-based, hence livestock could be exposed to potential contaminated water consistently. Therefore on the basis of these data, appropriate livestock drinking water quality standards should be prepared to keep livestock healthy and their product safe. Further, livestock drinking water quality should be monitored continuously in suitable livestock drinking water standards.

The prevalence of Toxoplasma (T.) gondii was surveyed using a latex agglutination test (LAT) in native Korean cattle. A blood sample was collected from female 105 cattle in the Daejeon area of Korea. All cattle were asymptomatic and had not received any prophylactic treatment for T. gondii. Blood samples were collected via the caudal vein. The cattle ranged in age from 2~6 years (mean 3.7 years). LAT detected antibody to T. gondii in four of 105 (3.8%) cattle. However, the hazard analysis and critical control point protocol has been applied to cattle farms and beef traceability has been strengthen.

Supernumerary ectopic limb(s) (SEL) is a congenital anomaly defined as the presence of accessory limb(s) attached to various body regions. This paper describes a case of SEL with ectopic lung and ectopia cordis in a newborn calf, based on macroscopic, microscopic and radiographic findings. External features of multiple congenital anomalies included an ectopic lung growing over the middle of the backbone and covered with normal haired skin. Ectopia cordis was found in the abdominal cavity and attached to the liver. Two extra abnormal limbs originated separately from within the ectopic lung. Most of the abdominal organs were exposed to the outside through the opened abdominal cavity. Microscopically the ectopic lung tissue had edema in the connective tissue around the bronchus and artery. Changes in other organs included congestion of the renal medulla, infiltration of inflammatory cells (lymphocytes and eosinophils) around the hepatic portal tract, and edema surrounding blood vessels and neurons in the brain. The rudimentary humerus of the forelimb was attached to the thoracic spine, as viewed radiographically. The hindlimb was consisted of an irregularly shaped femur, short tibia and fibula, two tarsal bones, one metatarsal bone, and three phalanges. This is the first description of congenital anomalies involving the SEL, ectopic lung and ectopia cordis in a calf.

A 6-year old, female, Schnauzer dog with chief complaint of tetraparesis was referred to the Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital of Chungnam National University. On physical examination, neulologic examinations and magnetic resonance imaging, this patient was diagnosed into fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy. Although conventional treatment such as prednisolone, cefotaxime and enrofloxacin revealed no improvement, this patient showed favorable therapeutic response by combined therapy with aquapuncture with prednisolone, modified moxibustion, herbal medicine and massage.

Theileria (T.) buffeli (formerly T. sergenti/T. orientalis) is the major hemo-protozoan distributed in the Far East Asian countries such as Korea, China and Japan. It is responsible for the clinical symptoms of anorexia, ateliosis, anemia, fever and icterus. It also causes abortion and sudden death under severe cases, resulting in economic losses for many livestock farms. The objective of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity of the major surface protein (Msp) gene in T. buffeli in Holstein in Korea, and we characterized the association of the diversification of the Msp gene and its relationship with the pathogenicity of Theileria. For this, complete blood counts and Theileria PCR sequence analysis were performed from 57 Holstein in Jeju Island. A total of 26 PCR positive Holstein (16 anemic and 10 non-anemic) were then randomly selected based on 18s rRNA sequence typing of the Theileria Msp gene. The DNA sequence of the T. buffeli Msp gene in Holstein showed 99.0%, 99.2%, 99.9%, 99.5%, 98.7%, 98.4% and 98.4% homology with T. sergenti, Theileria spp., T. sergenti, Theileria spp., Theileria spp., Theileria spp. and Theileria spp., respectively. The result showed a genetic variation of 57.7% (type Ⅰ), 3.8% (type Ⅱ), 15.4% (type Ⅲ), 7.7% (type Ⅳ), 13.5% (type Ⅴ) and 1.9% (type Ⅵ). Type Ⅰ is the most frequent type in both anemic and non-anemic Holstein while type Ⅱ was found in only non-anemic Holstein. This results of our study help confirm the diversity of Msp gene types and demonstrate that the gene type distribution of Msp genes varies among Theileria-infected Holstein in Jeju Island.

