• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.31.1-31.8
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• 2020

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a global pandemic. No specific therapeutic agents or vaccines for COVID-19 are available, though several antiviral drugs, are under investigation as treatment agents for COVID-19. The use of convalescent plasma transfusion that contain neutralizing antibodies for COVID-19 has become the major focus. This requires mass screening of populations for these antibodies. While several countries started reporting population based antibody rate, its simple point estimate may be misinterpreted without proper estimation of standard error and confidence intervals. In this paper, we review the importance of antibody studies and present the 95% confidence intervals COVID-19 antibody rate for the Korean population using two recently performed antibody tests in Korea. Due to the sparsity of data, the estimation of confidence interval is a big challenge. Thus, we consider several confidence intervals using Asymptotic, Exact and Bayesian estimation methods. In this article, we found that the Wald method gives the narrowest interval among all Asymptotic methods whereas mid p-value gives the narrowest among all Exact methods and Jeffrey's method gives the narrowest from Bayesian method. The most conservative 95% confidence interval estimation shows that as of 00:00 on September 15, 2020, at least 32,602 people were infected but not confirmed in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2018

A preliminary study into the protective mechanisms of adaptive immunity against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in piglets (n = 9) born to a gilt challenged intranasally with a type-2 PRRSV. Immune parameters (neutralizing antibodies, $CD3^+CD4^+$, $CD3^+CD8^+$, $CD3^+CD4^+CD8^+$ T-lymphocytes, and PRRSV-specific interferon $(IFN)-{\gamma}$ secreting T-lymphocytes) were compared with infection parameters (macro- and microscopic lung lesion, and PRRSV-infected porcine alveolar macrophages ($CD172{\alpha}^+PRRSV-N^+\;PAM$) as well as with plasma and lymphoid tissue viral loads. Percentages of three T-lymphocyte phenotypes in 14-days post-birth (dpb) peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) had significant negative correlations with percentages of $CD172{\alpha}^+PRRSV-N^+\;PAM$ (p < 0.05) as well as with macroscopic lung lesion (p < 0.01). Plasma and tissue viral loads had significant (p < 0.05) negative correlations with $CD3^+CD4^+CD8^+$ T-lymphocyte percentage in PBMC. Frequencies of $CD3^+CD8^+$ and $CD3^+CD4^+$ T-lymphocytes in 14-dpb PBMC had significant negative correlations with of lymph node (p = 0.04) and lung (p = 0.002) viral loads. $IFN-{\gamma}$-secreting T-lymphocytes frequency had a significant negative correlation with gross lung lesion severity (p = 0.002). However, neutralizing antibody titers had no significant negative correlation (p > 0.1) with infection parameters. The results indicate that T-lymphocytes contribute to controlling PRRSV replication in young piglets born after in-utero infection.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 2011

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) caused by infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is a highly contagious viral disease in chicken. It causes heavy economic loss by immune suppression and high mortality. The IBDV, designated Avibirnavirus in the Family Birnaviridae, has a double-stranded RNA genome formed by two segments, segment A and segment B. Segment A encodes a 108 KDa polypeptide that is self-cleaved to produce pVP2, VP3 and VP4, and later pVP2 is cleaved to VP2. The VP2 contains the antigenic regions responsible for elicitation of neutralizing antibodies and VP3 is a major immunogenic protein of IBDV. In this study, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for IBDV were produced and characterized. All 15 MAbs were specific for IBDV and did not react with other viruses used in this study. The protein specificity of MAbs was determined by comparing the reactivity patterns of each MAb with IBDV VP2 and VP234 recombinant baculoviruses and Western blot analysis. As a result, 7 MAbs (1F5, 2C8, 2F4, 3C7, 4C3, 6F11, 6G5) and 5 MAbs (2A4, 2G2, 3F5, 3G2, 4F10) were specific for VP2 and VP3, respectively. The protein specificity of 3 MAbs (2B8, 3F7, 3F8) were not determined. Five (2C8, 2F4, 4C3, 6F11, 6G5) of the VP2-specific MAbs had a neutralizing activity against IBDV. Some MAbs reacted with IBDV-infected bursa of Fabricius by indirect fluorescence antibody (IFA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay. The MAbs produced in this study would be used for diagnostic reagents for the detection of IBDV infection.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.355-359
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• 1988

