Serological responses and protection levels in chickens administered with Newcastle disease vaccines

Vaccination against Newcastle disease (ND) is the most effective means of controlling the disease, and these vaccines are commercialized only after their safety and effectiveness have been verified through tests that comply with Korean Standards of National Lot Release for Veterinary Biologics. This study investigated whether a relatively convenient and safe serological test can be used in place of the challenge test using highly virulent ND virus. Hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were considered positive of log2 2 or more and cutoff value of 200 or more, respectively, in both live and inactivated vaccines. However, when the antibody levels of the live and inactivated vaccines induced using the Ulster 2C, KBNP-C4152R2L, and K148/08 strains were compared, the antibody titers for inactivated vaccines were significantly higher than those for live vaccines in both the HI assay and ELISA. A strong positive correlation was observed between HI and ELISA antibody titers. The live vaccines corresponded to a survival rates of ≥ 80% and the inactivated vaccines corresponded to 100% survival rates. This study confirmed that standard efficacy tests can serve as serological tests, and can replace the challenge test and that the vaccine approval process can be improved.

Acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain of wild birds in Korea—2014 to 2016

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity level can be used as a diagnostic marker for anticholinesterase pesticide poisoning. In this study, we aimed to establish a baseline level of normal brain AChE activity in wild birds. AChE activity was measured in the brains of 87dead wild birds (26 species). The level of AChE activity ranged from 6.40 to 15.9 µmol/min/g of brain tissue in normal wild birds. However, the brain tissue AChE activity level in wild birds exposed to organophosphate (OP) pesticide was 48.0%–96.3% of that in the normal birds. These results may serve as reference values to facilitate routine diagnosis and monitoring of OP-poisoned wild birds.

Prevalence of bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis and Q fever in Korean black goats

As the meat of black goats has become popular as a healthy food, domestic goat meat-related industries are steadily growing. However, previous studies are scarce of informations about the zoonotic disease originated from the black goat in Korea. In this study, we investigated Korean black goat's infectious diseases representing bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis, and Q fever. One hundred and eighty samples were collected from a local slaughter house located in Jeollanam-do. Three typical zoonotic diseases were separately examined by carrying out enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Histopathological test was additionally performed in tuberculosis. In case of tuberculosis, results of the PCR and histopathological test were negative but the ELISA results were positive in eight samples. In case of brucellosis, one out of the total samples was shown to be positive in the ELISA and none in the PCR. In case of Q fever, there were forty one positive in the ELISA and twenty positive in the real-time PCR. Those results indicate that the Korean black goat could be a natural reservoir in the possible chain-infections among human, cows and goats. Thus, further study needs in order to improve productivity as well as to prevent the zoonosis spreading and circulation of other livestock with the black goat in this country.

Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli isolated from ducks in Korea

This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia (E.) coli isolated from ducks in Korea. A total of 400 cecal content samples were collected from 40 duck farms in Korea. Isolated Salmonella spp. and E. coli strains were 83 and 364 of the 400 cecal samples, respectively. The most prevalent serotype among the 83 Salmonella isolates was Salmonella Typhimurium (51 isolates: 61.45%). Resistance to the tested antimicrobial agents by Salmonella isolates was low except for erythromycin, while the resistance of the E. coli isolates to the other tested antimicrobial agents was high and 90.9% (331/364) of E. coli isolates showed multiantimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial resistance in duck zoonotic pathogens should be of concern to the Korean duck industry, as these pathogens exhibit a high rate of antimicrobial resistance and pose a potential hazard to public health.

Contamination status of groundwater used as livestock drinking in beef and dairy cattle farms, Korea / 대한수의학회지

In Korea, groundwater is main water source in livestock farms. Most dairy and cattle farms have constructed their own wells for human drinking and livestock farming. However, these private residential wells have not been controlled by government and also there was scant study about livestock drinking water quality. Therefore this study was to monitor of the livestock farms' groundwater quality in Korea. Water samples were collected at 123 dairy and cattle farms and were analysed forty six substances with quality standard for drinking water approved by the Minister of Environment. Seventy eight (63.4%) of 123 samples failed to drinking water stand a test. The most frequent contaminants were nitrate-nitrogen and microbial. 22.8% (n = 28) of samples showed nitrate-N concentration of higher than 10 mg/L meant that can't be used drinking water for human and the Nitrate-N concentration analysed in the range of 0.2 to 61.2 mg/L. All of 78 failed to drinking samples had microbial problems, especially 5.7% (n = 7) of samples indicated water could be contaminated by feces. Other contaminants detected were zinc and evaporation residue. Especially detected zinc concentration (32 mg/L) was about ten times higher than standard of zinc (3 mg/L). Regression analysis indicated that groundwater pH did not influence to nitrate-N concentration but the hardness and chloride could affect to nitrate-N concentration in the groundwater. Most livestock farms were adjacent to crop farmland in Korea. This could cause contamination of groundwater with nitrate-N and pesticide that could accumulate livestock product. Moreover Heavy metal such as zinc and copper could be released from a corrosive plated water pipe in livestock farm. Put together, Korea livestock system is indoor, not pasture-based, hence livestock could be exposed to potential contaminated water consistently. Therefore on the basis of these data, appropriate livestock drinking water quality standards should be prepared to keep livestock healthy and their product safe. Further, livestock drinking water quality should be monitored continuously in suitable livestock drinking water standards.