Since the first report of a swine influenza virus (SIV) infection in humans in 1958, cases have occurred continuously and increased significantly after the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. Although exposure to swine is thought to be a risk factor for human SIVs infections, approximately half of the reported cases had no known exposure to pigs. Besides, epidemiological investigation showed that several cases had limited human-to-human transmission. Based on the analyses of data on swine influenza virus infection in humans in this review, both the improved SIVs surveillance in humans and swine population and wider vaccination coverage among occupational workers are critical strategies in pandemic preparedness and response.
Animals ; Humans ; Influenza A virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Influenza, Human ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; transmission ; virology ; Orthomyxoviridae Infections ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; veterinary ; virology ; Swine ; Swine Diseases ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; transmission ; virology ; Zoonoses ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; transmission ; virology

Trichinellosis is a parasitic zoonosis of public health importance. It is caused by Trichinella spiralis which has a wide host range including humans. In the present communication, the ELISA technique was employed on a total of 803 blood samples from 7 selected pig breeding farms in 1996 for diagnosis and surveillance of trichinellosis. Out of the entire 803 samples, nine were found to be suspected while one was positive by ELISA. But western blot analyses employed for further confirmation have shown that all of 10 samples did not react to larval excretory-secretory product antigens. These results indicate that pig breeding farms included in the present study are free from trichinellosis. However, it does not mean Korea is free from trichinellosis since human trichinellosis has recently been reported. The necessity of continued surveillance for trichinellosis in both pigs and wild animals was discussed.
Animals ; *Animals, Domestic ; Antibodies, Helminth/*blood ; Biological Markers/blood ; Blotting, Western ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Human ; Korea/epidemiology ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*diagnosis/epidemiology ; Trichinella spiralis/*immunology ; Trichinosis/*diagnosis/epidemiology/*veterinary

A total 7 outbreaks of trichinellosis have occurred in Korea, mostly as a result of consumption of raw wild boar (Sus scrofa) meat. Since only 1 serological survey on wild boars had yet been performed in Korea, the present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of trichinellosis in wild boars and some species of rodents by artificial digestion and serological examinations in Yanggu-gun, Gangwon-do, the endemic area of trichinellosis. Both the wild boar and rodent muscle samples revealed no Trichinella larvae by direct examination and artificial digestion method. However, serological examinations revealed that 4 wild boar sera samples out of 118 (3.4%) were positive to Trichinella antigen. Although the recovery of Trichinella larvae ended in a failure, it is proved for the first time that the sylvatic cycle of Trichinella has been maintained in wild boars of Gangwon-do, Korea.
Animals ; Antibodies, Helminth/*blood ; Antigens, Helminth/blood ; Female ; Male ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Sus scrofa ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*blood/diagnosis/epidemiology/parasitology ; Trichinella/classification/genetics/immunology/*isolation & purification

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus(PRRSV)0, porcine circovirus type 2(PCV-2) and porcine parvovirus (PPV)0 infections were investigated as possible causes of the postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome(PMWS). Specific primers for RT-PCR and PCR were designed for the differential detection of PRRSV, PCV-2 and PPV. Using PCR, these viruses were detected in homogenized tissue samples from pigs that had respiratory of reproductive problems in the time period between 1998 and 2000; the overall prevalences were: PRRSV 31.4%, PCV-2 46.5%, and PPV 8.1%. PCV-2 was also detected in aborted fetal tissues.
Aborted Fetus/virology ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Circoviridae Infections/diagnosis/epidemiology/*veterinary ; Circovirus/genetics/isolation&purification ; DNA Primers ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Korea/epidemiology ; Parvoviridae Infections/diagnosis/epidemiology/*veterinary ; Parvovirus, Porcine/genetics/isolation&purification ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods/veterinary ; Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus/genetics/isolation & purification ; Prevalence ; Respiratory Tract Infections/veterinary/virology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods/veterinary ; Sequence Homology ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Wasting Syndrome/*veterinary/virology

Trichinosis is a food-borne zoonotic disease caused by the nematode, Trichinella spp., and had been reported several times in Korea. Recently, there was an additional outbreak, involving 5 patients, the findings from which are reported herein. On 30 November 2010, 8 persons ate sashimi of the meat of a wild boar. Then, 2-3 weeks later, they complained of myalgia and fever. Unfortunately, muscle biopsy was not performed, but ELISA was performed using their sera. Two people among 8 were positive for Trichinella on the 34th day post-infection (PI), and 3 patients who initially revealed negative ELISA were additionally proved to be positive for trichinosis on the 42nd day PI. Hence, the confirmed patients of trichinosis were 5 in total in the present outbreak. They were treated with albendazole and discharged uneventfully. This was the fifth outbreak of trichinosis in Korea.
Adult ; Albendazole/therapeutic use ; Animals ; Anthelmintics/therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Helminth/blood ; Disease Outbreaks/*veterinary ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Foodborne Diseases/drug therapy/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Humans ; Male ; Meat/*parasitology ; Middle Aged ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Sus scrofa/parasitology ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/parasitology/transmission ; Treatment Outcome ; Trichinella/immunology/*isolation & purification ; Trichinellosis/diagnosis/drug therapy/*epidemiology ; Zoonoses