Serological Detection of Antibodies against Anaplasma spp. in Cattle Reared in the Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea

Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne, non-contagious, zoonotic disease caused by Anaplasma spp., which include Anaplasma marginale, A. centrale, A. phagocytophilum, A. platys, A. ovis, and A. bovis. Recently, in Korea, the prevalence of Anaplasma spp. has been investigated in some animals, such as dogs, horses, goats, cats, and Korean water deer. In cattle, A. marginale is the most virulent species and regarded as the typical type of species. However, data on the seroprevalence of Anaplasma spp. in cattle in Korea during the last decade is limited. This study was designed to investigate the seroprevalence of bovine anaplasmosis in Korea. From 2010 to 2013, blood samples were collected from 568 cattle. Forty animals (7.0%) tested seropositive for Anaplasma spp. by cELISA. Despite that current bovine anaplasmosis seropositivity rate in the Gyeongsangbuk-do is lower than those in tropical countries, anaplasmosis needs to be regarded as a concerning disease. The identification of the specific Anaplasma species infecting cattle in this province requires additional molecular studies. Moreover, further monitoring and control programs for bovine anaplasmosis is required, and the information from this study will be beneficial to develop these programs.

Quantitative Analysis of Dammarane-type Ginsenosides in Different Ginseng Products

Ginseng products available in different forms and preparations are reported to have varied bioactivities and chemical compositions. In our previous study, four new dammarane-type ginsenosides were isolated from Panax ginseng, which are ginsenoside Rg18 (1), 6-acetyl ginsenoside Rg3 (2), ginsenoside Rs11 (3), and ginsenoside Re7 (4). Accordingly, the goal of this study was to determine the distribution and content of these newly characterized ginsenosides in different ginseng products. The content of compounds 1 – 4 in different ginseng products was determined via HPLC-UV. The samples included ginseng roots from different ginseng species, roots harvested from different localities in Korea, and samples harvested at different cultivation ages and processed under different manufacturing methods. The four ginsenosides were present at varying concentrations in the different ginseng samples examined. The variations in their content could be attributed to species variation, and differences in cultivation conditions and manufacturing methods. The total concentration of compounds 1 – 4 were highest in ginseng obtained from Geumsan (185 µg/g), white-6 yr ginseng (150 µg/g), and P. quinquefolius (186 µg/g). The results of this study provide a basis for the optimization of cultivation conditions and manufacturing methods to maximize the yield of the four new ginsenosides in ginseng.