Treatment of naturally acquired demodectic mange with amitraz in two harbour seals (Phoca vitulina)

Two male harbour seals (Phoca vitulina; 33 and 35 years old, respectively), housed since 2002 at a zoo for exhibition purposes, developed severe, multifocal and diffuse skin lesions. Skin scrapings and microscopy for parasites as well as pure cultures for bacteria and dermatophytes were carried out to identify the aetiological agent. Skin scrapings showed that lesions appearing on the seals were caused by an infestation of Demodex mites, which is uncommon in marine mammals, and were not due to other causative agents (parasites, bacteria or dermatophytes). Treatment with amitraz (0.01%) once a week for three weeks and with ampicillin (10 mg/kg SID per os) for six days eliminated the mites and resolved the clinical signs of demodectic mange in the harbour seals. The purpose of this report is to describe the successful treatment of naturally acquired demodectic mange with amitraz in harbour seals

Seroprevalence and risk factors of Besnoitia besnoiti infection in Korean cattle – short communication

Besnoitia besnoiti is an obligate intracellular parasite that is transmitted by direct contact or via mechanical transmission by flies as vectors. Besnoitiosis causes economic losses in the cattle industry and is regarded as a re-emerging disease in Europe. This study evaluated the seroprevalence of B. besnoiti in Korean cattle using a commercial ELISA kit. Among 558 serum samples, 19 (3.4%) tested seropositive for B. besnoiti. The statistically significant risk factors included age (≥ 2 years), sex (castrated males), and region (lower latitudes) (P < 0.05). The overall seroprevalence suggested a wide distribution of B. besnoiti infection in cattle reared in Korea. Thus, the practice of intensive cattle husbandry and the regionally different seroprevalence of B. besnoiti infection in cattle in Korea warrant routine monitoring and vector control to reduce economical losses due to bovine besnoitiosis in the country

Dokaz protutijela protiv velikog metilja Fasciola hepatica u goveda na otoku Ulleung, Koreja.

We performed a cross-sectional study to estimate the seroprevalence of Fasciola hepatica in herds of cattle on Ulleung island, Korea. Blood samples were collected from randomly selected cattle and the sera were separated and analysed with an ELISA to detect antibodies against F. hepatica. The positive samples were classified as mildly, moderately or strongly positive. Out of 405 cattle sera assessed, 38 (9.4%) were seropositive for antibodies against F. hepatica. From these, 2.5% each were moderately or strongly positive and 4.4% were mildly positive. A significantly higher seroprevalence (P<0.05) was observed in young animals (<2 y old, 15.3%) compared to adults (≥2 y old, 5.4%), while no significant difference in seropositivity was found between male and female animals. This is the the first report of F. hepatica seroprevalence in cattle herds in Korea. These findings may be used to establish a base-line of information for future investigations focused on the significance of F. hepatica in Korea.Provedeno je presječno istraživanje radi procjene seroprevalencije invadiranosti velikim metiljem Fasciola hepatica u stadima goveda na otoku Ulleung u Koreji. Uzorci krvi bili su uzeti od nasumce odabranih goveda, a odvojeni uzorci seruma bili su pretraženi imunoenzimnim testom na prisutnost protutijela specifičnih za velikog metilja. Pozitivni uzorci bili su svrstani u skupine: slabo, umjereno i jako pozitivni. Od 405 pretraženih uzoraka seruma, 38 (9,4%) je bilo pozitivnih na protutijela specifična za metilj F. hepatica. Od toga je 2,5% uzoraka bilo umjereno ili jako pozitivno, a 4,4% slabo pozitivno. Značajno veća seroprevalencija (P<0,05) ustanovljena je u mladih životinja (u dobi manjoj od dvije godine, 15,3%) u usporedbi s odraslima (≥2 godine, 5,4%), dok nije ustanovljena značajna razlika u seropozitivnosti između mužjaka i ženki. Ovo je prvo izvješće o seroprevalenciji velikog metilja u stadima goveda u Koreji. Nalazi mogu biti od koristi za buduća istraživanja o značenju velikog metilja F. hepatica u Koreji

Dokaz protutijela protiv velikog metilja Fasciola hepatica u goveda na otoku Ulleung, Koreja.

