• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.53 no.2
• /
• pp.209-213
• /
• 2015

The present study was performed to survey the infection status of zoonotic intestinal trematode (ZIT) in stray cats from 5 major riverside areas in the Republic of Korea. Total 400 stray cats were captured with live-traps in riverside areas of Seomjingang ('gang' means river) (203 cats) from June to October 2010, and of Yeongsangang (41), Nakdonggang (57), Geumgang (38), and Hangang (61 cats) from June to October 2011, respectively. Small intestines resected from cats were opened with a pair of scissors in a beaker with 0.85% saline and examined with naked eyes and under a stereomicroscope. More than 16 ZIT species were detected in 188 (92.6%) cats from Seomjingang areas, and the number of worms recovered was 111 per cat infected. In cats from riverside areas of Yeongsangang, Nakdonggang, Geumgang, and Hangang, more than 9, 8, 3, and 5 ZIT species were recovered, and the worm burdens were 13, 42, 11, and 56 specimens per infected cat, respectively. As the members of family Heterophyidae, more than 10 species, i.e., Metagonimus spp., Pygidiopsis summa, Heterophyes nocens, Stellantchasmus falcatus, Heterophyopsis continua, Acanthotrema felis, Centrocestus armatus, Procerovum varium, Cryptocotyle concava, and Stictodora lari, were recovered. More than 5 species of echinostomes, i.e., Echinostoma hortense, Echinochasmus japonicus, Echinochasmus sp., Echinoparyphium sp., and unidentified larval echinostomes, were collected. Plagiorchis spp. were detected in cats from areas of Seomjingang and Yeongsangang. From the above results, it has been confirmed that stray cats in 5 major riverside areas of Korea are highly infected with various species of ZITs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.303-310
• /
• 2010

Demand on specialized feline dentistry has increased over the years, partly due to growing feline population in Korea. Despite the notable increase in the population, not much researches has been conducted on oral disease for stray cats. Thus this research was conducted on 81 adult stray cats from Gwangju in Korea (42 males and 39 females) with average weight of 3.4 kg and also focused on occurrence of periodontal disease (plaque and calculus), feline odontoclastic resorptive lesion (FORL), stomatitis and tooth anomaly. Formation of dental plaque and calculus were abundant on maxilla than mandible, especially distributed much on 4th premolar teeth and 1st molar teeth. After thorough examination of oral cavity, 33 stray cats (40.7%) were found to have oral disease. Eighteen stray cats (22.2%) had tooth fracture which was evident on cuspid and missing teeth were present on 2nd premolar tooth of maxilla and 2nd incisor of mandible amongst 20 stray cats (24.7%). FORL was present on cuspids and 2nd premolar tooth of maxilla among 10 stray cats (12.3%). Stomatitis was involved with FORL, missing tooth, and tooth fracture. Therefore, it was determined that stomatitis, FORL, and periodontal disease were closely associated.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.50 no.2
• /
• pp.161-164
• /
• 2012

To evaluate the efficacy of ronidazole for treatment of Tritrichomonas foetus infection, 6 Tritrichomonas-free kittens were experimentally infected with a Korean isolate of T. foetus. The experimental infection was confirmed by direct microscopy, culture, and single-tube nested PCR, and all cats demonstrated trophozoites of T. foetus by day 20 post-infection in the feces. From day 30 after the experimentally induced infection, 3 cats were treated with ronidazole (50 mg/kg twice a day for 14 days) and 3 other cats received placebo. Feces from each cat were tested for the presence of T. foetus by direct smear and culture of rectal swab samples using modified Diamond's medium once a week for 4 weeks. To confirm the culture results, the presence of T. foetus rRNA gene was determined by single-tube nested PCR assay. All 3 cats in the treatment group receiving ronidazole showed negative results for T. foetus infection during 2 weeks of treatment and 4 weeks follow-up by all detection methods used in this study. In contrast, rectal swab samples from cats in the control group were positive for T. foetus continuously throughout the study. The present study indicates that ronidazole is also effective to treat cats infected experimentally with a Korean isolate of T. foetus at a dose of 50 mg/kg twice a day for 14 days.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.47-51
• /
• 1999

