Physical and Biological Performance Evaluation of Disinfection Systems for Transportation Vehicles against AI Virus.

To prevent the outbreak of infectious diseases that inflict huge economic and social losses, domestic livestock farms and related facilities have introduced automatic and semiautomatic disinfectant solution-spraying systems for vehicles. However, the facility standards and specifications vary by manufacturer, and no scientific performance evaluation has been conducted. The puropose of this study is to develop physical and biological evaluation methods. Physical and biological appraisals were conducted using two types of disinfection facilities (tunnel- and U-type) and two types of vehicles (passenger car, truck). Water-sensitive paper was used to evaluate the physical performance values for the disinfection facilities. In addition, to assess their biological performance, carriers containing low-pathogenic avian influenza virus were attached to vehicles, and the viral reduction was measured after the vehicles moved through the facility. The tunnel-type had rates of coverage in the range of 70-90% for the passenger car and 60-90% for the truck. At least 4-log virus reduction after spraying for 1-5 min was shown for both vehicles. For the U-type facility evaluation, the coverage rates were in the range of 60-90% for the passenger car and at least 90% for the truck. More than 4-log viral reduction was estimated within a spraying time of 5 min. To reduce viruses on the surface of vehicles by at least 4 log within a short period, the disinfectant solution should cover at least 71% of the pathogens. In conclusion, we were able to assess the physical and biological performance criteria for disinfection facilities aboard transportation vehicles.

Evaluation of the disinfectant concentration used on livestock facilities in Korea during dual outbreak of foot and mouth disease and high pathogenic avian influenza.

BACKGROUND: A nationwide outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in South Korea caused massive economic losses in 2010. Since then, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (QIA) has enhanced disinfection systems regarding livestock to prevent horizontal transmission of FMD and Avian influenza (AI). Although the amount of disinfectant used continues to increase, cases of FMD and AI have been occurring annually in Korea, except 2012 and 2013. OBJECTIVES: This study measured the concentration of the disinfectant to determine why it failed to remove the horizontal transmission despite increased disinfectant use. METHODS: Surveys were conducted from February to May 2017, collecting 348 samples from disinfection systems. The samples were analyzed using the Standards of Animal Health Products analysis methods from QIA. RESULTS: Twenty-three facilities used inappropriate or non-approved disinfectants. Nearly all sampled livestock farms and facilities-93.9%-did not properly adjust the disinfectant concentration. The percentage using low concentrations, or where no effective substance was detected, was 46.9%. Furthermore, 13 samples from the official disinfection station did not use effective disinfectant, and-among 72 samples from the disinfection station-88.89% were considered inappropriate concentration, according to the foot-and-mouth disease virus guidelines; considering the AIV guideline, 73.61% were inappropriate concentrations. Inappropriate concentration samples on automatic (90.00%) and semi-automatic (90.90%) disinfection systems showed no significant difference from manual methods (88.24%). Despite this study being conducted during the crisis level, most disinfectants were used inappropriately. CONCLUSIONS: This may partially explain why horizontal transmission of FMD and AI cannot be effectively prevented despite extensive disinfectant use.

Current-voltage characteristics of grain boundaries in polycrystalline Sr-doped LaGaO3.

The oxide-ion current across grain boundaries in a polycrystalline LaGaO(3) ceramic doped with 1 mol% Sr(2+) increases non-linearly with the applied dc-bias to present a transition from ohmic to superohmic where the bias exceeds the thermal voltage, verifying that a Schottky-type potential barrier exists at the grain boundary in acceptor-doped LaGaO(3) to limit the internal current.

Microorganisms against Plasmodiophora brassicae.

In order to find microorganisms showing antifungal activities against Plasmodiophora brassicae, which causes club root, Korean salt-fermented fishery products were tested. Several fermented broths of microorgansims isolated from Ammodytes personatus fishery products showed high antifungal activities. The identification of microorganisms and their in vivo antifungal activities are reported herein.