In the current study, a total of 102 common Todarodes pacificus squid caught in the East Sea were investigated for parasitological research. The results revealed that 33 (32.35%) out of 102 squid were infected by Nybelinia surmenicola, the mean intensity was 5.58 parasites per squid, and the maximum abundance was 11. Morphological analysis using a field emission scanning electron microscope showed the characteristic features of N. surmenicola. Molecular identification based on the 28S rRNA gene confirmed the isolated parasite as N. surmenicola, while phylogenetic analysis revealed that N. surmenicola isolated in this study was clustered with N. surmenicola isolated from Japan. This is the first report of phylogenetic characterization of N. surmenicola isolated from Korea.

This study aimed to analyze difference in clinical findings, including coronary artery complications, in patients with Kawasaki disease and respiratory symptoms with several respiratory infections. We studied 182 pediatric patients diagnosed with Kawasaki disease. Examinations for respiratory viral polymerase chain reaction were conducted in the group of patients with respiratory symptoms. Echocardiography was perfomed by a pediatric cardiologist, and laboratory findings were evaluated. Clinical manifestations and laboratory findings based on medical records were compared. There were no differences between patients with and without respiratory viral infections with respect to age, male-female ratio, coronary artery complications, Kawasaki disease-specific clinical manifestations, duration of fever, duration of hospitalization, or recurrence rate. There was a significant difference in C-reactive protein levels (55.6 vs. 73.9 mg/L) between the two groups, but the other laboratory findings. The rate of respiratory infections in pediatric patients with Kawasaki disease was similar to those reported in previous studies, and clinical manifestations and laboratory findings were not significantly different between the groups.

Diagnosis of scrub typhus is difficult because of its unspecific symptoms. The authors studied the correlation between serum adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels and scrub typhus, with the aim of aiding diagnose of the disease. The medical records of 64 children, who visited Wonkwang University Hospital from 2005 to 2015 for fever of undetermined origin, were analyzed retrospectively. Serum ADA levels were measured and indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) assays were conducted. The patients were divided into two groups based on diagnosis of scrub typhus. Of 64 febrile patients, 39 were confirmed to have scrub typhus. Mean serum ADA level in the scrub typhus group (58.54±2.82 IU/L) was significantly higher than that in the non-scrub typhus group (29.30±4.03 IU/L, p<0.05). In the 25 non-scrub typhus patients, mean serum ADA level was significantly higher (50.24±8.52 IU/L) in patients with Mycoplasma infection than that in those with other diseases (19.46±1.39 IU/L, p<0.05). The study shows that in patients with only fever who are difficult to diagnose, serum ADA levels substantially aid the diagnosis of scrub typhus. Ed:- please consider carefully

Sunmang' is a new rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) of F₁ hybrid with high yield and high quality for oil and meal. This hybrid was developed from the cross between Mokpo-CGMS (male sterile line) and 84055-B-10-3-1-6 (restore line) in 1996. It was a