• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.374-377
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• 2010

Cat scratch disease is a zoonotic disease usually caused by the gram-negative bacterium Bartonella henselae. It is transmitted commonly by scratch or bite from cats or kitten. Cat scratch disease typically affects children and young adults, who develop regional lymphadenopathy. In contrast, in immunocompromised hosts, bacteremia may occur, bacillary angiomatosis and bacillary peliosis hepatitis or splenitis are the most common manifestations. Bartonella henselae was detected in three of thirty veterinarians and Bartonella clarridgeiae was detected in one of thirty veterinarians by a novel nested polymerase chain reaction. Cat scratch disease will not be neglected, and it needs continuous studies as well as observation and prevention of this disease.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.141-149
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• 2000

The etiologic agents of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Korea are Hantaan and Seoul virus in the genus Hantavirus, family Bunyaviridae. Antibody titers of sera from HFRS patients against Hantaan virus were measured by immunofluorescent antibody technique (IFAT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), high density composite particle agglutination (HDPA) and plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNI). PRNT and nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (nested RT-PCR) was used for serotypic differentiation of Hantaviruses against Hantaan and Seoul virus. Eight doubtful HFRS patients showed higher fluorescent, IgG ELISA, agglutination and neutralizing antibody titer by IFAT, ELISA IgG, HDPA and PRNT, respectively Five out of them showed high IgM antibody titer by IgM capture ELISA against Hantaan virus, remarkably. Fifteen HFRS patients showed higher fluorescent antibody titer by IFAT. In PRNT, 12 out of them showed high neutralizing antibody titer against HTNV, 2 against SEOV and 1 against both viruses. In nested RT-PCR using serotype specific-primer, 3 out of them showed positive against HTNV and 1 against SEOV.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.233-242
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• 2019

Detailed description of malaria in low transmission areas is crucial for elimination. The current study aimed to provide a comprehensive description for malaria transmission in Jazan, a low transmission district, southwestern Saudi Arabia. Patients at a tertiary care hospital were recruited in our study between August 2016 and September 2018. Malaria diagnosis was performed through a species-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR), microscopy and Paramax-$3^{TM}$ rapid detection test (RDT). Malaria was detected in 30 patients by the PCR, with point prevalence of 10.9%. Of these malaria infections, 80% was imported, 26.6% was asymptomatic and 23.3% was sub-microscopic. Malaria was reported throughout the year, with February/March and September/October peaks. Infection was significantly more in males than in females (P=0.01). Likewise, infections were detected more in febrile than in non-febrile patients (P=0.01). Adult aged 15-24 years, fever and travel were identified as high-risk factors. Malaria was primarily attributed to Plasmodium falciparum mono-infections, followed by P. vivax mono-infections and lastly to falciparum/vivax mixed infections accounting 76.6%, 16.6%, and 6.6% of PCR-confirmed malaria cases, respectively. The nested PCR was superior to the smear microscopy (sensitivity 76.6%; specificity 100%) and the RDT (sensitivity 83.3%, specificity 94.2%). The overall percent agreement between microscopy and the RDT was 92.7% (kappa=0.63). High proportion of imported malaria including sub-microscopic and sub-patent cases were described. We suggest that incorporation of molecular tool into the conventional malaria diagnosis is beneficial in Jazan district.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.105-109
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• 2015

Andean potato latent virus (APLV) is a phytopathogenic virus that belongs to the Group IV (+) sense ssRNA viruses of the genus Tymovirus. It mainly infects potatoes and is specified as a controlled quarantine virus in Korea. In this study, two primer sets of RT-PCR and nested PCR [set 2 ($404{\rightarrow}259bp$) and set 23 ($501{\rightarrow}349bp$)], were selected, which can rapidly and accurately diagnose APLV in quarantine sites. In addition, a modified-positive control plasmid is development, can possible verification of laboratory contamination in diagnosis of APLV detection. The PCR-base system developed in this study is expected to diagnose APLV and contribute to the plant quarantine in Korea.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.184-190
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• 2011

Ralstonia solanacearum, a causal agent of bacterium wilt is very difficult to control once the disease becomes endemic. Thus, Ralstonia solanacearum is a plant quarantine bacterium in many countries including Korea. In this study, we developed PCR assays, which can detect Ralstonia solanacearum from the Solanaceae seeds. Primers RS-JH-F and RS-JH-R amplified specifically a 401 bp fragment only from Ralstonia solanacearum race 1 and race 3. The nested PCR primers, RS-JH-F-ne and RS-JH-R-ne that were designed inside of 1st PCR amplicon amplified specifically a 131 bp fragment only from Ralstonia solanacearum race 1 and race 3. The primers did not amplify any non-specific DNA from the seed extracts of the Solanaceae including tomato and pepper. When detection sensitivity were compared using the Solanaceae seeds inoculated with target bacteria artificially, the nested PCR method developed in this study 100 times more sensitive than ELISA and selective medium. Therefore, we believe that the PCR assays developed in this work is very useful to detect Ralstonia solanacearum in the Solanaceae seeds.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.179-188
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• 2007

