Isthmiophora hortensis (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) is a dominant echinostome in animal reservoir hosts and humans in the Republic of Korea (Korea). We intended to investigate the infection status with this echinostome species in the several species of wild animals and describe the morphological characteristics in the faunistic view point. A total of 175 animal carcasses belonging to 3 families, i.e., Canidae, Felidae and Mustelidae, were collected from the southern regions of Korea from March 2010 to July 2017. Isthmiophora spp. worms were recovered from the small intestines of each animal under a stereomicroscope after washing of intestinal contents. Isthmiophora hortensis was recovered from 4 species of wild carnivores, i.e., Nyctereutes procyonoides (3/107: 2.8%), Mustela sibirica (11/31: 35.5%), Meles lucurus (2/3: 33.3%) and Martes flavigula (1/2: 50%). The other 3 carnivores comprising stray dogs, cat and leopard cat were negative for I. hortensis infection (0/2, 0/10 and 0/12, respectively). Specimens obtained from the Lutra lutra (6/8: 75%) were identified as a distinct species, I. inermis, by morphological comparison. Isthmiophora inermis has thinner body, elongate testes and different anterior limits of vitelline fields. Detailed morphological descriptions and comparisons with the morphological characteristics are provided. Conclusively, it was confirmed for the first time that 3 species of mustelid mammals, i.e., M. sibirica, M. lucurus, and M. flavigula, are to be the new definitive hosts of I. hortensis in Korea. Additionally, I. inermis is to be newly added in the Korean echinostome fauna.
Animals ; Animals, Wild ; Canidae ; Cats ; Dogs ; Felidae ; Gastrointestinal Contents ; Humans ; Intestine, Small ; Korea ; Mammals ; Mustelidae ; Otters ; Panthera ; Raccoon Dogs ; Republic of Korea ; Testis ; Vitellins

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of Echinococcus infections in wild carnivores in Serthar County, Sichuan Province, so as to provide insights into echinococcosis control in local areas. METHODS: Stool samples were collected from wild carnivores in Serthar County, Sichuan Province in May 2021, and the host sources of stool samples and Echinococcus infections were identified using PCR assays. The prevalence of E. multilocularis, E. granulosus and E. shiquicus infections was estimated in different hosts. RESULTS: A total of 583 stool samples were collected from wild carnivores, including 147 stool samples from fox, 154 from wolf, 227 from wild dogs and 11 from lynx. The overall prevalence of E. multilocularis, E. granulosus and E. shiquicus infections was 5.68%, 0.19% and 14.20% in canine stool samples, and no E. granulosus infection was detected in fox stool samples, while the prevalence of E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus infections was 0.68% and 47.62% in fox stool samples (χ² = 88.41, P < 0.001). No E. granulosus or E. shiquicus infection was detected in wolf stool samples, and the prevalence of E. multilocularis infection was 10.39% in wolf stool samples. The prevalence of E. multilocularis, E. granulosus and E. shiquicus infections was 5.73%, 0.44% and 2.20% in canine stool samples (χ² = 12.13, P < 0.01). In addition, the prevalence of E. multilocularis infections was significantly higher in wolf stool samples than in canine and fox stool samples (χ² = 13.23, P < 0.01), and the prevalence of E. shiquicus infections was significantly higher in fox stool samples than in canine and wolf stool samples (χ² = 187.01, P < 0.001). No Echinococcus infection was identified in 11 lynx stool samples. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of Echinococcus infections is high in wild canines in Serthar County, Sichuan Province. Wolf, wild dog and fox all participate in the wild life cycle of E. multilocularis in Serthar County, and wolf and wild dogs may play a more important role.
Animals ; Dogs/microbiology* ; China/epidemiology* ; DNA, Helminth/genetics* ; Echinococcosis/veterinary* ; Feces ; Foxes/microbiology* ; Lynx/microbiology* ; Prevalence ; Wolves/microbiology* ; Carnivora/microbiology*

