• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2021

Q fever is a worldwide zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii. Domestic ruminants are considered to be major source of human infection. The aim of this survey was to investigate seroprevalence of C. burnetii in ruminants in Gwangju area. A total of 1,000 samples (serum and lactoserum) were collected from 987 Korean native cattle, 5 Korean native goats, 2 beef cattle, 6 bulk-tank milk from each dairy farm in Gwangju area from January to October 2020 and analyzed by ELISA. The seroprevalence of C. burnetii in bulk-tank milk from each dairy farms was 50.0%. Korean black goat and beef cattle had negative antibody test results for C. burnetii. The seroprevalence of C. burnetii in Korean native cattle in Gwangju area was 7.1% and was higher in female (7.8%) than in male (3.4%) (P=0.024). The seroprevalence of C. burnetii in Korean native cattle appeared to increase with age (3.8% in 1 year-old, 7.1% in 3 year-old, and 10.7% in more than 5 year-old) (P<0.001). The seroprevalence of C. burnetii of Korean native cattle increased in spring and May was the highest in particular (P<0.001). As the distribution and density of tick-habitat are expected to increase due to climate crisis, this survey highlights the need for monitoring C. burnetii in domestic ruminants, including surveillance of C. burnetii infection in people working for livestock industry.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.4.1-4.6
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• 2021

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is caused by Babesia caballi and Theileria equi infection. We investigated antigen and antibody of EP in horses in the Republic of Korea during 2016-2017. Antigen and antibody of T. equi was detected 0.06% (1/1,650). Phylogenetic analysis of 18S rRNA revealed that the T. equi was highly homologous with the strains from China, Mongolia, and Spain. Two Theileria spp. were also detected and highly homologous with T. buffeli, T. luwenshuni, and T. orientalis.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.861-869
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• 2022

In patients with Tourette's syndrome, a tic occurs when Mu wave synchronization is broken. Conversely, when Mu wave synchronization is achieved, a tick does not occur. When the tic is suppressed, the cognitive control response process is changed, and if the neurofeedback training that adjusts the EEG frequency power is performed with the changed, the patient will be treated autonomously without artificially suppressing the tic. The results of the research test suggest that if the tic patient does not artificially synchronize mu waves in the premotor cortex (Frontal Cortical 3 site), and if EEG control is performed autonomously like neurofeedback training, as a result, tics do not occur. Cognitive control response processes are altered when a subject is inhibited from tics. By training the altered cognitive control with neurofeedback that modulates EEG frequency power, the patient can be treated autonomously without artificially suppressing the tic.Mu-wave synchronizationcan now be added to existing neurofeedback treatment protocols such as SMR reinforcement, theta-beta-wave imbalance correction, and alpha-wave reinforcement. This study will be used in follow-up studies and clinical trials to more scientifically verify the neurofeedback treatment protocol, a treatment for patients with Tourette's syndrome.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.64-74
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• 2024

This pilot study aimed to investigate the effects of regional and seasonal variations on the prevalence of Theileria orientalis and the hematological profile of non-grazed dairy cows in Korea. A total of 365 clinically healthy lactating Holstein Friesian cows from 26 dairy farms in 7 provinces that were categorized into northern, central, and southern regions were sampled during the warm period from July to August and the cold period from October to December. The detection of T. orientalis major piroplasm surface protein gene and the hematology non-grazed dairy cows were analyzed using peripheral blood samples. The T. orientalis prevalence was 20.0% (73/365). The prevalence in the southern region was 35.9%, which was significantly higher than that in the central (21.6%) and northern (12.9%) regions (P<0.05). The prevalence during warm period was higher (43.0%) than that during the cold season (13.5%). The infected cows showed significantly lower erythrocyte counts in the southern region (5.8±0.6 M/㎕) and during the warm period (5.8±0.7 M/㎕) compared with those in the central and northern regions and during the cold season, which affected the extended RBC parameters, including hematocrit and hemoglobin concentrations. Our findings revealed the prevalence of T. orientalis in Korea, highlighting its high occurrence during warm periods and in certain geographical regions. Climatic factors could contribute to the health and productivity of cattle, as evidenced by the prevalence of T. orientalis and its negative impact on animals.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2016

Theileria annulata is a tick-borne intracellular protozoan parasite that causes tropical theileriosis, a fatal bovine lymphoproliferative disease. The parasite predominantly invades bovine B lymphocytes and macrophages and induces host cell transformation by a mechanism that is not fully comprehended. Analysis of signaling pathways by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) could be a highly efficient means to understand this transformation mechanism. However, accurate analysis of qPCR data relies on selection of appropriate reference genes for normalization, yet few papers on T. annulata contain evidence of reference gene validation. We therefore used the geNorm and NormFinder programs to evaluate the stability of 5 candidate reference genes; 18S rRNA, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), ACTB (${\beta}-actin$), PRKG1 (protein kinase cGMP-dependent, type I) and TATA box binding protein (TBP). The results showed that 18S rRNA was the reference gene most stably expressed in bovine PBMCs transformed and non-transformed with T. annulata, followed by GAPDH and TBP. While 18S rRNA and GAPDH were the best combination, these 2 genes were chosen as references to study signaling pathways involved in the transformation mechanism of T. annulata.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.206-211
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• 2014

