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Kim TY, Kim SY, Kim TK, Lee HI, Cho SH, Lee WG, Kim H. Molecular evidence of zoonotic Babesia species, other than B. microti, in ixodid ticks collected from small mammals in the Republic of Korea. Vet Med Sci 2021; 7:2427-2433. [PMID: 34492740 PMCID: PMC8604135 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The occurrence of tick‐borne infectious diseases, including zoonotic babesiosis, has become a serious concern in recent years. In this study, we detected Babesia spp. using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the 18S rRNA of the parasites isolated from ixodid ticks collected from small mammals in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Sequence analysis of the PCR amplicon revealed the presence of B. duncani, B. venatorum, B. capreoli/divergens, and, the most prevalent, B. microti in the ticks. The molecular phylogenetic analysis showed that the four species‐specific18S rRNA sequences clustered in four distinct clades. This is the first study to provide molecular evidence for the presence of zoonotic Babesia spp. other than B. microti in ticks in the ROK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Yun Kim
- Division of Vectors and Parasitic Disease, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju-Si, Chungcheongbuk-Do, the Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Yoon Kim
- Division of Vectors and Parasitic Disease, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju-Si, Chungcheongbuk-Do, the Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Kyu Kim
- Division of Vectors and Parasitic Disease, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju-Si, Chungcheongbuk-Do, the Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Il Lee
- Division of Vectors and Parasitic Disease, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju-Si, Chungcheongbuk-Do, the Republic of Korea
| | - Shin-Hyeong Cho
- Division of Vectors and Parasitic Disease, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju-Si, Chungcheongbuk-Do, the Republic of Korea
| | - Wook-Gyo Lee
- Division of Vectors and Parasitic Disease, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju-Si, Chungcheongbuk-Do, the Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunwoo Kim
- Division of Vectors and Parasitic Disease, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju-Si, Chungcheongbuk-Do, the Republic of Korea
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Bang MS, Kim CM, Park JW, Chung JK, Kim DM, Yun NR. Prevalence of Orientia tsutsugamushi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Leptospira interrogans in striped field mice in Gwangju, Republic of Korea. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0215526. [PMID: 31419222 PMCID: PMC6697328 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the prevalence of Orientia tsutsugamushi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Leptospira interrogans in wild rodents through molecular detection using organ samples and through serological assay using blood samples of mice collected from two distinct sites in Gwangju Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea (ROK). A total of 47 wild rodents, identified as Apodemus agrarius (A. agrarius), were captured from June to August 2016. The seroprevalence of antibodies against bacterial pathogens in A. agrarius sera was analyzed; 17.4% (8/46) were identified as O. tsutsugamushi through indirect immunofluorescence assay and 2.2% (1/46) were identified as Leptospira species through passive hemagglutination assay. Using polymerase chain reaction, the spleen, kidney and blood samples were investigated for the presence of O. tsutsugamushi, A. phagocytophilum, and L. interrogans. Out of the 47 A. agrarius, 19.1% (9/47) were positive for A. phagocytophilum and 6.4% (3/47) were positive for L. interrogans, while none were positive for O. tsutsugamushi. Four out of 46 (8.7%) blood samples, six out of 45 (13.3%) spleen samples, and one out of 47 (2.1%) kidney samples were positive for A. phagocytophilum. Three out of 47 (6.4%) kidney samples were positive for L. interrogans. The sequencing results of PCR positive samples demonstrated > 99% similarity with A. phagocytophilum and L. interrogans sequences. A. phagocytophilum was mostly detected in the spleen, whereas L. interrogans was mostly detected in the kidneys. Notably, A. phagocytophilum and L. interrogans were detected in A. agrarius living in close proximity to humans in the metropolitan suburban areas. The results of this study indicate that rodent-borne bacteria may be present in wild rodents in the metropolitan suburban areas of ROK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi-Seon Bang
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Choon-Mee Kim
- Premedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Wook Park
- Division of Infectious Disease Investigation, Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju City, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Keun Chung
- Division of Infectious Disease Investigation, Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju City, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Min Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Na Ra Yun
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
