A novel flavivirus detected in two Aedes spp. collected near the demilitarized zone of the Republic of Korea

ABSTRACT The Anopheles Hyrcanus Group in the Republic of Korea (ROK) consists of 5 morphologically indistinct species that can only be identified with certainty by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 86 bloodfed Anopheles spp. were collected from a cow barn located in the village of Tongilchon near the demilitarized zone in the ROK on June 13, 2016, and sent to the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences in Bangkok, Thailand, where they were identified to species by PCR. The 1st shipment contained 15 An. belenrae and 37 An. pullus females that were used to start the colonies. Parent females that oviposited were identified by PCR for colonization. A higher proportion of F1–F4 females of An. belenrae than An. pullus bloodfed when provided both blood meals on human arms and using a membrane feeding system with human blood. Following blood meals, the females were forced mated for colony maintenance. The mean numbers of eggs oviposited per female for An. belenrae was 127.7 ± 19.3 and for An. pullus was 136 ± 23.6. On average, at 25°C (±2°C) An. belenrae and An. pullus took 15.1 and 16.1 days to develop from egg to adult, respectively. A 2nd group of bloodfed Anopheles spp. was collected at the same location in the ROK on June 24, 2017. This group contained 13 An. belenrae and 27 An. pullus. Similarly, eggs were obtained and adults identified by PCR and then reared to adults and subsequent generations forced mated to members of each of the existing colonies to increase genetic diversity. The colonies were established to evaluate their susceptibility to vector vivax malaria, which is essential to better understand the epidemiology of malaria transmission in Korea. This is the 1st report of colonization of both An. belenrae and An. pullus.

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Surveillance on the Vivax Malaria in Endemic Areas in the Republic of Korea Based on Molecular and Serological Analyses

The Korean Journal of Parasitology ◽

10.3347/kjp.2020.58.6.609 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 58 (6) ◽

pp. 609-617

Author(s):

Seong-Kyun Lee ◽

Fengyue Hu ◽

Egy Rahman Firdaus ◽

Ji-Hoon Park ◽

Jin-Hee Han ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vivax Malaria ◽

Asymptomatic Carrier ◽

Diagnostic Testing ◽

Surface Protein ◽

Merozoite Surface Protein ◽

Republic Of Korea ◽

Asymptomatic Patients ◽

Demilitarized Zone ◽

Endemic Areas ◽

The Republic

<i>Plasmodium vivax</i> reemerged in 1993. It has been sustained for more than 25 years and become one of the important indigenous parasitic diseases in northern and western parts of the Republic of Korea near the demilitarized zone. In particular, relapse is a significant concern for the control of malaria, as short- and long-term incubation periods vary among those infected in Korea. In this study, the prevalence of asymptomatic carriers was examined among residents of high endemic areas of vivax malaria during nonseasonal transmission of mosquitoes. Blood samples from 3 endemic regions in northwestern Korea were evaluated by microscopic examination, rapid diagnostic testing, and nested PCR to identify asymptomatic patients carrying malaria parasites in the community. However, no positive malaria case among residents of endemic areas was detected. Additionally, serological analysis was carried out to measure antibodies against 3 antigenic recombinant proteins of <i>P. vivax</i>, merozoite surface protein 1-19, circumsporozoite surface protein-VK210, and liver-stage antigen (PvLSA-N), by the protein array method. Interestingly, seropositivity of sera between previous exposure and samples without exposure to malaria was significantly higher using the PvLSA-N antigen than the other antigens, suggesting that PvLSA-N can be used as a serological marker to analyze the degree of exposure for malaria transmission in endemic areas. This indicates a very low asymptomatic carrier prevalence during the nonmalaria season in the endemic areas of Korea.

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Complete Genome Sequence of Classical Swine Fever Virus Isolated near the Demilitarized Zone in the Republic of Korea

Genome Announcements ◽

10.1128/genomea.00145-17 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 (14) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sok Song ◽

SeEun Choe ◽

RaMi Cha ◽

Ki-Sun Kim ◽

In-Soo Cho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Classical Swine Fever Virus ◽

Complete Genome Sequence ◽

Classical Swine Fever ◽

Fever Virus ◽

Republic Of Korea ◽

Epidemiological Investigation ◽

High Identity ◽

First Case ◽

Demilitarized Zone ◽

The Republic

ABSTRACT The YC16CS (genotype 2.1) strain of classical swine fever virus, isolated from infected pigs in Yeoncheon province, Republic of Korea, near the demilitarized zone, has a high identity with the PC11WB strain of the virus. This is significant in that it is the first case of transmission from wild boars to breed pigs revealed by an epidemiological investigation.

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