Investigations of some problems related to the bovine theileriasis and its vector have been undertaken in Korea. Owing to the nation-wide investment of dairy farming, hundreds of milk cattle were imported from foreign countries during the last l0 years. This caused some problems for the imported dairy cattle in terms of cattle piroplasmosis, from which native Korean cattle are immune. The bovine theileriasis has been studied from the beginning of the 20th centry in Korea, and the carriers and incidences of theilerial infection were reported by several authors during the past 60 years. Theilerial species in Korea is still unknown, but Han(1968) reported that it might be the same species as found in Japan. The latest work of Ishihara(1969) suggested that the species of the genus Theileria in Japanese cattle would be one similar to Theileria sergenti in Russian cattle. The tick responsible for the transmission of Korean theileriasis, Haemaphysalis (Kaiseriana) longicornis Neumann 1901 was incriminated as in the name of Haemaphysalis bispinosa (synonym) by Han(1968). The tick vector was re-examined thoroughly following the description of Hoogstraal et a1. (1969). There were no significant differences in the morphological character of ticks between Hoogstraal et al. and Jang(l973). The population fluctuation of H. longicornis in comparison with Boophilus microplus which is major important cattle tick was surveyed based on the collection of them at Suweon Stock Market through a year. The activities of the ticks begin on the central part of Korea in April and showed two highest population densities in May and July, and disappeared almost all in September.
parasitology-protozoa-Theileria sergenti ; cattle ; theileriasis ; tick- Haemaphysalis (Kaiseriana) longicornis ; Boophilus microplus ; epidemiology

Piroplasms are tick-transmitted, intracellular, hemoprotozoan parasites that cause anorexia, fever, anemia, and icterus. Theileriosis is caused by Theileria sergenti and causes major economic losses in grazing cattle in Japan and Korea. In May 2003, we examined the antigenic diversity of the major piroplasm surface protein (MPSP) gene in 35 healthy Jeju black cattle that were born and raised at the National Institute of Subtropical Agriculture. On microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood smears, 9 of 35 cattle had intra-erythrocytic piroplasms. Hematological data were within normal range for all 35 cattle. Amplification of DNA from all blood samples using universal MPSP gene primers showed mixed infections with C, I, and B type Theileria spp. Type C was identified in 20 of 35 blood samples, and type B was identified in 17 samples. Allelic variation was seen in type B.
Animals ; Antigens, Protozoan/*genetics ; Base Sequence ; Cattle ; DNA Primers/genetics ; *Genetic Variation ; Korea ; Molecular Sequence Data ; *Phylogeny ; Protozoan Proteins/*genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Theileria/*genetics ; Theileriasis/*parasitology

Theileria annulata, a protozoan parasite of cattle and domestic buffaloes, is transmitted by ticks of the genus Hyalomma, and causes a disease named Mediterranean or tropical theileriosis. In this research 50 cattle naturally infected with Theileria annulata were treated with the extract of the plant Peganum harmala. The treatment was continued for 5 days, the dose of the extract being 5 mg/kg per day. After the treatment, 39 cattle responded to the treatment and recovered, but 11 did not respond to the treatment and died. The recovery rate of animals treated with the extract of the plant Peganum harmala was 78%.
Animals ; Antiprotozoal Agents/*therapeutic use ; Cattle ; Lymph Nodes/parasitology/pathology ; *Peganum ; Phytotherapy/*veterinary ; Plant Extracts/*therapeutic use ; *Theileria annulata ; Theileriasis/*drug therapy/pathology ; Treatment Outcome