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Joshi YP, Kim EH, Cheong HK. The influence of climatic factors on the development of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and leptospirosis during the peak season in Korea: an ecologic study. BMC Infect Dis 2017; 17:406. [PMID: 28592316 PMCID: PMC5463320 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-017-2506-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and leptospirosis are seasonal rodent-borne infections in the Republic of Korea (Korea). The occurrences of HFRS and leptospirosis are influenced by climatic variability. However, few studies have examined the effects of local climatic variables on the development of these infections. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of climatic factors on the occurrence of HFRS and leptospirosis in Korea. METHODS Daily records on human cases of HFRS and leptospirosis between January 2001 to December 2009 were analyzed. The associations of climatic factors with these cases in high incidence provinces were estimated using the time-series method and multivariate generalized linear Poisson models with a maximal lag of 12 weeks. RESULTS From 2001 to 2009, a total of 2912 HFRS and 889 leptospirosis cases were reported, with overall incidences of 0.67 and 0.21 cases per 100,000, respectively, in the study areas. The increase in minimum temperature (1 °C) at a lag of 11 weeks was associated with 17.8% [95% confidence interval (CI): 15.1, 20.6%] and 22.7% (95% CI: 16.5, 29.3%) increases in HFRS and leptospirosis cases, respectively. A 1-h increase in the daily sunshine was related to a 27.5% (95% CI: 18.2, 37.6%) increase in HFRS at a lag of 0 week. A 1% increase in daily minimum relative humidity and a 1 mm increase in daily rainfall were associated with 4.0% (95% CI:1.8, 6.1) and 2.0% (95% CI: 1.2, 2.8%) increases in weekly leptospirosis cases at 11 and 6 weeks later, respectively. A 1 mJ/m2 increase in daily solar radiation was associated with a 13.7% (95% CI: 4.9, 23.2%) increase in leptospirosis cases, maximized at a 2-week lag. CONCLUSIONS During the peak season in Korea, climatic factors play a significant role in the development of HFRS and leptospirosis. The findings of this study may be applicable to the forecasting and prediction of disease outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadav Prasad Joshi
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Hye Kim
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae-Kwan Cheong
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea.
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Stritof Majetic Z, Galloway R, Ruzic Sabljic E, Milas Z, Mojcec Perko V, Habus J, Margaletic J, Pernar R, Turk N. Epizootiological survey of small mammals as Leptospira spp. reservoirs in Eastern Croatia. Acta Trop 2014; 131:111-6. [PMID: 24365042 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2013.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2013] [Revised: 12/03/2013] [Accepted: 12/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In this survey we investigated a population of small mammals in Eastern Croatia in order to determine Leptospira carriage rates and identify circulating serovars. Out of 67 trapped animals, 20 (29.9%) isolates were obtained. Identification of isolates using microscopic agglutination test, pulsed field gel electrophoresis and multi locus sequence typing revealed that 10 (50.0%) isolates belong to serogroup Pomona, serovar Mozdok, 6 (30.0%) isolates to serogroup Australis, serovar Jalna, 2 (10.0%) isolates to serogroup Sejroe, serovar Saxkoebing, and 1 (5.0%) isolate to serogroup Grippotyphosa, serovar Grippotyphosa. One isolate from serogroup Bataviae was unable to be identified to the serovar level. Amplification of a 331-bp region of the locus LA0322 using real-time polymerase chain reaction determined that 12 (60.0%) isolates belong to L. kirschneri, 6 (30.0%) isolates to L. interrogans, and 2 (10.0%) isolates to L. borgpetersenii. Leptospira carriage rate was high (29.9%), which corresponds to a high incidence of human and domestic animal leptospirosis in Eastern Croatia. Furthermore, 90.0% of the isolates belong to serogroups Pomona, Australis and Sejroe which are also the most prevalent serogroups in humans in this area. These findings suggest that small mammals might be an important source of Leptospira spp. infection in Eastern Croatia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zrinka Stritof Majetic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Renee Galloway
- Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Eva Ruzic Sabljic
- Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Zoran Milas
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Vesna Mojcec Perko
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Josipa Habus
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Josip Margaletic
- Department of Forest Protections and Game, Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Renata Pernar
- Department of Forest Protections and Game, Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Nenad Turk
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia
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Truong QL, Seo TW, Yoon BI, Kim HC, Han JH, Hahn TW. Prevalence of swine viral and bacterial pathogens in rodents and stray cats captured around pig farms in Korea. J Vet Med Sci 2013; 75:1647-50. [PMID: 23892461 PMCID: PMC3942947 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.12-0568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2008, 102 rodents and 24
stray cats from the areas around 9 pig farms in northeast South Korea were used to
determine the prevalence of the following selected swine pathogens: ten viral pathogens
[porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV),
rotavirus, classical swine fever virus (CSFV), porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2),
encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus
(PRRSV), porcine parvovirus (PPV), pseudorabies virus (PRV) and Japanese encephalitis
virus (JEV)] and four bacterial pathogens (Brucella,
Leptospira, Salmonella and Lawsonia
intracellularis). In total, 1,260 tissue samples from 102 rodents and 24 stray
cats were examined by specific PCR and RT-PCR assays, including tissue samples of the
brain, tonsils, lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, spleen, small intestine, large intestine and
mesenteric lymph nodes. The percentages of PCR-positive rodents for the porcine pathogens
were as follows: 63.7% for Leptospira, 39.2% for
Brucella, 6.8% for Salmonella, 15.7% for L.