In order to evaluate the dietary regulation of cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.29) in cats, acitivity and protein content of CSAD were assessed in the liver and kidney of cats fed different levels of dietary protein, with and without taurine. Four groups of cats were fed one of the follow diets for 5 weeks ; 20% protein and taurine- free diet(LP0T) ; 20% protein and 0.15% taurine diet(LPNT) ; 60% protein and taurine-free diet(HP0T); and 60% protein and 0.15% taurine diet (HPNT). CSAD activity was determined in the liver and kidney of cats by measuring 14C2 released form [1-14C]-L cysteine sulfinic acid. CSAD protein was quantified using an immunochemical method. CSAD activity was extremely low in cat tissues, among which kidney showed the highest activity which was 0.118$\pm$0.050, and 0.377$\pm$0.056 nmol.min-1.mg soluble portein-1 iin animals fed LP0T and HP0T, respectively. Even though renal CSAD protein content was 18~55% of the hepatic CSAD protein content, renal CSAD acitivity was 1.3~6.5 times of the hepatic CSAD activity . Renal CSAD acitivities of cats fed 60% protein were about 1.6~3.2 times those of animals fed 2.% protein , and hepatic CSAD activity was not significantly affected by the dietary level of protein. Taurine depletion significantly elevated both hepatic and renal CSAD activities above the values for cats having normal taurine status most probably as an adaptive response.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
• /
• s.49
• /
• pp.563-588
• /
• 2017

Cats used to be long avoided in Korean culture due to prejudices on their negative implications, yet they are increasingly being favoured by domestic readers along with a growing number of cat lovers, picture books, essays and webtoons. In the case of Yoko Sano's work, half of her published books in Korea depicts cats. Among those is 'The Cat That Lived a Million Times' which is a worldwide million seller. The research analyses five picture books on cats published in Korea, focusing on finding out symbolic representation of cats other than merely being the protagonist of the book. Sano asserts that we respect our own free well and love ourselves just as cats do in her books. In conclusion, cats in Sano's work mostly represent the author herself, which are sometimes depicted as mother and son. The colours and thick outlines of her cats, unlike tender characteristics, describes self-righteous strong personality, while emphasising both static and dynamic movements.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.197-202
• /
• 1989

This study was performed to observe the susceptibility of dogs and cats as definitive hosts of Paragonimus ilektsuenensis. The metacercariae of this luke were obtained from Sesarma dehaani collected at a focus near the mouth of Sumjin river in November, 1986 and February, 1987. The larvae isolated from the crabs were introduced Per os into 7 albino rats, 2 dogs and 3 cats. The adults were recovered from the experimental animals, End they were morphologically observed and measured. The results were as follows: 1. The recovery rate of adult worms at 42 days after infection was 53.3% from three albino rats, 21.0% from a dog and 12.7% from two cats. Most of the worms were recovered from the worm capsules in the lungs. 2. The size of worms recovered from albino rats, a dog, and cats 42 days after infection aver-aged $6.3{\times}3.2mm,{\;}6.3{\times}3.0mm,{\;}or{\;}6.2{\times}3.5mm$, respectively. There were little differences in the morphology of worms by different experimental animals. 3. The size of eggs from a dog was $88.9{\times}49.3{\mu\textrm{m}}$, and that from cats was $84.3{\times}53.7{\mu\textrm{m}}$ on average. Dogs and cats were good definitive hosts of p. iloktsuenensis. This fact suggests that human infection by this luke may be possible if the metacercariae were ingested.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.189-191
• /
• 2009

Four feral cats and a raccoon dog purchased from a local collector on Aphaedo Island, Shinan-gun, where human Gymnophalloides seoi infections are known to be prevalent, were examined for their intestinal helminth parasites. From 2 of 4 cats, a total of 310 adult G. seoi specimens were recovered, Other helminths detected in cats included Heterophyes nocens (1,527 specimens), Pygidiopsis summa (131), Stictodora fuscata (4), Acanthotrema felis (2), Spirometra erinacei (15), toxocarids (4), and a hookworm (1). A raccoon dog was found to be infected with a species of echinostome (55), hook-worms (7), toxocarids (3), P. summa (3), and S. erinacei (1). No G. seoi was found in the raccoon dog. The results indicate that feral cats and raccoon dogs on Aphaedo are natural definitive hosts for intestinal trematodes and cestodes, including G. seoi, H. nocens, and S. erinacei, It has been first confirmed that cats, a mammalian species other than humans, play the role of a natural definitive host for G. seoi on Aphaedo Island.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.1151-1160
• /
• 1999

