Transmissible venereal tumor (TVT) is a well-documented transplantable tumor in dogs, with no breed or sex predilection and a low metastatic rate. In this report, a 2-year-old intact female Mastiff that had numerous, rapidly growing masses throughout the subcutis mainly at the dorsal body plane, the caudal half of the ventral abdomen, and around the vulva was euthanized due to poor prognosis. Neoplastic nodules similar to those seen in the subcutis were also noted in the lung, anterior mediastinum, liver, spleen, kidney, and superficial and deep lymph nodes in both abdominal and thoracic cavities. The neoplastic nodules from the subcutis as well as metastatic foci revealed similar cytologic and histologic features, which were consistent with canine TVT. By immunohistochemical staining, the neoplastic cells were positive for lysozyme and vimentin but were negative for cytokeratin, desmin, CD3, and CD79a. The diagnosis of the TVT was further supported by the identification and analysis of long interspersed nuclear elements (LINE) from paraffin-embedded tumor tissue. This case is a rare example of TVT with multiorgan metastasis. In this case, the polymerase chain reaction technique was useful in differential diagnosis of canine round cell tumors because this technique can be applied in retrospective as well as future study.

Wild deer are one of the important natural reservoir hosts of Anaplasma species, which cause granulocytic anaplasmosis in equines, canines, and humans. The objective of the present study was to determine whether and what species of Anaplasma naturally infect Korean water deer (KWD) in the Republic of Korea. A total of 66 spleens from KWD carcasses were collected by the Conservation Genome Resource Bank for Korean Wildlife in Korea between March 2008 and May 2009. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using 16S ribosomal (r)RNA, with ankA, groEL, and msp2 gene primers to amplify the genes of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia. Using 16S rRNA-based nested PCR, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma bovis were detected in 42 (63.6%) and 23 (34.8%) of 66 KWD spleens, respectively. The 42 A. phagocytophilum were classified into five genotypes and the 23 A. bovis were classified into two genotypes by sequence analysis. By ankA-, groEL-, and msp2-based nested PCR, A. phagocytophilum was detected in 1 (1.5%), 7 (10.6%), and 3 (4.6%) of 66 samples, respectively. These gene sequences had only one genotype. Five of seven obtained 16S rRNA gene sequences have never been identified. The ankA, groEL, and msp2 obtained gene sequences represented new genotypes. This is the first report of A. phagocytophilum and A. bovis in KWD, suggesting that they may act as reservoirs for anaplasmosis zoonotic pathogens.

This study aimed to investigate the tick species and give background for tick-borne investigations in Korea. Ticks were collected from the area within 2 km radius of the 4 domestic animal farms, where they were located in mountainous areas and raising animals on pasture, and from animal bodies in 2014 and 2015. In total, 7,973 nymphal and adult ticks were collected from the farms - 7,758 Haemaphysalis longicornis , 198 Haemaphysalis flava , and 17 Ixodes nipponensis , and 1,763 were collected from animals - 729 H. longicornis from cattle; 569 H. longicornis from goats; and 297 H. longicornis , 118 H. flava , 1 I. nipponensis , and 49 Amblyomma testudinarium from wild boars. As more species of ticks were collected from wild boars than domesticated animals and their habitats, various animal hosts should be considered while investigating tick species.

We determined the prevalence of Bartonella spp. and investigated which species of Bartonella naturally infects Korean water deer (KWD, Hydropotes inermis argyropus) in the Republic of Korea (ROK). A total of 70 spleens from KWD carcasses were collected by the Conservation Genome Resource Bank for Korean Wildlife (CGRB) in the ROK between 2008 and 2009. Nested PCRs were performed using the rpoB gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region primers to amplify the DNA fragment of Bartonella. Using ITS-based nested PCR, Bartonella grahamii and Bartonella schoenbuchensis-related species were detected in 11 (15.8%) and 9 (12.9%) of 70 KWD spleens, respectively. The 11 B. grahamii amplicons were classified into 2 genotypes by sequence analysis. Using rpoB-based nested PCR, B. grahamii was detected in 5 (7.1%) of 70 KWD spleen samples. This is the first report of B. grahamii and B. schoenbuchensis in KWD, suggesting that KWD may act as reservoirs for the spreading of Bartonella spp. in the ROK.

