• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.447-451
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• 2008

This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter spp. in privately owned pet dog's oral cavity samples (saliva, dental plaque, vomitus) and fecal samples in Korea and to evaluate the potential route for transmission. Total 100 patients dogs attending one Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital were examined by Helicobacter genus-specific PCR assay and these dogs were divided into two groups whether they had gastrointestinal signs (vomiting, nausea and diarrhea) or not. The total detection rate of Helicobacter spp. by PCR in saliva, dental plaque and fecal samples was 23%, 1% and 68% respectively. The difference of prevalence with regarding the gastrointestinal sings was not significant. In vomitus, two of seven samples had positive results. These results suggested that Helicobacter spp. are present in the oral cavity although they were present in very low number and are not like to be normal oral flora of the oral cavity and Helicobacter spp. in dogs could be transmitted through oral-oral, gastrooral and fecal-oral route.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.556-562
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• 2014

The occurrence of human norovirus (NoV) genogroup I (GI) and genogroup II (GII) strains was investigated in Korea. Between 2007 and 2010, 265 samples were collected from 89 Korean water source locations. NoV GI was detected in 4.5% and NoV GII in 1.5%. Samples collected in winter had the highest occurrence; 9.4% for NoV GI and 6.3% for NoV GII. NoV GI detection was highest in groundwater, with the next highest in river water and the lowest in lake water (5.9%, 5.4%, and 1.6%, respectively), and NoV GII was found only in river water. When three representative Korean basin systems (Han (H)-, Geum/Seom (G/S)-, and Nakdong (N)-river basins) were compared, both NoV genogroups were high in the G/S-, but absent in the H- river basin. The most prevalent genotypes within the GI and GII groups were GI.5 and GII.4, respectively. The NoVs found in surface water were identical to those found in patients and those found in groundwater. The NoVs appeared to be transmitted from the patient to the surface water, and then to the groundwater, suggesting a fecal-oral route of transmission. This is the first nationwide surveillance of NoV in major Korean water sources.