intracellularis, 14.7% for PCV2 and 3.9% for EMCV. The percentages of
PCR-positive stray cats for the swine pathogens were as follows: 62.5% for
Leptospira, 25% for Brucella, 12.5% for
Salmonella, 12.5% for L. intracellularis and 4.2% for
PEDV. These results may be helpful for developing control measures to prevent the spread
of infectious diseases of pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quang Lam Truong
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Veterinary Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200-701, South Korea
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Abstract
Leptospirosis is an important public health problem in the Republic of Korea (ROK), occurring sporadically or in outbreaks during the autumn season. Wild rodents, Apodemus agrarius, have been mainly involved in human leptospirosis. The majority of carrier animals are infected with Leptospira interrogans serovar lai. The characteristic pulmonary involvement or hemorrhage may increase the clinical severity or result in fatal outcomes, and these aspects continue to be a threat to people in endemic areas. While the disease incidence has been relatively low in recent years, there have been newer findings of livestock (zoo animals and racing horses) and rats (Rattus norvegicus) captured in urban environments as potential animal carriers. Many avenues of research are still open to define current changes in ecology, epidemiology, and the disease burden in both humans and animals in the ROK, together with global warming and climate change issues. In addition, national policy regarding the weighted wildlife monitoring system and the enhanced disease surveillance program is required to facilitate better monitoring and understanding of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Ja Kim
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea Univseristy College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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O'Guinn ML, Klein TA, Lee JS, Richards AL, Kim HC, Ha SJ, Shim SH, Baek LJ, Song KJ, Chong ST, Turell MJ, Burkett DA, Schuster A, Lee IY, Yi SH, Sames WJ, Song JW. Serological surveillance of scrub typhus, murine typhus, and leptospirosis in small mammals captured at firing points 10 and 60, Gyeonggi province, Republic of Korea, 2001-2005. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2010; 10:125-33. [PMID: 19402761 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2008.0123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Soldiers from the Republic of Korea and the United States conducting peacetime military operations at various training sites and multiple range complexes located near the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea are exposed to rodents and their potentially disease-carrying ectoparasites. These diseases include scrub typhus, murine typhus, and leptospirosis. Many of the training sites are rural or semi-rural, surrounded or co-located with various forms of agriculture, and are infested with rodents and insectivores (as well as their ectoparasites), which are commonly found in association with unmanaged tall grasses, scrub, and crawling vegetation habitats. For 5 years, rodents and insectivores were collected seasonally (spring, summer, fall, and winter) at firing points 10 and 60 near the demilitarized zone and serologically tested for the presence of scrub typhus, murine typhus, and leptospirosis antibodies. Of the nine species of small mammals collected, Apodemus agrarius, the common striped field mouse and known reservoir of scrub typhus, was the most frequently collected (90.6%). Only four of the nine species captured, A. agrarius (60.9%), Micromys minutus (100%), Mus musculus (55.6%), and Rattus norvegicus (46.7%), were positive for scrub typhus. Of all the small mammals captured, only A. agrarius was positive for murine typhus (0.3%) and leptospirosis (1.3%). Seasonal and annual prevalence rates based on weight and sex are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica L O'Guinn
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Maryland, USA
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Abstract
