No abstract available.
Animals ; Hantavirus* ; Korea* ; Murinae*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Hantavirus* ; Korea* ; Murinae*

No Abstract Available.
Animals ; Hantavirus* ; Indonesia* ; Murinae* ; Thailand*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Borrelia burgdorferi* ; Borrelia* ; Murinae*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Chiroptera* ; Korea* ; Murinae* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Puumala virus

Apodemus agrarius, which accounts for three-fourths of the wild rodents, mainly inhabits in cultivated fields of Korea. Apodemus peninsulae and Eothenomys regulus are the second and third dominant species, respectively. Soochong virus (SOOV) from A. peninsulae and Puumala-related Muju virus (MUJV) from E. regulus were isolated in 1997 and 1998 in Korea, respectively. But serological characterizations of SOOV and MUJV were not identified clearly. Thus, in order to determine the serotypic classification, simultaneous cross-indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) assay and cross-plaque reduction neutralization (PRN) test against four different hantaviruses were conducted with sera from 17 A. agrarius, 19 A. peninsulae, and 8 E. regulus strains. IFA titers of sera from A. agrarius and A. peninsulae were the highest to Hantaan virus (HTNV) and SOOV, respectively. However, most sera showed similar IFA titers to Seoul virus (SEOV). Therefore it was difficult to do serotyping using the sera from A. agrarius and A. peninsulae by IFA. In case of sera of E. regulus, IFA titers to Puumala virus (PUUV) were higher than HTNV, SOOV and SEOV. Cross-PRN result of A. agrarius to HTNV, SOOV, SEOV and PUUV was 6,890, 5,120, 110 and 30, respectively. In case of A. peninsulae, the mean PRN titer was the highest to SOOV (1:6,820) and those to HTNV, SEOV and PUUV were 1,580, 100 and 30, respectively. The mean PRN titers of E. regulus to HTNV, SOOV, SEOV and PUUV were 70, 10, 80 and 640. SOOV and MUJV could be distinguished from HTNV and SEOV by cross-PRNT. These results demonstrate that SOOV and MUJV could be classified as new serotype of hantavirus.
Animals ; Classification ; Hantaan virus ; Hantavirus* ; Korea ; Murinae ; Puumala virus ; Rodentia ; Seoul virus ; Serotyping

Leptospirosis has been one of important epidemic diseases in Korea since 1984. Wild rodents, mostly Apodemus agrarius, served the important source of infection especially in harvest season in rural areas of Korea. Prevalence of Leptospira spp. infection in field rodents were investigated by detecting leptospiral DNA from rodent kidney. Among 108 rodents collected from various areas in 1998, leptospiral DNA were detected from 7 rodents (6.48%). Among 104 rodents, Apodemus agrarius, captured from Yeonchon and Paju area in 2001 and 2002, leptospiral DNA were detected from 6 rodents (5.76%). No leptospiral DNA was detected from 23 rodonts (Apodemus peninsulae 16, Apodemus agrarius 2 and Eothenomys regulus 5) captured in Odae mountain area in 1998.
Animals ; DNA* ; Kidney ; Korea ; Leptospira ; Leptospirosis ; Murinae ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Prevalence ; Rodentia* ; Seasons

Sarcocystis spp is a causative agent of sarcocystosis. They have a characteristic life cycle infecting both prey and predator. Sarcocystis can cause myositis, atrophy of the adjacent cells and abortion in cattle. In mice, sarcocystosis causes mild cellular reactions without clinical disease. Severe haemorrhage and abortion were also reported. For monitoring the disease in wild rodents of the Korean peninsula, we captured Apodemus agrarius chejuensis on Jeju island and examined the specimen histopathologically. Intramuscular cysts were found and diagnosed as Sarcocystis. Sarcocystic infection has been reported in worldwide. There have been many reported infections in cattle and pigs in Korea. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Sarcocystis in Apodemus agrarius chejuensis captured in Korea.
Animals ; Atrophy ; Cattle ; Korea ; Life Cycle Stages ; Mice ; Murinae ; Myositis ; Rodentia ; Sarcocystis ; Sarcocystosis ; Swine

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to determine the seropositivity for rickettsial infection among wild rodents captured in farms of Kyunggi province and in mountains of Kangwon province in Korea. METHODS: A total of 513 wild rodents of 5 species were captured in 1997~1998. Serological evidence for rickettsial infection was obtained using Orientia tsutsugamushi antigens by indirect immunofluorescent antibody technique(IFA). RESULTS: 168 Apodemus agrarius, 35 Microtus fortis, 3 Micromis minutus and 2 Eothenomys regulus were captured in Kyunggi province, of which 32 Apodemusagrarius, 4 Microtus fortis, 1 Micromis minutus were IF antibody positive against O. tsutsugamushi. 196 Apodemus agrarius, 77 Apodemus peninsulae and 29 Eothenomys regulus were captured in Kangwon province, of which 4 Apodemus agrarius and 5 Apodemus peninsulae were positive. CONCLUSION: Seropositivity rate against O. tsutsugamushi of wild rodents captured in Kyunggi and Kangwon provinces were 19.6% and 3.0% by IFA tests, respectively.
Animals ; Arvicolinae ; Gangwon-do* ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Korea* ; Murinae ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; Rodentia*

Adiaspiromycosis is caused by pulmonary infection with Emmonsia. Inhalated spores of Emmonsia cause asymptomatic infection to necrogranulomatous pneumonia, depending on the burden of adiaspore and host immunity. For disease monitoring of wild rodents captured on Jeju Island in Korea, we examined the lung tissue of wild rodents histopathologically. Spores composed of thick three-layered walls were found following histopathological examination and were diagnosed as adiaspiromycosis. Adiaspiromycosis has been found in mammals in many parts of the world. To our knowledge, this is the first report of adiaspiromycosis of an Apodemus agrarius captured in Korea.
Animals ; Asymptomatic Infections ; Chrysosporium ; Korea ; Lung ; Mammals ; Murinae ; Pneumonia ; Rodentia ; Spores