Performance assessment and improvement plan of the regulatory management system of veterinary medical devices in Korea / 대한수의학회지

In this study, the Korean veterinary medical devices management system was evaluated relative to systems in the USA, EU, and Japan. Veterinary medical devices are regulated in Korea based on the Medical Appliance Act of 1997. This was initially supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Korea Animal Health Products Association, and subsequently by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (QIA) in 2000. These devices were classified approximately 1,400 categories as instruments, supplies, artificial insemination apparatus, and other categories. Each of these devices was assigned to four regulatory grades by the QIA in 2007. The ranking system for veterinary medical devices was implemented in 2014 with 820 products from 162 companies registered by that year. However, in vitro diagnostic devices (IVDDs) for animals were managed as medical devices and biological medicine. In vitro diagnostic reagents for treating infection diseases are not subjected to either a classification or grading system. Veterinary medical devices are currently exempt from good manufacturing practices (GMP) and device tracking requirements. Due to gradual growth of the domestic veterinary medical devices market since 2008, regulation of these devices should be improved with re-examination of IVDDs and GMP certification for the effective operating system.

Radiation safety management for diagnostic radiation generators and employees in animal hospitals in Korea / 대한수의학회지

A nationwide survey on radiation safety management in Korean animal hospitals was conducted. By 2013, 53 radiation generators were registered as veterinary medical devices (41 X-ray generators and 12 computed tomography scanners). Additionally there were six approved laboratories for radiation equipment and protection facility, and five approved laboratories for radiation exposure of employees, respectively. By March 2013, 2,030 out of 3,829 animal hospitals operated radiation-generating devices. Among these devices, 389 (19.2%) out of 2,030 were not labeled with the model name and 746 (36.7%) were not labeled with production dates. Thus, most veterinary X-ray generators were outdated (42.6%) and needed replacements. When periodic inspections of 2,018 animal hospitals were performed after revision of the Veterinarians Act in 2011, the hospitals were found to be equipped with appropriate radiation generators and protection facilities. Among 2,545 employees exposed to radiation at the hospitals, 93.9% were veterinarians, 4.3% were animal nurse technicians, and 18% held other positions. Among 169 employees supervised by administrators, none of those had a weekly maximum operating load that exceeded 10 mA.min. This study suggests that the radiation safety management system of animal hospitals was general good.

Radiation safety management for diagnostic radiation generators and employees in animal hospitals in Korea / 대한수의학회지

A nationwide survey on radiation safety management in Korean animal hospitals was conducted. By 2013, 53 radiation generators were registered as veterinary medical devices (41 X-ray generators and 12 computed tomography scanners). Additionally there were six approved laboratories for radiation equipment and protection facility, and five approved laboratories for radiation exposure of employees, respectively. By March 2013, 2,030 out of 3,829 animal hospitals operated radiation-generating devices. Among these devices, 389 (19.2%) out of 2,030 were not labeled with the model name and 746 (36.7%) were not labeled with production dates. Thus, most veterinary X-ray generators were outdated (42.6%) and needed replacements. When periodic inspections of 2,018 animal hospitals were performed after revision of the Veterinarians Act in 2011, the hospitals were found to be equipped with appropriate radiation generators and protection facilities. Among 2,545 employees exposed to radiation at the hospitals, 93.9% were veterinarians, 4.3% were animal nurse technicians, and 18% held other positions. Among 169 employees supervised by administrators, none of those had a weekly maximum operating load that exceeded 10 mA.min. This study suggests that the radiation safety management system of animal hospitals was general good.

Trends in antimicrobial sales for livestock and fisheries in Korea during 2003-2012 / 대한수의학회지

In this study, trends in the sales of antimicrobials for use in livestock facilities and fisheries from 2003 to 2012 were investigated with regard to antimicrobial group, antimicrobial usage, and animal species. The overall amount of antimicrobials sold each year from 2003 to 2007 was 1,500 tons, after which they decreased, with the lowest sales being 936 tons in 2012. The total volume of antimicrobials used for feed additives decreased markedly by 94% from 2003 to 2012, which was mainly attributed to banning of feed additives. However, antimicrobial consumption through self prescription by farmers for disease prevention and treatment increased by 25% from 2003 to 2012. The largest volume of antimicrobials sold was for use in pigs (48~57%), followed by poultry (18~24%), fisheries (11~25%), and cattle (5~8%). Tetracycline was the highest selling antimicrobial, followed by penicillins and sulfonamides, although the overall sale of all three antimicrobials gradually decreased over the study period. This study demonstrated that the total consumption of antimicrobials has gradually decreased since 2008. Nevertheless, usage by nonprofessionals increased, which can ultimately cause emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. Thus, early establishment of veterinary prescription guidelines for prudent use of antimicrobials is urgently needed in Korea.

Changes of characterization of Salmonella Typhimurium isolate following sequential exposures to porcine neutrophil / 대한수의학회지

To develop a live vaccine candidate using an attenuated strain of Salmonella Typhimurium (ST), biochemical properties, plasmid profile, PFGE patterns and pathogenic analysis of the ST isolate were carried out after sequential passage of the ST isolate in porcine neutrophils. By the passage, the ability of the neutrophil-adapted isolate to utilize d-xylose was lost, while the ability of the strain to ferment trehalose was delayed after 2 or more days of the culture. Also, changes including deletion of the gene fragments were observed in PFGE analysis of the neutrophil-adapted isolates. Two plasmids, 105kb and 50kb, were cured in the strain passaged over 15 times in porcine neutrophils. The 50% of lethal dose (LD50) of the parent strain was changed from 1 x 10(5) LD50 to 6 x 10(6) LD50 by the passage in intraperitoneal injection of the strains into mice. These results suggested that bacterial genotypic and phenotypic responses might be globally altered depending on the inside environment of neutrophils.

