Serologic Studies of Japanese Encephalitis in Domestic Animals

일본뇌염(日本腦炎)에 대(對)한 한국가축(韓國家畜)에서의 혈청학적(血淸學的) 조사(調査) 연구(硏究)

Since the report in 1946 on the first isolation of Japanese encephalitis virus in Korea, the disease is known to occur every year and has occasionally spread in epidemic proportion among human populations. Because of its public health importance, it was deemed highly desirable to gain specific information as to natural history of the disease in Korea if we are to accomplish our ultimate objective of controling the disease in Korea. There still remain, however, unknown factors as to the ecology of Japanese encephalitis virus in Korea. This paper presents the results of serologic study on Korean cattle, hog and horse by means of hemagglutination inhibition (H.I.) test. The serum specimens were collected from Korean cattle, hog and horse their estimated ages being 3 to 9 years, 6 to 24 months and 2 to 14 years respectively, by jugular puncture; in Seoul and Kyung-Ki are a from the first part of May to November last, 1968. The strain used was designated by M 5/596. The methods of H.I. test employed in this study were essentially simillar to those employed by Clark and Fred. The results obtained summarized as follows; 1. Of samples of cattle sera tested, 183 (98%) was found to be positive, H.I. antibodies showing the highest proportion, on September. The lowest proportion showed 81 (68%) of 117 samples, on June. 2. One hundred and ninety-five and 114 swine serum samples tested were all of positive in both on September and October respectively. The lowest proportion showed 92 (29%) of 314 on June too. 3. Ninety (99%) of 91 equine serum samples tested contained demonstrable H.I. antibodies the highest proportion, on August. The lowest proportion was 19 (27%) of 70 samples on June. 4. Implications of these findings in the ecology of Japanese encephalitis Seoul and Kyung-Ki area were discussed.