A porcine parvovirus inactivated vaccine was prepared and inoculated to 7 piglets and also 8 guinea-pigs, and their serum antibodies were titrated. Twenty-two field serum samples of unvaccinated sows were also tested by SN and HI methods. It was observed that SN test was superior over HI test. Therefore, it is suggested that the SN test could well be used in the detection of serum antibody for PPV in vaccinated pigs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1994

To investigate serum neutralizing antibodies against Bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) virus, Akabane virus and Ibaraki virus in southern area of Chungnam province, Holstein sera were collected from April-May(269 heads /37 farms) and October-November (226 heads /35 farms), 1993. The results were summarized as follows ; 1. Bovine ephemeral fever.-antibody positive rates to BEF virus were 46.1% (124 heads /269 Holstein) in April-May and 53.9%(122 heads /226 Holstein) in October-November. 2. Akabane disease.-antibody positive rates to Akabne virus were 34.2％(92 heads /269 holstein) in April-May and 51.3%(116 heads /226 Holstein) in October-Novermber. 3. Ibaraki disease.-antibody positive rates to Ibaraki virus were 57.6%(155 heads /269 Holstein) in April -May and 38.5%(87 heads /226 Holstein) in October-November.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.148-153
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• 1991

To investigate epidemological sitution of bovine viral diarrhea infection, serological survey in cattle being raised in Young Dong province were conducted. Bovine sera collected ramdomly from August 1990 to December 1990 were tested for bovine viral diarrhea virus serum neutralizing antibody titers. The results were as follows 1. BVDV SN antibody levels were considerably varies and positive rate was 58(108 heads out of 186) 2. BVDV SN antibodies to breeds of cattle was various and positive rates showed that diary cattle, beef, native cattle(Korean) were 67.52%, 59.38%, 27.00％ respectively followed in that order. 3. In the regional prevalence of BVD SN antibodies in cattle, Alpine(92％) was the highest, Young Dong south(59%) middle(44%), and North 30% followed in that order 4. In the age relatated prevalence of BVD SN antibodies, the younger than 6 month old group was the highest 65.7%, and older than 25 month old group was also at 62.2％. Then, 7 to 12 moth old group and 13 to 24 month old group showed to 58.5%, 52.1％ respectively. 5. The geometric mean titer (log2) of 108 cattle serum samples showing positive BVD SN antibodies was 4.3. 6. In the geometric mean titer(log2) according to age, younger than 6 month old group (5.2) was the highest, then 7 to 12 month old group 2.8(SD=1.94 standard deviation) was lowliest.

• BMB Reports
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.556-564
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• 2004

A recombinant Fab monoclonal antibody (Fab) C37, previously obtained by phage display and biopanning of a random antibody fragment library against Burkholderia pseudomallei protease, was expressed in different strains of Escherichia coli. E. coli strain HB2151 was deemed a more suitable host for Fab expression than other E. coli strains when grown in media supplemented with 0.2% glycerol. The expressed Fab fragment was purified by affinity chromatography on a Protein G-Sepharose column, and the specificity of the recombinant Fab C37 towards B. pseudomallei protease was proven by Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by proteolytic activity neutralization. In addition, polyclonal antibodies against B. pseudomallei protease were produced in rabbits immunized with the protease. These were isolated from high titer serum by affinity chromatography on recombinant-Protein A-Sepharose. Purified polyclonal antibody specificity towards B. pseudomallei protease was proven by Western blotting and ELISA.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.401-408
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• 1987

