Risk analysis of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy in Korea

The occurrence of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE, so called mad cow diseases) that was first identified in England in 1986 was considered as being limited to only European countries, including England. However, the outbreak in Asia as well as North America since 2001 has amplified the fear that there isn't any nation in the world that is a safe area. In order to assess the risk of BSE outbreak in each country, the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) and EU have respectively established criteria, where OIE has set 5 levels and EU has set 4 levels. The Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) of the European Commission conducted a Geographical BSE Risk(GBR) assessment for 64 nations, such as the United States, etc., as of April 29, 2003. However, as of July 1, 2005, the duty of GBR assessment is expected to be transferred to a newly established body called EFSA (European Food Safety Authority, located in Parma, Italy). As Korea has not undergone a GBR assessment up to now, this study analyzed the risk of BSE outbreak in Korea by reviewing BSE prevention measures, etc., that have been put in place. This study shall be a barometer for estimating the GBR assessment level of Korea.     

Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in macrophages inversely correlates with parasitism of lymphoid tissues in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis

Background

There are only a few studies reporting the role of nitric oxide metabolites for controlling macrophage intracellular parasitism, and these are controversial. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the lymph nodes and spleen of dogs affected by visceral leishmaniasis through immunohistochemistry and to determine its correlation with tissue parasite burden and serum interferon (IFN)-γ levels. Twenty-eight dogs were selected and assigned to one of two groups, symptomatic (n = 18) and asymptomatic (n = 10), according to clinical status and laboratory evaluation. A negative control group (n = 6) from a non-endemic region for visceral leishmaniasis was included as well.

Results

Parasite density (amastigotes/mm²) was similar between clinical groups in the lymph nodes (P = 0.2401) and spleen (P = 0.8869). The density of iNOS⁺ cells was higher in infected dogs compared to controls (P < 0.05), without a significant difference in lymph node (P = 0.3257) and spleen (P = 0.5940) densities between symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs. A positive correlation was found between the number of iNOS⁺ cells in lymph nodes and interferon-γ levels (r = 0.3776; P = 0.0303), and there was a negative correlation between parasites and iNOS⁺ cell densities both in lymph nodes (r = −0.5341; P = 0.0034) and spleen (r = −0.4669; P = 0.0329).

Conclusion

The negative correlation observed between tissue parasitism and the expression of iNOS may be a reflection of NO acting on the control of parasites.     

广西山羊蓝舌病血清学调查及流行区域分布的影响因素分析

为了解广西地区山羊蓝舌病(BT)流行现状,本研究采用免疫扩散试验对采自广西11个地区的3 646份山羊血清进行BT血清学调查,结果表明,广西地区山羊群普遍存在BT感染,并且血清阳性率存在地域性差异,阳性率为6.3%～45.1%,平均阳性率为20.5%。对不同生长阶段山羊的血清阳性率进行统计,结果显示成年羊的阳性率高于羔羊,分别为22.1%和17.4%,这可能与成年羊接触媒介昆虫的机会较多有关。对BT流行区域分布与地理位置和气候等自然因素之间的相关性分析表明,广西山羊BT血清阳性率与地理位置有一定相关性,与年平均气温显著相关,与年平均降雨量无显著相关性,由此可见,地理位置和气温是BT流行病学的影响因素。     

Evaluation of a competitive ELISA for antibody detection against avian influenza virus

Active serologic surveillance is necessary to control the spread of the avian influenza virus (AIV). In this study, we evaluated a commercially-available cELISA in terms of its ability to detect AIV antibodies in the sera of 3,358 animals from twelve species. cELISA detected antibodies against reference H1- through H15-subtype AIV strains without cross reactivity. Furthermore, the cELISA was able to detect antibodies produced following a challenge of the AIV H9N2 subtype in chickens, or following vaccination of the AIV H9 or H5 subtypes in chickens, ducks and geese. Next, we tested the sensitivity and specificity of the cELISA with sera from twelve different animal species, and compared these results with those obtained by the hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test, the "gold standard" in AIV sera surveillance, a second commercially-available cELISA (IZS ELISA), or the agar gel precipitation (AGP) test. Compared with the HI test, the sensitivities and specificities of cELISA were 95% and 96% in chicken, 86% and 88% in duck, 97% and 100% in turkey, 100% and 87% in goose, and 91% and 97% in swine, respectively. The sensitivities and specificities of the cELISA in this study were higher than those of IZS ELISA for the duck, turkey, goose, and grey partridge sera samples. The results of AGP test against duck and turkey sera also showed significant correlation with the results of cELISA (R-value >0.9). In terms of flock sensitivity, the cELISA correlated better with the HI test than with commercially-available indirect ELISAs, with 100% flock sensitivity.     

病死畜禽处理的现状及其无害化处理技术

近年来出现的"黄浦江漂猪事件"和"江西高安病死猪事件",引发了人们对病死畜禽无害化处理问题的担忧。病死畜禽的无害化处理还存在养殖者不受重视、政府部门监管不到位、补贴政策落实不到位和处理技术落后等问题。本文分析了当前病死畜禽处理的现状,阐述了五种病死畜禽的无害化处理技术,并提出了4点对策建议。     

湖南省某生猪批发市场疫病传播风险评估

为评估湖南省某生猪批发市场猪群疫病的发生风险,找出可能的风险因素,便于提出针对性预防措施,采用自行设计的调查问卷,结合访谈和现场调查,对27户经营户进行了调查,并将调查结果和调运数据相结合进行了疫病传播风险定性评估。结果显示:该市场疫病传入的可能性"高",内部传播的可能性"中等",疫病传出的可能性"高"。生猪调运频次多、数量大,经纪人行为复杂,运输车辆清洗消毒不彻底是可能的风险因素。评估结果提示,应尽量减少经纪人行为影响,重点加强对运输车辆的清洗消毒。     

蝴蝶兰不同品种表型性状遗传多样性分析

以72份蝴蝶兰品种为研究对象,对其叶片、花梗和花器官相关的34个表型性状进行测定与评价,通过表型多样性分析、聚类分析和主成分分析等方法,探讨其种质资源表型性状的遗传多样性。结果表明：72份蝴蝶兰品种的绝大多数性状呈现变异丰富、类型多样的特性,数量性状遗传多样性变异范围为16.39%～157.36%,质量性状Shannon−Wiener多样性指数范围为0.38～1.32,其中叶片的数量性状变异程度较低,但其质量性状的多样性水平较高;R型聚类分析将34个性状分为3个大类,第I类群包含了花部和叶部性状,表明花与叶的表型联系较紧密,第II类群和第III类群包含花序长、最长叶长、植株大小和花序梗长,表明这4个表型性状呈独自进化关系; Q型聚类分析将72份蝴蝶兰种质资源分为4大类,其中第II类可细分为7个亚类群,II−1、II−2亚类群可作为大花和中花育种的亲本,II−3、II−4、II−5和II−7亚类群可作为小花育种的亲本,II−4亚类群可作为香花育种的亲本,同时蝴蝶兰‘JB5342’‘JB5184’‘JB5541’‘JB3697’‘安娜’和‘JB5725’等品种与多数供试蝴蝶兰品种遗传距离较远,可作为重要亲本参考。主成分分析表明,花宽、花瓣长、花瓣宽、萼片长、花长和萼片宽的特征向量绝对值较高,是造成蝴蝶兰表型变异的主要因素。