In relation rto the size of viral inoculum, influenzal infection in ferrets caused by the inoculation of a mouse-adapted subline of PR 8 strain of type A influenza virus was studied. The results are summarized as follows; 1) When ferrets were inoculated with a highly diluted virus (10-7), a small proportion of them experienced inapparent infections and the rest of them escaped the infection. 2) With the increased size of viral inocula, there was a good correlation between the size of infecting does and the frequency of overt infections in ferrets. 3) Nasal tissues were the main locus of viral multiplication in ferrets at 72 hours after viral inoculation. Viral multiplication in nasal tissues was demonstrated only in a small proportion of ferrets which were inocu1ated with a 10-7 dilution of virus; however, when the size of vira1 inoculum was increased above this level, all ferrets had viral growth in their nasal tissues. 4) The involvement of pulmonary tissues, viral growth in those tissues and the development of gross lung lesions were significantly rare. There was no dear-cut relationship between the size of infecting doses and the frequency of such plumonary involvements in ferrets.
Animal ; Carnivora ; Female ; Influenza/microbiology* ; Orthomyxoviridae*

In this study we investigated maternal Helicobacter felis (H. felis) infection status to determine the potential of maternal transmission. Pregnant Beagle dogs were infected experimentally with H. felis. Following the experimental design, the stools of the mother and litters were isolated and assessed for transmission of H. felis at parturition day, 1-week old age and 6-week old age respectively. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to examine the presence of transmitted H. felis. All litters showed no transmission of H. felis at parturition day. However, they revealed 14.3% and 100% at 1-week old age and 6-week old age respectively by PCR. These results suggested that vertical infection during prenatal period or delivery procedure is unlikely as a route of mother-to-child H. felis infection. It might be acquired H. felis through breast-feeding, contaminating saliva and fecal-oral during co-habitat.
Animals ; Cats ; Dogs ; Felis ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter felis ; Humans ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Postpartum Period ; Research Design ; Saliva

In this study we investigated maternal Helicobacter felis (H. felis) infection status to determine the potential of maternal transmission. Pregnant Beagle dogs were infected experimentally with H. felis. Following the experimental design, the stools of the mother and litters were isolated and assessed for transmission of H. felis at parturition day, 1-week old age and 6-week old age respectively. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to examine the presence of transmitted H. felis. All litters showed no transmission of H. felis at parturition day. However, they revealed 14.3% and 100% at 1-week old age and 6-week old age respectively by PCR. These results suggested that vertical infection during prenatal period or delivery procedure is unlikely as a route of mother-to-child H. felis infection. It might be acquired H. felis through breast-feeding, contaminating saliva and fecal-oral during co-habitat.
Animals ; Cats ; Dogs ; Felis ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter felis ; Humans ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Postpartum Period ; Research Design ; Saliva

Neospora caninum is an important cause of abortion in cattle, and dogs are its only known definitive host. Its seroprevalence among domestic urban and rural dogs and feral raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis) in Korea was studied by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and by the neospora agglutination test (NAT), respectively. Antibodies to N. caninum were found in 8.3% of urban dogs and in 21.6% of dogs at dairy farms. Antibody titers ranged from 1: 50 to 1: 400. Antibodies to N. caninum were found in six (23%) of 26 raccoon dogs. However, the potential role of raccoon dogs as a source of horizontal transmission of bovine neosporosis needs further investigation. The results of this study suggest that there is a close relationship between N. caninum infection among dairy farm dogs and cattle in Korea. This study reports for the first time upon the seroprevalence of N. caninum infection in raccoon dogs in Korea.
Animals ; Animals, Domestic ; Animals, Wild ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; Carnivora/*parasitology ; Coccidiosis/epidemiology/*veterinary ; Dog Diseases/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Dogs ; Korea/epidemiology ; Neospora/*immunology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the dynamic trend of specific antibody against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV in serum collected at various periods among employees in Guangzhou Xinyuan animal market.

METHODSVolunteers from employees of the animal market were recruited and their serum specific antibody against SARS-CoV were determined by enzyme linked immunesorbent assay (ELISA) method.

