Researcher Son Jun-hyung, Disease Control Division, Gyeongsangbuk-do Animal Hygiene Test Station

A research paper by Researcher Son Jun-hyung of the Disease Control Division at the Gyeongsangbuk-do Animal Hygiene Test Station has been published in the latest issue of Animals, a top-tier SCI(E)-class international academic journal.

Animals is a prestigious international journal ranked in the Q1 tier—the highest level—representing the top 15% in both the veterinary science and dairy/animal science categories based on the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) index, which measures a journal's impact factor (JIF). The Animal Hygiene Test Station published the results of this research, which was conducted in collaboration with a research team led by Professor Seo Min-gu from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kyungpook National University.

The published paper contains research achievements aimed at identifying the genetic relatedness of pathogens through continuous monitoring of farms experiencing outbreaks of Q fever—a zoonotic disease currently posing problems in both humans and animals—and reducing farm damages through the active administration of therapeutic drugs.

Researcher Son Jun-hyung stated, "The significance of this research being recognized by an international journal lies in the fact that we discovered that Q fever outbreaks in Gyeongsangbuk-do goat farms are very similar to the MST777 genotype reported in collective infection cases overseas, such as in France, unlike previous domestic Q fever outbreaks. We treated the disease through intensive administration of Oxytetracycline and repeated testing, highlighting the importance of continuous farm management."

Kwon Oh-sung, head of the Gyeongsangbuk-do Animal Hygiene Test Station, remarked, "Amid the recent increase in Q fever outbreak cases, these results represent a practical research achievement that provides basic data for the development of new disease diagnostic kits and confirms effective disease management methods through drugs. Moving forward, we will continue our test and research projects to minimize livestock disease damage so that farmers can stably operate their animal husbandry businesses."