Salmonella spp. is an important pathogen to both public and swine industry. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of Salmonella serovar and antibiotics susceptibility of the isolates from Korean swine producing systems. A total of 63 (5.28%) Salmonella spp. was isolated from 1,194 samples (977 fecal materials and 67 organ samples). The predominant Salmonella (S.) enterica serotype and serovar was group B (69.8%) and S. Typhimurium (47.6%), S. Derby (20.6%) and S. Heidelberg (1.6%). But S. Cholerasuis which is characterized host specific by septicemia and enteritis to pigs was not isolated. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates varies as follows: Norfloxacine (75%), Ciprofloxacin (67.5%), Amikacin (60%), Colistin (60%), Enrofloxacin (55%). All of isolates were resistant to Erythromycin, Penicillin, Tetracycline and Lincomycin. The results of this study provided useful information regarding antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance patterns to treat salmonellosis and to prevent emergence of multidrug resistance Salmonella.

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an inflammatory disease in the murine central nervous system (CNS) and has long been used as an animal model for human multiple sclerosis. Development of EAE requires coordinated expression of a number of genes that are involved in the activation and effector functions of inflammatory cells. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a member of the beta-galactoside-binding lectin family and plays an important role in inflammatory responses through its functions on cell activation, cell migration or inhibition of apoptosis. We investigated the functional role of Gal-3 in EAE mice following immunization with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)∧35-55 peptide. During the peak stage of EAE, the localization of Gal-3 in inflammatory cells markedly increased in subarachnoid membranes and perivascular regions of CNS. In contrast, Gal-3 was weakly detected in cerebrum and spinal of the recovery stage of EAE. Consistent with this finding, western blot analysis revealed that Gal-3 expression was significantly increased at the peak stage while it was slightly decreased at the recovery stage in the CNS. In addition, the population of CD11b+ macrophage expressing Gal-3 in spleen of EAE mice was markedly increased compared with control mice. In fact, most of activated macrophages isolated from spleen of EAE mice expressed Gal-3. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the over-expression of Gal-3 in activated macrophages may play a key role in promoting inflammatory cells in the CNS during EAE.

Alcohol abuse and its medical and social consequences are a major health problem in many areas of the world. Korean red ginseng (KRG) has been traditionally used for the treatment of liver disease. This study was conducted to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of KRG against hepatotoxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats treated with ethanol (EtOH). Administration of EtOH for 20 days induced significant changes in serum biochemical parameters (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, and glucose) accompanied by histological changes in the liver tissue. Treatment with KRG prior to administration of EtOH inhibited the EtOH-induced biochemical and histological changes of the liver. In perfused rat livers, administration of EtOH caused an increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release into the perfusate and activated the pro-apoptotic Bax protein but inhibited the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Pretreatment with KRG prior to administration of EtOH decreased the EtOH-induced LDH release and inhibition of Bcl-2 protein. These results suggest that KRG exerts anti-apoptotic effects and alleviated EtOH-induced liver injury in rats.

The radioprotective efficacy of a methanol extract of the red algae Polyopes lancifolia (Harvey) kawaguchi et wang (mPL) was evaluated in mice subjected to total-body gamma irradiation. mPL protection against radiation-induced oxidative stress was examined by histological evaluation of intestinal crypt-cell survival and liver activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). mPL (100 mg/kg body weight) administered intraperitoneally at 24 h and 1 h prior to irradiation protected jejunal crypt cells from radiation-induced apoptosis (p less than 0.01). The pretreatment of mPL attenuated a radiation-induced decrease in villous height (p less than 0.05), and improved jejunal crypt survival (p less than 0.05). The dose reduction factor was 1.14 at 3.5 days after irradiation. Treatment with mPL prior to irradiation resulted in significantly higher (p less than 0.01) levels of SOD and CAT activities, compared to those levels of irradiated control mice with vehicle treatment. These results suggest that mPL is a useful radioprotective agent capable of defending intestinal progenitor cells against total-body irradiation, at least in part through mPL antioxidative activity.