We performed a cross-sectional study to estimate the seroprevalence of Fasciola hepatica in herds of cattle on Ulleung island, Korea. Blood samples were collected from randomly selected cattle and the sera were separated and analysed with an ELISA to detect antibodies against F. hepatica. The positive samples were classified as mildly, moderately or strongly positive. Out of 405 cattle sera assessed, 38 (9.4%) were seropositive for antibodies against F. hepatica. From these, 2.5% each were moderately or strongly positive and 4.4% were mildly positive. A significantly higher seroprevalence (P<0.05) was observed in young animals (<2 y old, 15.3%) compared to adults (≥2 y old, 5.4%), while no significant difference in seropositivity was found between male and female animals. This is the the first report of F. hepatica seroprevalence in cattle herds in Korea. These findings may be used to establish a base-line of information for future investigations focused on the significance of F. hepatica in Korea.Provedeno je presječno istraživanje radi procjene seroprevalencije invadiranosti velikim metiljem Fasciola hepatica u stadima goveda na otoku Ulleung u Koreji. Uzorci krvi bili su uzeti od nasumce odabranih goveda, a odvojeni uzorci seruma bili su pretraženi imunoenzimnim testom na prisutnost protutijela specifičnih za velikog metilja. Pozitivni uzorci bili su svrstani u skupine: slabo, umjereno i jako pozitivni. Od 405 pretraženih uzoraka seruma, 38 (9,4%) je bilo pozitivnih na protutijela specifična za metilj F. hepatica. Od toga je 2,5% uzoraka bilo umjereno ili jako pozitivno, a 4,4% slabo pozitivno. Značajno veća seroprevalencija (P<0,05) ustanovljena je u mladih životinja (u dobi manjoj od dvije godine, 15,3%) u usporedbi s odraslima (≥2 godine, 5,4%), dok nije ustanovljena značajna razlika u seropozitivnosti između mužjaka i ženki. Ovo je prvo izvješće o seroprevalenciji velikog metilja u stadima goveda u Koreji. Nalazi mogu biti od koristi za buduća istraživanja o značenju velikog metilja F. hepatica u Koreji

Quantification of Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) in Penaeid Shrimps from Southeast Asia and Latin America Using TaqMan Probe-Based Quantitative PCR

We developed a qPCR assay based on the β-tubulin gene sequence for the shrimp microsporidian parasite Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP). This assay reacted with the hepatopancreas (HP) of EHP-infected shrimps, and the highest copy numbers were found in HP and feces samples from Southeast Asian countries (106–108 copies mg−1), while HP samples from Latin America, Artemia, and EHP-contaminated water showed lower amounts (101–103 copies mg−1 or mL−1 of water). No false positive was found with the normal shrimp genome, live feeds, or other parasitic diseases. This tool will facilitate the management of EHP infection in shrimp farms. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.1

The Protective Efficacy of Single-Dose Nasal Immunization with Cold-Adapted Live-Attenuated MERS-CoV Vaccine against Lethal MERS-CoV Infections in Mice

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes severe diseases in humans. Camels act as intermediate hosts for MERS-CoV. Currently, no licensed vaccine is available for this virus. We have developed a potential candidate vaccine for MERS-CoV using the cold adaptation method. We cultivated the vaccine in Vero cells at temperatures as low as 22 °C. This live-attenuated vaccine virus showed high attenuation levels in transgenic mice with the MERS-CoV human receptor, dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) (K18-hDPP4). The inoculated K18-hDPP4 mice exhibited no clinical signs such as death or body weight loss. Furthermore, no traces of infectious virus were observed when the tissues (nasal turbinate, brain, lung, and kidney) of the K18-hDPP4 mice infected with the cold-adapted vaccine strain were tested. A single intranasal dose of the vaccine administered to the noses of the K18-hDPP4 mice provided complete protection. We did not observe any deaths, body weight loss, or viral detection in the tissues (nasal turbinate, brain, lung, and kidney). Based on these promising results, the developed cold-adapted, attenuated MERS-CoV vaccine strain could be one of the candidates for human and animal vaccines

Molecular Identification of Borrelia afzelii from Ticks Parasitizing Domestic and Wild Animals in South Korea

Lyme borreliosis is one of the most prevalent tick-borne infectious zoonotic diseases caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato group. The present study assessed the risk factors and prevalence of Lyme borreliosis in ticks parasitizing domestic and wild animals. A total of 589 ticks (329 tick pools) collected from animals were identified as Haemaphysalis longicornis, (85.7%), H. flava (10.0%), and Ixodes nipponensis (4.3%) using morphological and molecular methods in South Korea. In this study, the 5S&ndash;23S gene sequences of B. afzelii (6/329, 1.8%) were detected in ticks taken from mammals, including ticks from horses (2/147 pools, 1.4%), wild boar (1/19 pools, 5.3%), native Korean goats (NKG, 2/34 pools, 5.9%), and Korean water deer (1/129 pools, 0.8%). Unfortunately, ospA, pyrG, and flagellin genes were not able to be amplified in the present study. To our knowledge, our results are the first inclusive data available for B. afzelii circulation in several tick species taken from NKG, horses, and wild boar in South Korea. We believe that the current findings extend our knowledge of the distribution and possible vector spectrum of Borrelia spp. We recommend continuous evaluation of the potential public health threat posed by Borrelia infected ticks

Enhanced Asymptomatic Systemic Infection Caused by <i>Plesiomonas shigelloides</i> in a Captive Gray Wolf (<i>Canis lupus</i>)

A 7-year-old male gray wolf was found dead at a zoo during exhibition. To determine the cause of death, histological and gross necropsy diagnoses and a molecular analysis were performed. The gross necropsy revealed a swollen abdomen, hemorrhagic exudates around the mouth, splenomegaly, a discolored liver, a congested kidney, hemorrhagic ascites, and dark gray-colored membranes and air bubbles in the fundus of the stomach. Rod-shaped bacteria were found in the liver parenchyma and hemorrhagic ascites using Giemsa staining. The nucleotide sequencing of the cultured bacteria identified the causative agent as Plesiomonas shigelloides, which is rarely responsible for systemic infections. This study describes a rare case and the first reported systemic gastrointestinal infection due to P. shigelloides in a zoo animal