We determined the frequency of isolation of Leptospira from dogs and rodents, the serovars of Leptospira, and the clinical, gross and histological manifestations in dogs with leptospirosis in Trinidad. From dogs, samples of urine, blood and kidney were collected while only kidney and blood samples of trapped rodents were used. Isolates were cultured and serotyped using a panel of 23 international serovars and monoclonal antibodies. The risk factors for leptospirosis were also determined in owned dogs using a standard questionnaire. Of a total of 468 animals investigated for Leptospira, 70 (15.0%) were positive, comprising nine (18.0%) of 50 suspected canine leptospirosis cases, seven (3.4%) of 207 stray dogs and 54 (25.6%) of 211 rodents. The observation that rodents have a statistically (P<0.05, chi2) higher frequency of isolation emphasizes the importance of rodents as reservoirs of leptospirosis in the country. Copenhageni was the predominant serovar found in 100.0% (7/7), 33.3% (2/6) and 68.5% (37/54) of isolates from suspected canine leptospirosis cases, stray dogs and rodents, respectively. Serovars Icterohaemorrhagiae and Canicola, the two serovars present in the commercial vaccines used locally, were detected in one (1.5%) and zero (0.0%) isolates respectively of the 67 tested. Data provided suggest that the apparent vaccine failure may be a consequence of the fact that the predominant serovar (Copenhageni) detected in sick, apparently healthy dogs and in rodents is not contained in the vaccines used locally to protect dogs against canine leptospirosis.
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O'Guinn ML, Klein TA, Lee JS, Kim HC, Baek LJ, Chong ST, Turell MJ, Burkett DA, Schuster A, Lee IY, Yi SH, Sames WJ, Song KJ, Song JW. Ecological surveillance of small mammals at Firing Points 10 and 60, Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea, 2001-2005. J Vector Ecol 2008; 33:370-384. [PMID: 19263858 DOI: 10.3376/1081-1710-33.2.370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Throughout Korea, small mammals are hosts to a number of disease-causing agents that pose a health threat to U.S. and Korean military forces while they conduct field-training exercises. A seasonal rodent-borne disease surveillance program was established at two firing points (FP), FP-10, and FP-60, and conducted over five years from 2001 through 2005 in response to hantavirus cases among U.S. soldiers. The ecology of these sites consisted primarily of tall grasses associated with semi-permanent and temporary water sources (drainage ditches and a small stream) and dry-land agriculture farming. Eight species of rodents and one species of insectivore were collected, including Apodemus agrarius, Micromys minutus, Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, Tscherskia triton, Microtus fortis, Myodes regulus, and Crocidura lasiura. The striped field mouse, A. agrarius, (primary reservoir for Hantaan virus, the causative agent of Korean hemorrhagic fever), was the most frequently collected, representing 90.6% of the 1,288 small mammals captured at both sites. Reported herein are the ecological parameters, seasonal population densities, and seasonal population characteristics associated with small mammals collected at two military training sites in the Republic of Korea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica L O'Guinn
- Department of Virology, 1425 Porter Street, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702-5011, USA
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Abstract
From 2002 to 2005, we collected 118 serum samples from 34 species belonging to 13 families of zoo animals in Korea and determined the prevalence of antibodies for 18 serovars of Leptospira spp. using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Twenty-nine (25%) of the serum samples tested were positive for one or more of the serovars. There were no significant differences in relation to genders: 23% and 26% of positives occurring in male and female animals, respectively (P>0.05). However, the seroprevalence for the Leptospira spp. was significantly higher (P<0.05) in herbivores (45%) than in either carnivores (17%) or omnivores (17%). Among the 5 serovars detected in this study, the most common was sejroe (n=27; 87% of all positive reactions). All positive reactions showed low titers (< or = 1:200) and the positives were most frequently detected in 1:25 (58%) and 1:50 (23%) serum dilutions. The highest antibody titer (1:200) was observed for the serovars sejroe (n=1) and bratislava (n=1). We conclude that the exposure of zoo animals to Leptospira spp. is relatively common in Korea and produces low MAT titers, with sejroe being the most commonly encountered serovar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byeong Yeal Jung
- Animal Disease Diagnosis Division, National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service, Anyang City, Kyunggi Do, Korea.
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