Nine monoclonal antibodies directed against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV) were prepared by using cell hybridization technique, and the biological properties of the antibodies were investigated by means of immunofluorescence, serum neutralization, and electrophoretic analysis. Eight of 9 monoclonal antibodies reacted specifically with the antigenic constituents of IBRV, infectious laryngotracheitis virus, Marek's disease virus, turkey herpesvirus, hog cholera virus, porcine parvovirus and transmissible gastroenteritis virus. However, the remaining one, 26-2 clone, was found to be cross-reactive with pseudorabies virus. Two monoclonal antibodies, 7-C-2 and 12-A-2, which had neutralizing activity, were reactive with the molecular weights of 72 kilo daltons (72K) and 125K of IBRV proteins electrophoretically separated, respectively. The monoclonal antibody, 3-H-3, which is corresponding to 94K of IBRV proteins, revealed no neutralizing activity. The cross-reactive monoclonal antibody, 26-2, was proved by electrophoretical analysis to be reactive with 100K of IBRV proteins and 40K of pseudorabies virus.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.521-532
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• 2008

The prevalence of major calf disease was investigated in 117 Holstein dairy calves in Chonnam area. All of them were moved in the College experimental farm which is operated in intensive units. clinical signs were daily examined throughout two months after the introduction of the College farm. Among calves, 92 cases(78.6%) died in the two months after the introduction in it. Outbreaks of respiratory and alimentary diseases were their main causes of their fatality. The incidence of respiratory disorders during the full period of the experiment was up to 42.8%, and the alimentary diseases were occurred 35.9% of the herd. Most of the mortality was related with respiratory(59.9%) and alimentary(52.1%) pathogens. Also calf mortality by combined infection claimed 6.6% among 100 morbidity cases. Principle pathogens to cause mortality were Pasteurella spp(44.4%), E coli(29.9%), bovine viral diarrhea virus(16.2%), IBRV(12.0%), respectively. Viruses also played as an important role in increasing calf morbidity to secondary respiratory bacterial pathogens. Pasteurella infection combined with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus(11 cases), parainfluenza virus type-3(9 cases), or bovine respiratory syncytial virus(7 cases) was appeared as major pattern to mortality. colibacillosis in causing enteritis was concurrently infected with BVD(19 cases), bovine coronavirus infection(14 cases), salmonellosis(5 cases), coccidiosis(5 cases) and clostridial infection(4 cases). Ninty-two cases to death were appeared to have 100% neutralizing antibodies to BCV; Among them, 73.8% had the neutralizing antibody level higher than 64. Calves with neutralizing antibodies higher than 16 to BVDV were 50%. The cases with neutralizing antibody level lower than 8 to BEFV were 89.4% that means the necessity of appropriate vaccination.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.337-345
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• 2023

Purpose: The global fight against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has led to widespread vaccination efforts, yet the optimal dosing schedule for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines remains a subject of ongoing research. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of administering two booster doses as the third and fourth doses at different intervals to enhance vaccine protection. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at a military regional hospital operated by the Ministry of National Defense in Taiwan. A cohort of vaccinated individuals was selected, and their vaccine potency was assessed at various time intervals following their initial vaccine administration. The study participants received booster doses as the third and fourth doses, with differing time intervals between them. The study monitored neutralizing antibody titers and other relevant parameters to assess vaccine efficacy. Results: Our findings revealed that the potency of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine exhibited a significant decline 80 days after the initial vaccine administration. However, a longer interval of 175 days between booster injections resulted in significantly higher neutralizing antibody titers. The individuals who received the extended interval boosters exhibited a more robust immune response, suggesting that a vaccine schedule with a 175-day interval between injections may provide superior protection against SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of optimizing vaccine booster dosing schedules to maximize protection against SARS-CoV-2. The results indicate that a longer interval of 175 days between the third and fourth doses of the vaccine can significantly enhance the neutralizing antibody response, potentially offering improved protection against the virus. These findings have important implications for vaccine distribution and administration strategies in the ongoing battle against the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Further research and largescale trials are needed to confirm and extend these findings for broader public health implications.