This study was conducted to detect the toxoplasma-specific DNA in peripheral blood collected from cats experimentally infected with Toxoplasma gondii (RH strain) and from domiciled cats by B1 gene-base polymerise chain reaction(PCR). The sensitivity of oligonucleotide primer, T-1 & T-2, designed from toxoplasma B1 gene amplification method was compared with parasite detection by mouse inoculation(MI). And also, latex agglutination test(LAT) and indirect fluorescent antibody test(IFAT) were conducted to detect the fluctuation of serum antibodies compared with the detection of toxoplasma by PCR and MI. Toxoplasma B1 gene PCR was shown consistently high sensitivity and the results obtained by PCR agreed completely with those from MI. All blood samples collected before infection with T gondii gave negative results by PCR and MI. Also, toxoplasma Bl gene PCR was not cross reaction with Neospora caninum DNA and normal cat leucocyte as controls. The toxoplasma-specific DNA was detected by PCR in blood of 5 cats experimentally infected with T gondii 6 days after infection and the detection of this specific-DNA was long lasted in blood for 64 days after infection. The detection of toxoplasma-specific DNA by PCR could be identified as few as 10 tachyzoites and the isolation of T gondii by MI could be isolated as few as 1 tachyzoite from tenfold serial dilution of T gondii with normal cat blood, respectively. In healthy domiciled cats, the toxoplasma-specific DNA and the parasite were detected and isolated in blood from 3 of 56(5.3%) cats by both PCR and MI, respectively. In the results of antibody test from the total 56 heads of healthy domiciled cats, the positive rates are 15(26.7%) by LAT and 19(33.9%) by IFAT. These results suggest that PCR detection of toxoplasma can be applied as a sensitive and specific diagnostic and research tool.

• International Neurourology Journal
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.246-251
• /
• 2018

Purpose: To determine whether responses to serotonin are altered in bladder strips from cats diagnosed with a naturally occurring form of bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis termed feline interstitial cystitis (FIC). Methods: Full thickness bladder strips were isolated from aged matched healthy control cats and cats with clinically verified FIC. Bladder strips were mounted in an organ bath and connected to a tension transducer to record contractile activity. A serotonin dose response ($0.01-10{\mu}M$) was determined for each strip with the mucosa intact or denuded. Results: Bladder strips from control and FIC cats contracted in response to serotonin in a dose-dependent manner. The normalized force of serotonin-evoked contractions was significantly greater in bladder strips from cats with FIC (n=7) than from control cats (n=4). Removal of the mucosa significantly decreased serotonin-mediated responses in both control and FIC bladder preparations. Furthermore, the contractions in response to serotonin were abolished by $1{\mu}M$ atropine in both control and FIC bladder strips. Conclusions: The effect of serotonin on contractile force, but not sensitivity, was potentiated in bladder strips from cats with FIC, and was dependent upon the presence of the mucosa in control and FIC groups. As atropine inhibited these effects of serotonin, we hypothesize that, serotonin enhances acetylcholine release from the mucosa of FIC cat bladder strips, which could account for the increased force generated. In summary, FIC augments the responsiveness of bladder to serotonin, which may contribute to the symptoms associated with this chronic condition.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.37.1-37.10
• /
• 2024

Importance: The portal vein to aorta (PV/Ao) ratio is used to assess the clinical significance of extrahepatic portosystemic shunt (EHPSS). Previous studies using computed tomography (CT) were conducted in dogs but not in cats. Objective: This study aimed to establish normal reference values for PV indices (PV/Ao ratio and PV diameter) in cats and determine the usefulness of these for predicting symptomatic EHPSS. Methods: This study included 95 dogs and 114 cats that underwent abdominal CT. The canine normal (CN) group included dogs without EHPSS. The cats were classified into feline normal (FN, 88/114), feline asymptomatic (FA, 16/114), and feline symptomatic (FS, 10/114) groups. The PV and Ao diameters were measured in axial cross-sections. Results: The group FN had a higher PV/Ao ratio than the group CN (p < 0.001). Within the feline groups, the PV indices were in the order FN > FA > FS (both p < 0.001). The mean PV diameter and PV/Ao ratio for group FN were 5.23±0.77 mm and 1.46±0.19, respectively. The cutoff values between groups FN and FS were 4.115 mm for PV diameter (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 97.7%) and 1.170 for PV/Ao ratio (90%, 92.1%). The cutoff values between group FA and FS were 3.835 mm (90%, 93.8%) and 1.010 (70%, 100%), respectively. Conclusions and Relevance: The results demonstrated significant differences in PV indices between dogs and cats. In cats, the PV/Ao ratio demonstrated high diagnostic performance for symptomatic EHPSS. The PV diameter also performed well, in contrast to dogs.