RESULTSPositive SARS-CoV specific IgG antibody was found 25.61% (n = 328), 13.03% (n = 238), 12.59% (n = 135), 5.04% (n = 139) and 9.43% (n = 53) among volunteers, which were sampled in May 2003, Dec. 2003, Jan. 2004, July 2004 and June 2005 respectively. No specific IgM antibody was found in all of those samples. Among 129 samples which were tested twice or more, 97 were all negative, 18 all positive, 13 changed from positive to negative but only one sample from negative to positive. When the volunteers were divided by the duration of their working experiences as short-term or long-term, those who had worked at animal market for less than or more then 6 months when being tested, the positive rate for long-term employees were relatively constant, however, all of the persons employed after January 2004, when the palm civets and raccoon dogs were culled from the market, were tested negative.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of specific antibody against SARS-CoV in employees of the animal market were somehow related with the presence or absence of palm civet. No serum was tested positive for persons who were employed after palm civets and raccoon dogs were culled from market. This data indicated that the SARS-CoV might have been from the palm civets and raccoon dog, and the animal market seemed to serve as one of the sources of infection.

Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; analysis ; Commerce ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; Raccoon Dogs ; virology ; SARS Virus ; immunology ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; Viverridae ; virology

A number of Helicobacter species may confound experimental data because of their association with disease progressing in various kinds of laboratory animals. Screening of Helicobacter species is particularly desirable, because they are prevalent in commercial and research animal facilities. The aim of the present study was to compare three diagnostic methods [e.g. Helicobacter stool antigen kit (HpSA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and rapid urease test (RUT)] for the identification of Helicobacter spp. in stools or gastric biopsy specimens collected from eight dogs suffering from gastritis. The gastroscopic biopsy specimens were tested using RUT and PCR, while stool specimens were evaluated using both HpSA and PCR. DNAs from the gastric biopsies and stool specimens were analyzed by both a consensus PCR that amplified the RNA polymerase beta-subunit-coding gene (rpoB) of Helicobacter spp. and a species-specific PCR to amplify the urease B gene of Helicobacter heilmannii, Helicobacter pylori, and Helicobacter felis. Helicobacter spp. were detected in 62.5% of the dogs, while H. heilmannii and H. felis were identified in 37.5 and 25% of the dogs, respectively. The HpSA did not efficiently detect Helicobacter spp. in the stool samples compared to the RUT and PCR assays, both of which successfully detected Helicobacter spp. in the two sample types. Finally, we recommend that consensus PCR with stool specimens could be used before the species-specific PCR for identifying Helicobacter species in laboratory dogs.
Animals ; Animals, Laboratory ; Biopsy ; Cats ; Consensus ; DNA ; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases ; Dogs* ; Felis ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter felis ; Helicobacter heilmannii ; Helicobacter pylori ; Helicobacter* ; Mass Screening ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Urease

In this study, we examined a colony of 20 beagle dogs in a laboratory animal facility. Mycoplasma was detected by consensus PCR assay in 1 dog with respiratory and constitutional symptoms. None of the other dogs were affected. The dog was euthanized and necropsied. In postmortem examinations, gray or plum-colored gross lesions were found on the lung, most commonly in the apical and cardiac lobes. Some lesions showed clear demarcation and consolidation. Microscopic examination showed peribronchiolar lymphoid hyperplasia and interstitial thickening, lesions pathognomonic for mycoplasma pneumonia. To identify canine Mycoplasma species, we used species-specific PCR reactions for M. arginini, M. canis, M. cynos, M. edwardii, M. felis, M. gateae, M. maculosum, M. molare, M. opalescens, M. spumans, Mycoplasma sp. HRC 689, and M. collis. As the result, we identified Mycoplasma cynos by amplification of DNA extracted from lung tissue of the laboratory beagle dog with respiratory disease.
Animals ; Animals, Laboratory ; Autopsy ; Cats ; Consensus ; DNA ; Dogs ; Felis ; Hyperplasia ; Lung ; Molar ; Mycoplasma ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

No abstract available.
Tigers