Tick is one of the most important arthropods in the transmission of vector-borne diseases. In this study, we investigated the abundance and species of ticks associated with swine and their habitats to assess the risk of spread of tick-borne diseases in host species, such as wild boars. Ticks were collected from 24 grazing or traditionally reared domestic pig farms and 8 habitats of wild boars in 8 provinces and 1 city in the Republic of Korea, by using the dragging and flagging methods. Ticks were also collected directly from 49 wild boars by using fine forceps. A total of 9,846 hard ticks were collected, including 4,977 Haemaphysalis longicornis, 4,313 Haemaphysalis flava, 508 Ixodes nipponensis, 1 Ixodes turdus, and 47 Amblyomma testudinarium. A total of 240 hard ticks were collected from 49 wild boars, including 109 H. flava, 84 H. longicornis, and 47 A. testudinarium. A total of 578 hard ticks were collected from areas around domestic pig farms. Only 2 hard tick species, 546 H. longicornis and 32 H. flava, were collected from these areas. A total of 9,028 hard ticks were collected from wild boars of 8 habitats, including 4,347 H. longicornis, 4,172 H. flava, 508 I. nipponensis, and 1 I. turdus. A. testudinarium was collected only from wild boars, and I. nipponensis and I. turdus were collected only from the habitats of wild boars.

ABSTRACT. Pyelonephritis, in which Staphylococcus intermedius was isolated, was diagnosed in a 4-year-old female Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica). At necropsy, the renal pelvis was dilated with a large amount of purulent exudates. Microscopically, the lesions of renal pelvis and medulla consisted of necrotic foci intermingled primarily with numerous degenerative neutrophils and a few lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages. Bacteriology showed the presence of S. intermedius. This is the first report on pyelonephritis associated with S. intermedius in wild felidae. KEY WORDS: Panthera tigris altaica, pyelonephritis, Staphylococcus intermedius.J. Vet. Med. Sci. 69(8): 851-852, 2007 Staphylococcus intermedius is a gram-positive, nonmotile, non-spore forming, facultative anaerobic coccus [3], which is part of the normal microflora of the skin and mucosal surfaces of the upper respiratory tract of dogs, horses, cats, and minks [1,7]. This bacterium has also been isolated from the anterior nares of dogs and pigeons [4], and from infected dog bite wounds in humans [10]. S. intermedius may cause cutaneous, urinary tract, bone, and central nervous system infections in several animal species [1,7].In dogs, S. intermedius is one of the leading pus-forming bacteria and causes infections such as pyoderma and otitis externa [3,8]. Staphylococcus spp. does not generally appear to cause any major disease in cats [5], but cases of superficial dermatitis, bacterial folliculitis, and superficial pyoderma caused by S. intermedius have been reported [9]. About 10% (9/93) of Staphylococci obtained from feline clinical specimens were S. intermedius [3,5].Diseases associated with S. intermedius have not been reported in wild felidae. Here we describe an episode of a Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) kept at the Korea National Arboretum with pyelonephritis caused by S. intermedius.The four-year-old female Siberian tiger had been donated from China for breeding and was raised for four months alongside a male Siberian tiger at the Korea National Arboretum. After showing depression and anorexia over several days, the female tiger suddenly died. A postmortem examination was performed immediately.At necropsy, the dead Siberian tiger was thin and emaciated. No wounds or disease conditions were observed in the external body surfaces and orifices, and the tiger was not pregnant. Both kidneys were congested, and the pelvis of the left kidney was markedly dilated and filled with a large amount of inspissated purulent exudates (Fig. 1). No purulent exudates or any significant gross abnormalities were found in the urinary bladder and ureter. Representative samples from major parenchymal tissues, including the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, small and large intestines, urinary bladder, ovaries and uterus, were fixed in 10% neutral phosphate-buffered formalin, routinely processed, embedded in paraffin, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) for histopathologic examinations. The normal histologic architecture of the rena...

Rabies has been reported in dogs, cattle, and raccoon dogs in Korea, especially in the provinces of Gyeonggi and Gangwon. The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of the rabies in wild Korean raccoon dogs by using 50 blood samples collected in Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces. Antibodies against rabies were measured by using a fluorescent antibody virus neutralization test. Of the 50 blood samples tested, 20 raccoon dogs (40%) tested positive. Seropositive animals were distributed in Paju, Yangpyeong, Goyang, Yangju, Yanggu, and Hoengseong cities.

Abstract.A 5-year-old, female, Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) was diagnosed with round cell variant of myxoid liposarcoma. At necropsy, multifocal to coalescing, reddish tan to white nodules, ranging from 0.5 to 1 cm in diameter, were noted throughout the omentum and retroperitoneum. Similar neoplastic nodules were also present in diaphragm, abdominal wall, and on hepatic capsule. Microscopically, neoplastic masses consisted of round to polyhedral cells, which had round, often eccentric nuclei and abundant eosinophilic granular and microvacuolated cytoplasm; Oil red O staining demonstrated large numbers of lipid droplets in the cytoplasm. Ultrastructurally, the cytoplasm of the tumor cells was packed with occasional lipid vacuoles and numerous enlarged mitochondria. Immunohistochemistry revealed tumor cells were positive for vimentin, while negative to cytokeratin, actin, and Factor VIII-related antigen. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of round-cell variant of myxoid liposarcoma in nonhuman primate.