Anaplasmosis is a rickettsial zoonosis mediated by blood-sucking arthropods, such as ticks, flies, and mosquitos. Migratory birds are common hosts of ticks that are mediators of anaplasmosis, in particular, the tick infection rate in thrushes (family Turdidae) has been known to be high. The main purpose of this study is to survey the occurrence and prevalence of Anaplasma spp. from the migratory thrushes in Jeju island. We collected blood samples from 6 thrushes rescued at the Jeju Wildlife Rescue Center and from 34 wild-caught thrushes on Mara island which is a satellite island of Jeju. As a result, the nested PCR confirmed that seven out of 40 individuals (17.5%) were infected by Anaplasma spp. and all of them were identified as A. phagocytophilum based on sequences obtained from partial 16S rRNA. All the infected birds were on their northward migration in spring, our results suggest that the Turdidae family, which is a common and abundant migrant group passing through Jeju island, may act a role as active reservoir and disperser of A. phagocytophilum causing potential influx of the zoonotic pathogens from its wintering grounds in lower latitude to the mainland Korea as well as Jeju.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.409-416
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• 1997

Bovine theileriosis caused by Theileria sergenti is the tick-borne intraery- throcytic piroplasmosis, that occurs in most regions of Korea. It results in severe economic losses on a farm caused by anemia, milk production loss, abortion and death. This study was undertaken to confirm the effects of the growth hormone and the insulin-like growth factor-I which are associated in the growth of cattle infected by T sergenti. The blood of one hundred and twenty ten-month Holstein was collected and the prepared blood smear was stained with acridine orange to investigate their parasitemia. And the hematological profiles were observed. According to the value of the hematocrit, they were categorized into four groups : Group 1 was under 20 percent, groups 2 and 3 were from over 21 to under 30 percent and from over 31 to under 35 percent and group 4 was over 36 percent. As the value of the hematocrit decreased, parasitemia(%) in erythrocytes was observed to increase(Y=-1.064X + 30.537, r=0.660). The amounts of the growth hormone and the insulin-like growth factor-I in the serum were measured by the radioimmunoassay. The growth hormone in serum of the group 1, group 2, group 3 and group 4 were observed as $0.238{\pm}0.043nmol/l$, $0.21{\pm}0.024nmol/l$, $0.366{\pm}0.035nmol/l$ and $0.646{\pm}0.223nmol/l$, respectively. The quantitative of the insulin-like growth factor-I in the same groups were observed also as $209.686{\pm}18.94ng/ml$, $250.9{\pm}12.609ng/ml$, $279.3{\pm}8.883ng/ml$ and $365.9{\pm}22.45ng/ml$, respectively. It can be concluded that the growth hormone and the insulin-like growth factor-I were observed to decrease in severe anemia due to theileriosis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.65-72
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• 1981

Amblyomma testudinarium Koch', 1844, previousely known to occur in India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Indochina, the Philipines, Taiwan and Japan, is here firstly discovered and recorded in Korea. A male specimen was collected from grazing Frisian cattle of the Dae Weon Farm on Jeju Island by a local veterinary official on the 28th June in 1981. The specimen was examined at the institute of Veterinary Research in Anyang and was identified as A. testudinarium. The morphological characteristics of the male specimen were redescribed. A tota1 of 18 species of ticks belonging to 7 genera, such as, Argas, Amblyomma, Boophilus, Dermaccntor, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma and Ixodes, has now been recorded to occur in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.143-149
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• 2020

The study examined the seasonal pattern of larvae, nymph, and adult life stages for Haemaphysalis longicornis and the rate of infection with severe fever from the thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in ticks collected from 12 sections (Jichukdong), 14 sections (Uldaeri), and 18 sections (Howondong) in Bukhansan dullegil for April-October 2019. Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks have been considered the main vector for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). Haemaphysalis flava and Ixodes nipponensis were collected using the dragging and flagging method. The ratios of Haemaphysalis longicornis of the collected ticks were 91% (Jichukdong), 94% (Uldaeri), and 98% (Howondong). Monthly distributional studies of Haemaphysalis longicornis based on the developmental stage showed that the adults peaked in September while nymphs were collected more frequently from April through June. The larvae peaked in September and October. SFTS virus detection was performed using 2 × OneStep RT-PCR and nested PCR. On the other hand, no SFTS virus-specific gene was detected in 1,158 ticks of Haemaphysalis longicornis. This result provides estimates of the population densities for the life stages of Haemaphysalis longicornis and the associated disease risk in Bukhansan dullegil, where many people have visited since opening in 2010.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.169-174
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• 2017

This study was performed to investigate the distribution of ticks and the rate of infection with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus in ticks collected at Mt. Gwanak and the Seoul National University campus, Korea. Ticks (n = 273) were collected from May to October and included 76 Haemaphysalis longicornis (4 adult females, 72 nymphs), 49 Haemaphysalis flava (9 adult females, 3 adult males, 37 nymphs), and 148 Haemaphysalis spp. larvae. SFTS virus detection was performed by using one-step RT PCR and nested PCR. The SFTS virus was detected in 7 samples (1 Haemaphysalis longicornis nymph, 3 Haemaphysalis flava nymphs, and 3 Haemaphysalis spp. larva). The overall minimum field infection rate was 2.6%, whereas the minimum field infection rates of adult, nymphal, and larval ticks were 0%, 3.2%, and 2.0%, respectively. For a more accurate indication of the prevalence of SFTS virus in Korea, further in-depth investigations of tick species and SFTS virus occurrence over a larger area and longer period are needed.