Theileria annulata is a tick-borne intracellular protozoan parasite that causes tropical theileriosis, a fatal bovine lymphoproliferative disease. The parasite predominantly invades bovine B lymphocytes and macrophages and induces host cell transformation by a mechanism that is not fully comprehended. Analysis of signaling pathways by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) could be a highly efficient means to understand this transformation mechanism. However, accurate analysis of qPCR data relies on selection of appropriate reference genes for normalization, yet few papers on T. annulata contain evidence of reference gene validation. We therefore used the geNorm and NormFinder programs to evaluate the stability of 5 candidate reference genes; 18S rRNA, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), ACTB (β-actin), PRKG1 (protein kinase cGMP-dependent, type I) and TATA box binding protein (TBP). The results showed that 18S rRNA was the reference gene most stably expressed in bovine PBMCs transformed and non-transformed with T. annulata, followed by GAPDH and TBP. While 18S rRNA and GAPDH were the best combination, these 2 genes were chosen as references to study signaling pathways involved in the transformation mechanism of T. annulata.
Animals ; B-Lymphocytes/parasitology ; Cattle ; Cell Line ; Cells/*parasitology ; Cells, Cultured ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Host-Parasite Interactions/*genetics ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction/*veterinary ; Reproducibility of Results ; Signal Transduction/*genetics ; Theileria annulata/physiology ; Theileriasis/*physiopathology

Species identification using DNA sequences is the basis for DNA taxonomy. In this study, we sequenced the ribosomal large-subunit RNA gene sequences (3,037-3,061 bp) in length of 13 Chinese Theileria stocks that were infective to cattle and sheep. The complete 28S rRNA gene is relatively difficult to amplify and its conserved region is not important for phylogenetic study. Therefore, we selected the D2-D3 region from the complete 28S rRNA sequences for phylogenetic analysis. Our analyses of 28S rRNA gene sequences showed that the 28S rRNA was useful as a phylogenetic marker for analyzing the relationships among Theileria spp. in ruminants. In addition, the D2-D3 region was a short segment that could be used instead of the whole 28S rRNA sequence during the phylogenetic analysis of Theileria, and it may be an ideal DNA barcode.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; China ; DNA, Ribosomal/chemistry/genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Ribosomal, 28S/genetics ; Ruminants ; Sequence Alignment ; Sequence Analysis, DNA/veterinary ; Theileria/*classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; Theileriasis/*parasitology

This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of theileriosis and to compare the prevalence of this disease in Korean native cattle reared under different environmental conditions, namely, in a grazing area and a non-grazing area by polymerase chain reaction. Three hundred and one Korean native cattle (276 cows and 25 bulls) that had not received prior treatment or been vaccinated to prevent theileriosis were examined by PCR for Theileria sergenti infection from 2001 to 2002. In our study, the parasitemia range in T. sergenti-positive cattle by microscopy were from 0.1 to 3% (mean 0.8%). In terms of mean prevalence, 204 of the 301 Korean native cattle (67.8%) were positive reaction by PCR. Our results also revealed that the infection rate among cows (70.3%) was significantly higher than that among bulls (40.0%) (p < 0.01). T. sergenti infection among the over 3 year-old-group (75%) had a significant higher prevalence than that among the less than 3 year-old-group (61.8%) (p < 0.05). Our data also showed that grazing areas (76.1%) had the significant higher prevalence than non-grazing areas (51%) (p < 0.001). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the prevalence of T. sergenti infection is high and that its prevalence in grazing cattle is higher than that in non-grazing cattle. Therefore, life-long treatment and the development of an optimal vaccine are needed to reduce the numbers of bovine theileriosis in both grazing and non-grazing areas.
Animals ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/diagnosis/*epidemiology/parasitology ; DNA, Protozoan/*analysis ; Female ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Poaceae ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods/veterinary ; Prevalence ; Sex Factors ; Theileria/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Theileriasis/diagnosis/*epidemiology/parasitology

