• 대한수의학회지
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• 제61권1호
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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.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.37.1-37.14
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• 2023

Background: Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists have been used as adjuvants to modulate immune responses in both animals and humans. Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the combined effects of the TLR 4 agonist monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) and the TLR 3 agonist polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C) on equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MoDCs), and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs). Methods: The PBMCs, MoDCs, and BM-MSCs collected from three mixed breed horses were treated with MPL, Poly I:C, and their combination. The mRNA expression of interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12p40, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: The combination of MPL and Poly I:C significantly upregulated immunomodulatory responses in equine cells/ without cytotoxicity. The combination induced greater mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ and IL-6 than MPL or Poly I:C stimulation alone in PBMCs. In addition, the combination induced significantly higher mRNA expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-12p40 in MoDCs, and IL-8, MCP-1, and VEGF in BM-MSCs compared to stimulation with a single TLR agonist. Conclusions: The combination of MPL and Poly I:C can be used as a potential adjuvant candidate for vaccines to aid in preventing infectious diseases in horses.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.317-320
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• 2015

H3N8 equine influenza virus (EIV) causes respiratory diseases in the horse population, and it has been demonstrated that EIV can transmit into dogs owing to its availability on receptors of canine respiratory epithelial cells. Recently, we isolated H3N8 EIV from an EIV-vaccinated horse that showed symptoms of respiratory disease, and which has a partially truncated nonstructural gene (NS). However, it is not clear that the NS-truncated EIV has an ability to cross the host species barrier from horses to dogs as well. Here, we experimentally infected the NS-truncated H3N8 EIV into dogs, and monitored their clinical signs and viral load in respiratory organs to determine the virus's transmissibility.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제54권1호
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• pp.97-101
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• 2016

Lyme disease is a tick-borne zoonotic infectious disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. The present study assessed the infection status of B. burgdorferi among horses reared in Korea using ELISA and PCR. Between 2009 and 2013, blood samples were collected from 727 horses throughout Korea. Data for each animal including age, gender, breed, and region of sample collection were used for epidemiological analysis. Overall, 38 (5.2%; true prevalence: 5.5%) of 727 horses were seropositive by ELISA. There were statistically significant differences according to breed and region (P<0.001) whose differences might be attributed to the ecology of vector ticks and climate conditions. Using 2 nested PCR, none of the samples tested positive for B. burgdorferi. Thus, a positive ELISA result can indicate only that the tested horse was previously exposed to B. burgdorferi, with no certainty over the time of exposure. Since global warming is likely to increase the abundance of ticks in Korea, continuous monitoring of tick-borne diseases in Korean horses is needed.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제20권5호
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• pp.649-654
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• 2010

Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus는 말의 생식기 질환을 유발하는 중요한 병원체 중 하나로서 국내 말의 생산성 향상을 도모할 목적으로 제주도에서 사육중인 더러브렛 암말의 유산태아 및 그 말의 자궁내용물과 장수목장에서 암말의 교배전 생식기 질환이 의심되는 말의 질 내용물로부터 시료를 채취하여 Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus을 분리하여 그 분리균의 특성 및 항균제 감수성 검사를 실시한 결과, RAPD typing에서는 크게 4개의 cluster로 구분되었다. 특히 제주도에서 분리한 균주와 장수목장에서 분리한 하나의 균주가 동일한 pattern을 나타내었다. 항균제 감수성 검사에서는 대부분의 균주가 ampicillin 등의 약제에 감수성이 있음을 확인하였다. 본 연구의 결과는 국내에서 사육중인 암말의 생식기 질병의 예방 및 치료에 유용할 것으로 생각된다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제33권6호
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• pp.1042-1055
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• 2020

Objective: The ecosystem of an animal farm is composed of various elements, such as animals, farmers, plants, feed, soil, and microorganisms. A domesticated animal's health is largely connected with the reservoir of bacteria and viruses in animal farms. Although a few studies have focused on exploring the gut microbiome of animals, communities of microbiota and viruses in feedlots have not been thoroughly investigated. Methods: Here, we collected feces and dust samples (4 groups: cattle feces, C_F; horse feces, H_F; cattle dust, C_D; and horse dust, H_D) from cattle and horse farms sharing the same housing and investigated their microbiome/virome communities by Illumina sequencing. Results: Dust groups (C_D and H_D) showed higher microbial diversity than feces groups (C_F and H_F) regardless of animal species. From the microbial community analysis, all the samples from the four groups have major phyla such as Proteobacteria (min 37.1% to max 42.8%), Firmicutes (19.1% to 24.9%), Bacteroidetes (10.6% to 22.1%), and Actinobacteria (6.1% to 20.5%). The abundance of Streptococcus, which commonly recognized as equine pathogens, was significantly higher in the horse group (H_D and H_F). Over 99% among the classified virome reads were classified as Caudovirales, a group of tailed bacteriophages, in all four groups. Foot-and-mouth disease virus and equine adenovirus, which cause deadly diseases in cattle and horse, respectively, were not detected. Conclusion: Our results will provide baseline information to understand different gut and environmental microbial ecology between two livestock species.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.19-23
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• 2015

