title: Serological surveillance studies confirm the Rift Valley fever virus free status in South Korea.
abstract: Rift Valley fever is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease of domestic ruminants. This disease causes abortions in pregnant animals, and it has a high mortality rate in newborn animals. Recently, a Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) outbreak in the Arabian Peninsula increased its potential spread to new regions worldwide. In non-endemic or disease-free countries, early detection and surveillance are important for preventing the introduction of RVFV. In this study, a serological surveillance was conducted to detect antibodies against RVFV. A total of 2382 serum samples from goats and cattle were randomly collected from nine areas in South Korea from 2011 to 2013. These samples were tested for antibodies against RVFV, using commercial ELISA kits. None of the goats and cattle were positive for antibodies against RVFV. This finding suggests that this disease is not present in South Korea, and furthermore presents the evidence of the RVFV-free status of this country.
authors.affiliation: Foreign Animal Disease Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyang-ro, Anyang, 430-757, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Foreign Animal Disease Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyang-ro, Anyang, 430-757, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jee-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Foreign Animal Disease Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyang-ro, Anyang, 430-757, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hye-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Jeoung
authors.affiliation: Incheon National University, Incheon, 406-772, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: Foreign Animal Disease Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyang-ro, Anyang, 430-757, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yun-Sang
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Foreign Animal Disease Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyang-ro, Anyang, 430-757, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong-Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Foreign Animal Disease Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyang-ro, Anyang, 430-757, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Youn
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Foreign Animal Disease Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyang-ro, Anyang, 430-757, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: In-Soo
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Republic of Korea. yoohs@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Han-Sang
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Yoo
mesh_terms: D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002417:Cattle; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012295:Rift Valley Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012296:Rift Valley fever virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral
keywords: ELISA; Rift Valley fever; South Korea; Surveillance