Researches in veterinary protozoology until the end of World War II were carried out entirely by Japanese workers such as Danagga, Yamada, Yuhoba and Isshiki. After the Korean war, investigations have been made by several Korean researchers such as Lee's, Son, Joen and Jang. The total species and genera of veterinary protozoa reported by authors up to date were 19 genera and 59 species except the commensal ciliates. Incidence of the protozoa were carried out for 4 years(1972-l975) by examining fecal samples and vaginal swabs in order to know the parasitic status of the domestic animals and poultry. The results are shown as followings. In dairy cattle: Entamoeba bovis 41.4 per cent , Eimeria spp. 5.6-15.0 per cent. In native cattle: Entamoeba bovis 47.6 per cent, Tritrichomonas foetus 8.5 per cent. In native horse: Eimeria sp. 10.0 per cent. In goat: Eimeria spp. 100 per cent. In swine: Entamoeba spp. 55.44 per cent, Eimeria spp. 20 per cent, Balantidium coli 66.58 per cent. In dog: Isospora bigemina(Large type) 8.7 per cent, Giardia canis 4.4 per cent. In cat: Isospora spp. 12.8 per cent. In hare: Entamoeba cuniculi 12.0 per cent, Eimeria spp. 20.0 per cent, Chilomastix cuniculi 12.0 per cent , Giardia cuniculi 4.0 per cent. In turkey: Eimeria spp. 33.3 per cent, Hexamita meleagriais 8.3 per cent. In chicken: Eimeria spp. 26.8 per cent. The main protozoan diseases of the domestic animals and poultry in Korea may be summarized from the data reported and surveyed as followings. Coccidiosis; poultry, hare, goat, cattle, swine. Theileriasis; cattle. Babesiasis; cattle, dog. Anaplasmosis; cattle, goat. Eperythrozoonosis; cattle, swine. Leucocytozoonosis; chicken. Histomoniasis; chicken. Toxoplasmosis; swine, cat. Balantidiasis; swine. Besnoitiosis; native cattle. Amoebiasis; swine, cattle. Sarcosporidiosis; Cattle, swine.
parasitology-protozoa ; epidemiology ; cattle ; horse ; swine ; dog ; hare ; turkey ; cat ; Entamoeba bovis ; Eimeria spp. ; tritrichomonas foetus ; Entamoeba spp. ; Balantidium coli ; Isospora bigemina ; Giardia canis ; Isospora spp. ; Entamoeba cuniculi ; Chilomastix cuniculi ; Giardia cuniculi ; Hexamita meleagriais ; Coccidiosis ; Theileriasis ; Babesiasis ; Anaplasmosis ; Eperythrozoonosis ; Leucocytozoonosis ; Histomoniasis ; Toxoplasmosis ; Balantidiasis ; Besnoitiosis ; Amoebiasis ; Sarcosporidiosis

This study was carried out to investigate fifteen cases of acute lethal infection of calves (< or = 4 months of age) by the protozoan parasite Theileria (T.) annulata in the south of Portugal. Calves developed multifocal to coalescent nodular skin lesions, similar to multicentric malignant lymphoma. Infestation with ticks (genus Hyalomma) was intense. Theileria was seen in blood and lymph node smears, and T. annulata infection was confirmed by isolation of schizont-transformed cells and sequencing of hypervariable region 4 of the 18S rRNA gene. At necropsy, hemorrhagic nodules or nodules with a hemorrhagic halo were seen, particularly in the skin, subcutaneous tissue, skeletal and cardiac muscles, pharynx, trachea and intestinal serosa. Histologically, nodules were formed by large, round, lymphoblastoid neoplastic-like cells. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) identified these cells as mostly CD3 positive T lymphocytes and MAC387 positive macrophages. A marker for B lymphocytes (CD79alphacy) labeled very few cells. T. annulata infected cells in these nodules were also identified by IHC through the use of two monoclonal antibodies (1C7 and 1C12) which are diagnostic for the parasite. It was concluded that the pathological changes observed in the different organs and tissues were caused by proliferation of schizont-infected macrophages, which subsequently stimulate a severe uncontrolled proliferation of uninfected T lymphocytes.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/epidemiology/*parasitology/pathology ; Cell Growth Processes/physiology ; DNA, Protozoan/chemistry/genetics ; Disease Outbreaks/*veterinary ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry/veterinary ; Lymphocytes/parasitology/*pathology ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; Portugal/epidemiology ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/chemistry/genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Skin Diseases/epidemiology/parasitology/pathology/*veterinary ; Theileria annulata/*isolation & purification ; Theileriasis/epidemiology/parasitology/*pathology