This study was carried out to investigate the genital tract bacterial flora of riding mare in Jangsu stud farm during March to September, 2014. The specimens were collected from vaginal and uterus using a swab from 104 riding mares. Colonies were selected on blood and MacConkey agar plates, and identified as standard biochemical properties and Maldi-Tof MS. From this study, we isolated 148 strains including Escherichia (E.) coli (14.19%), Streptococcus (S.) equi subsp. zooepidemicus (2.7%), Streptococcus (S.) dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (2.03%), Klebsiella (K.) pneumonia (1.35%) and other strains from riding mares. In antimicrobial agents susceptibility test, it showed a high sensibility to the antibiotics of the most. E. coli and S. zooepidemicus were visible to have a high sensibility to almost antibiotics used in this study. However, K. pnemoniae showed a high antibiotic resistance patterns. These results may provide the basic information to establish strategies for the treatment and prevention of reproductive diseases in riding mares in Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제56권6호
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• pp.559-565
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• 2018

The identification and characterization of pathogenic and zoonotic tick-borne diseases like granulocytic anaplasmosis are essential for developing effective control programs. The differential diagnosis of pathogenic Anaplasma phagocytophilum and non-pathogenic A. phagocytophilum-like Anaplasma spp. is important for implementing effective treatment from control programs. The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of Anaplasma spp. in horses in Korea by nucleotide sequencing and restriction enzyme fragment length polymorphism assay. Of the 627 horses included in the study, only 1 (0.2%) was infected with A. phagocytophilum. Co-infection with A. phagocytophilumlike Anaplasma spp. was not detected in the study. The 16S rRNA sequence of A. phagocytophilum was similar (99.5-100%) to A. phagocytophilum 16S rRNA isolated from horses in other countries. PCR adapted to amplify A. phagocytophilum groEL and msp2 genes failed to generate amplicons, suggesting genetic diversity in these genes. This study is the first molecular detection of A. phagocytophilum in horses in Korea. Human granulocytic anaplasmosis and animal infection of A. phagocytophilum have been reported in Korea recently. Because of vector tick distribution, global warming, and the increase of the horse industry, horses should be considered as a potential reservoir for A. phagocytophilum, and cross infectivity should be evaluated even though a low prevalence of infection was detected in this study. Furthermore, continuous surveillance and effective control measures for A. phagocytophilum should be established to prevent disease distribution and possible transmission to humans.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제62권1호
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• pp.131-138
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• 2024

Halicephalobus gingivalis is a free-living nematode that occasionally causes infections in horses. We report a rare case of limb fracture of horse caused by infection with H. gingivalis. An 8-year-old mare was referred to the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Lavras with claudication grade 5 of the right hind limb, that had been started 3 months ago. The patient had aseptic arthritis in the tarsal joint and edema that extended to the quartile. The radiographic examination showed punctate osteolysis with exacerbation of bone trabeculation along the calcaneus, talus, proximal epiphysis of the third metatarsal and distal epiphysis of the tibia. Treatment for arthritis was initiated, and the animal showed a slight improvement in limb function. However, 21 days after hospitalization, due to a comminuted fracture of the tibia, it was euthanized. At necropsy, yellowish masses were found from the metatarsal to the tibia, and around the tarsal bones and joint. Similar masses were also found in the left kidney. Numerous nematodes compatible with H. gingivalis were identified. This is the first description of a pathological fracture caused by H. gingivalis infection in an equine limb.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물공학회 2001년도 추계학술발표대회
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• pp.438-440
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• 2001

Ferritin an iron-storage protein. is found in bacteria and some animal tissues such as liver, spleen and bone marrow. It is more effective and causes less side reactions than traditional ferrous sulfate, which has been used primarily to treat iron deficiency in pregnancy anemia. Currently, the ferritin extracted from bovine and equine spleens are sold as a commercial product. Its markets are several hundreds of million US dollars. However, because of recent warnings against the viral diseases of animal origins such as mad cow disease, a safer ferritin is sought after. In this study, a production process for human ferritin was successfully developed. The amount of its produced in yeast is high enough to be economically viable.