Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes severe respiratory disease in humans, with a case fatality rate of approximately 35%, thus posing a considerable threat to public health. A lack of approved vaccines or antivirals currently constitutes a barrier for controlling disease outbreaks and spread. In this study, we generated a replication-defective recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus expressing the MERS-CoV spike (S) protein (VSV/MERS). Uncleaved and cleaved S proteins were detected in VSV/MERS by western blotting. And VSV/MERS specifically transduced cells expressing human dipeptidyl peptidase 4, a receptor for MERS-CoV. To investigate the immunogenicity of VSV/MERS, mice were immunized intramuscularly with VSV/MERS and alum adjuvant. MERS-CoV S-specific IgG was detected in serum samples from immunized mice. These antibodies inhibited MERS entry in vitro, suggesting a protective efficacy of VSV/MERS immunity. The data demonstrate that VSV/MERS has potent immunogenicity and could serve as a novel potential vaccine platform for MERS in dromedary camels and human.

This study was performed to estimate the seroprevalence of PRRSV in breeding farms in Jeju 2008 using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. The tested sera were randomly collected from a total of 1,947 sera from 9 breeding farms unvaccinated in Jeju. As a result, all breeding farms were seropositive for PRRSV. Seven hundred-eighty six of 1,947 sera (40.4%) were positive for PRRSV. Seropositve rate of PRRSV infection in 9 farms showed various levels: 1%, 8.9%, 9.1%, 43%, 46.9%, 48.2%, 51.6%, 60.9%, 85.5%, respectively. The results confirmed that PRRSV infection has been prevailing in breeding farms in Jeju. Also, these results must be taken into a consideration in strategy establishment for the control and eradication of PRRS.

The lung and lymph node samples were collected from 786 pig farms associated with wasting and respiratory syndrome during 2005～2009. All samples were tested for the detection of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and the differentiation of its genotype using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). 643 farms (81.8%) of the pig farms examined were positive for PRRSV, of which 57.2% accounted for PRRSV type 1 and 70.2% accounted for PRRSV type 2. Furthermore, 37.5% of the farms positive for PRRSV, showed the coexistence of two genotypes. The results indicate that the PRRSV infections of single genotype or two genotypes are very common in Korean pig farms.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus causes not only breeding disorder such as abortion, stillbirth and premature birth to pregnant sows but economic damage like high estrous return and low delivery rate. The presented study was conducted to confirm seroprevalence of PRRS in Jeju herds. PRRS positive rate was examined with pig serum from hog farms located in Jeju. Serum samples were extracted from the 11 of sow farms and 10 of hog farms, The groups were divided into 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 and older than 120 days of age and pregnant sows in hog farms. Anti-PRRSV antibody titers in sera were analyzed by ELISA. All the breeding farms and hog farms (10/10) showed PRRS positive except one breeding farm (1/11). Serological patterns determined by ELISA did not show any difference regardless of whether pigs were vaccinated or not. Nevertheless, the farms unvaccinated pigs displayed low productivity in terms of piglet loss rate and prolonged period of shipment. Therefore, vaccination against PRRSV appears to be a crucial factor in sanitary management of hog farms. Taken together, since PRRSV was spread widely in Jeju already, stabilization of sows by PRRS vaccination after adapting PRRSV free sow by all-in-all-out method in farms is recommended for the control strategy for PRRS.

To determine the characteristics of the Korean porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), CA, which was isolated from the serum of an infected pig in 2006, we investigated the nucleotide sequence and expression of the structural ORFs (ORFs 2 to 7) using the bApGOZA system. We found that the structural ORFs 2 to 7 of CA consisted of 3188 nucleotides that were the same as those formed from VR-2332. Comparison of the CA with the other strains revealed nucleotide sequence identity ranging from 89.8 to 99.5%. To better understand the genetic relationships between other strains, phylogenetic analyses were performed. The CA strain was closely related to the other North American genotype strains but formed a distinct branch with high bootstrap support. Additionally, expression levels of the PRRSV proteins in Sf21 cells were strong or partially weak. The results of this study have implications for both the taxonomy of PRRSV and vaccine development.

The porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has six structural proteins which encoded by ORFs 2 to 7 are designated as GP2, 3, 4, 5, M and N, repectively. In this study, we determined the expression of each protein using novel transfer vector, pBmKSK4 which has the polyhedrin promoter of BmNPV and 6xHis tag. The recombinant transfer vector was co-transfected into Bm5 cells along with bBpGOZA DNA. Recombinant virus was purified by plaque assay and amplified in Bm5 cells. Expression of each protein was identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis using anti-6xHis monoclonal antibody. The expression levels of the structural proteins in Bm5 cells were stronger than the expression system using pBacPAK9 transfer vector in Sf21 cells. As expected, GP5 was expressed at low levels from its structural properties and its toxicity for cells. In addition, each recombinant protein was purified using Ni-NTA spin columns. The ability to produce each protein in the baculovirus system indicates that these could be major candidates for the development of a vaccine against PRRSV.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of acute respiratory viral infection on Kawasaki disease. From July 2016 to June 2018, among the patients who underwent respiratory virus screening at the Kwangju Christian Hospital, those diag-nosed 88 patients with Kawasaki disease were enrolled in this study. The effects of acute respiratory viral infection on Ka-wasaki disease were compared according to whether 2nd intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment was administered or not, and whether coronary artery complications occurred. Respiratory virus was detected in 44 out of 88 patients. 2nd IVIG treatment rates were 16% (n=7) and 27% (n=12) in the virus positive group and the virus negative group, respectively (p>0.05). The incidence of coronary artery complications was 11% (n=5) and 25% (n=11) in the virus positive group and the virus negative group, respectively (p>0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation between the 2nd IVIG admin-istration and coronary artery complications following the detection of respiratory virus in patients with Kawasaki disease. We think it is necessary to actively study the effects of acute respiratory viral infection on Kawasaki disease through large-scale studies of multiple centers in the future.