Epidemiological characteristics of bovine brucellosis in Korea, 2000~2004 / 대한수의학회지

This paper describes the epidemiological characteristics of bovine brucellosis in Korea during January 2000~September 2004, which encompasses the period when the incidence of bovine brucellosis increased abruptly. Data from the National Animal Infectious Disease Data Management System were used for this study. A range of epidemiological measures was calculated including annual herd and animal incidence. During the study period, there were 1,183 outbreaks on 638 farms. In beef cattle, annual herd incidence increased from 0.2 (2000) to 11.5 (2004, to September) outbreaks per 10,000 and annual animal incidence varied between 3.4 (2000) and 105.8 (2004, to September) per 100,000, respectively. On 401 (62.9%) infected farms during this period, infection was eradicated without recurrence. Recurrence of infection was significantly higher on farms where abortion was reported (53.3%), compared to farms where it was not (30.0%). On beef cattle farms, infection was introduced most frequently through purchased cattle (46.2%). Based on the results of this study, the establishment and spread of brucellosis in the Korean beef cattle population were mainly due to incomplete or inappropriate treatment of aborted materials and the movement of infected cattle.

Epidemiology and Prevention Strategies of Avian Influenza / 한국역학회지

Natural infections with influenza A viruses have been reported in a variety of animal species including humans, pigs, horses, sea mammals, and birds. Although viruses of relatively few haemagglutinin(HA) and neuraminidase(NA) subtype combinations have been isolated from mammalian species, all subtypes, in most combinations, have been isolated from birds. During the past few years, several subtypes of avian influenza A have been shown to cross the species barrier and infect humans. During an outbreak of a highly pathogenic influenza A(H5N1) virus among poultry in Hong Kong in 1997, 6 of 18 people with confirmed infection died. And a total of 89 human infections with influenza A(H7N7), including 1 resulting in the death of a Dutch veterinarian, occurred during the extensive outbreak in 2003. During late 2003 and early 2004, there were reports of large outbreaks of H5N1 among poultry throughout Asia (including Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and China). In Korea, we had also highly pathogenic avian influenza(HPAI) outbreak in 2003~2004 with a first suspected case reported on 10 December 2003. The case was reported at a parent stock farm for broilers, which was located in Chungbuk province, and the farm was immediately placed under movement restrictions. Laboratory tests confirmed the outbreak of HPAI on 12 December 2003. Up to 20 March 2004, a total of 19 farms were confirmed as having been infected with HPAI virus. No further outbreaks occurred after that date. Fortunately there were no human cases founded in this epidemic in Korea. In January 2004, there was confirmation that influenza A(H5N1) virus had been isolated from patients who had died of a respiratory illness in Vietnam. Total 107 human confirmed cases were reported until June 2005 to WHO, threatening new pandemic outbreak. We reviewed our prevention and control strategies of avian influenza and preparedness to the pandemic outbreak.

Identification of newly isolated Babesia parasites from cattle in Korea by using the Bo-RBC-SCID mice

Attempts were made to isolate and identify Korean bovine Babesia parasite. Blood samples were collected from Holstein cows in Korea, and Babesia parasites were propagated in SCID mice with circulating bovine red blood cells for isolation. The isolate was then antigenically and genotypically compared with several Japanese isolates. The Korean parasite was found to be nearly identical to the Oshima strain isolated from Japanese cattle, which was recently designated as Babesia ovata oshimensis n. var. Haemaphysalis longicornis was the most probable tick species that transmited the parasite.

Experimental induction of the two-host life cycle of Sarcocystis cruzi between dogs and Korean native calves

Eight dogs were experimentally infected with Sarcocystis by oral inoculation of cardiac muscle from naturally infected cattle. The infected dogs commenced discharging of sporocysts in the feces after 10 to 12 days of inoculation, and continued until 20 and 35 days after inoculation. Three dogs were reinfected with cardiac muscle from the naturally infected cattle. Sporocysts reappeared in the feces on 12 to 13 days after reinfection. Sarcocystis sporocysts collected from the experimentally infected dogs were fed to each of the two 30-day-old Korean native calves. The infected calves remained clinically normal, except for the high fever (> or = 40 degrees C) and decreased hematocrit values on day 30 to 40 post inoculation. Muscular cysts of Sarcocystis were found from infected calves on day 40 post inoculation. Proliferative forms of Sarcocystis were also observed in the muscle of infected calves. These results suggest that the Sarcocystis cruzi found in Korean native cattle has a 2-host life cycle with dogs as the definitive host and Korean native calves as the intermediate host.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of Trichinella spiralis antibodies and the surveillance of selected pig breeding farms in the Republic of Korea

Trichinellosis is a parasitic zoonosis of public health importance. It is caused by Trichinella spiralis which has a wide host range including humans. In the present communication, the ELISA technique was employed on a total of 803 blood samples from 7 selected pig breeding farms in 1996 for diagnosis and surveillance of trichinellosis. Out of the entire 803 samples, nine were found to be suspected while one was positive by ELISA. But western blot analyses employed for further confirmation have shown that all of 10 samples did not react to larval excretory-secretory product antigens. These results indicate that pig breeding farms included in the present study are free from trichinellosis. However, it does not mean Korea is free from trichinellosis since human trichinellosis has recently been reported. The necessity of continued surveillance for trichinellosis in both pigs and wild animals was discussed.