Objectives: Many neurological diseases are known to be caused by expansion of trinucleotide repeats (TNRs). It is hard to diagnose the alteration of TNRs with single cell level for preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). In this study, we describe methods optimized for PGD of TNRs related diseases such as Huntington's disease (HD), spinocerebellar ataxia 3 (SCA3) and fragile X syndrome (FXS). Methods: We performed the preclinical assays with heterozygous patient's lymphocytes by single cell PCR strategy. Fluorescent semi-nested PCR and fragment analysis using automatic genetic analyzer were applied for HD and SCA 3. Whole genome amplification with multiple displacement amplification (MDA) method and fluorescent PCR were carried out for FXS. Amplification and allele drop-out (ADO) rate were evaluated in each case. Results: The fluorescent semi-nested PCR of single lymphocyte showed 100.0% of amplification and 14.0% of ADO rate in HD, and 94.7% of amplification and 5.6% of ADO rate in SCA3, respectively. We could not detect the PCR product of CGG repeats in FXS using the fluorescent semi-nested PCR alone. After applying the MDA method in FXS, 84.2% of amplification and 31.3% of ADO rate were achieved. Conclusions: Fluorescent semi-nested PCR is a reliable method for PGD of HD and SCA3. The advanced MDA method overcomes the problem of amplification failure in CGG repeats of FXS case. Optimization of methods for single cell analysis could improve the sensitivity and reliability of PGD for complicated single gene disorders of TNRs.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.440-444
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• 2014

Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) is a plant pathogenic virus which has been reported to continuously occur in onion bulbs, allium field crops, seed crops, lisianthus, and irises. In South Korea, IYSV is a "controlled" virus that has not been reported, and inspection is performed when crops of the genus Iris are imported into South Korea. In this study, reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested PCR inspection methods, which can detect IYSV, from imported crops of the genus Iris at quarantine sites, were developed. In addition, a modified positive plasmid, which can be used as a positive control during inspection, was developed. This modified plasmid can facilitate a more accurate inspection by enabling the examination of a laboratory contamination in an inspection system. The inspection methods that were developed in this study are expected to contribute, through the prompt and accurate inspection of IYSV at quarantine sites to the plant quarantine in South Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1470-1474
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• 2009

This paper describes the development a of direct multiplex reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, devised for simultaneous detection and typing of influenza viruses. This method combines the direct reverse transcription reaction without RNA purification with the enhancement of sensitivity and specificity of nested PCR. The method successfully detected three major human influenza viruses: influenza virus A subtype 1 (H1N1) and subtype 3 (H3N2), and influenza B virus (B). The minimum number of virus particles (pfu/ml) necessary for detection in spiked saliva samples was 200 (H1N1), 140 (H3N2), and 4.5 (B). The method's sensitivity and simplicity will be convenient for use in clinical laboratories for the detection and subtyping of influenza and possibly other RNA viruses.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.191-196
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• 2012

Periwinkle seedlings (Cantharanthus roseus) were inoculated with jujube witches'- broom (JWB) phytoplasma via grafting to analyze the migration of JWB phytoplasmas within the host plant. The phytoplasmas were detected using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescence microscopy. Fluorescence microscopy was a simple and easy method of detecting phytoplasmas; however, it was not sufficiently sensitive to detect very low phytoplasma concentrations. Therefore, the migration of JWB phytoplasma was investigated through PCR. The first migration of JWB phytoplasma from an infected tissue to healthy tissues occurred late. After grafting, the phytoplasmas moved from the inoculated twig (or scion) to the main stem, which took 28 days. Afterward, the phytoplasma migrated faster and took less than 4 days to spread into the roots from the main stem. All twigs were then successively colonized by the JWB phytoplasmas from the bottom to the top. JWB phytoplasma was detected via nested PCR in all parts of the periwinkle seedling 82 days after inoculation. Based on these results, the inoculated JWB phytoplasma appeared to migrate downward to the roots along the main stem during the early stages, and then continued to move upward, colonizing twigs along the way until they reached the apex.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 2010

PCR primers were developed to detect Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. phaseolicola, a causal agent of halo blight that occurs in all species of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), from the bean seeds. A primer set, Psp-JHF and Psp-JH-R, specifically amplified 513 bp fragment from Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. phaseolicola only. A nested primer set, psp-JH-F-ne and psp-JH-R-ne, designed from the $1^{st}$ PCR amplicon, amplified 169 bp fragment. The primer sets did not amplify any non-specific DNA from the seed extracts of Fabaceae including 4 beans, 2 soybeans, and 2 peas. The detection sensitivity of the nested PCR method developed in this study was much higher than that of ELISA and selective medium. PCR assays developed in this study should be useful to detect Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. phasolicola from the bean seeds.