• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.136-144
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• 2007

Purpose : Human bocavirus (HBoV) was recently identified world widely in clinical specimens from infants and children with respiratory tract illness, but the role of HBoV in respiratory tract illnesses is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and the clinical manifestation of HBoV in pediatric patients. Methods : We retrospectively investigated 1,777 throat swab obtained between 2005 and 2006 from pediatric in-patients with acute respiratory tract diseases at the Kwang-ju Christian Hospital. The medical records of patients with positive results were reviewed for demographic and clinical data of HBoV infections. Results : HBoV DNA was found in 84 (4.7%) of the 1,777 hospitalized children and the mean age was 19 months. The most common diagnosis were pneumonia (67.8%), bronchiolitis (35.7%). HBoV infections were found year-round, though most occurred in spring and winter months. Conclusion : HBoV is frequently found in hospitalized infants and children with acute respiratory tract diseases in Korea, but an association of HBoV with a distinct respiratory tract manifestation was not apparent. To clarify the clinical significance of HBoV, further evaluation of various age groups and clinical groups is needed.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.193-200
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• 2002

Purpose : This study was performed to investigate the epidemiology of viral acute lower respiratory tract infection(ALRI) in two different areas of Korea. Methods : A total of 796 patients hospitalized for ALRI aged 15 years or less from June 2000 to June 2001 in Samsung Seoul hospital(SSH) and Masan Fatima hospital(MFH) were enrolled. Viral etiologies were confirmed using nasopharyngeal aspirates. We compared etiologic agents, age distribution, clinical manifestations, and seasonal occurrence of viral ALRI between the two hospitals. Results : Virus was isolated in 208 patients(26.1%). The proportion of patients aged under 2 years in SSH was 60.2%, while those in MFH was 90.0%(P<0.05). Respiratory syncytial virus(RSV) was more prevalent in MFH, but adenovirus, influenza virus and parainfluenza virus were more prevalent in SSH(P<0.05). Croup and bronchiolitis occurred more frequently in MFH than in SSH(P<0.05). The most frequent viral pathogens causing bronchiolitis and croup were RSV and parainfluenza virus, respectively, in both hospitals. Adenovirus was the main cause of pneumonia in SSH, in contrast to RSV in MFH. In terms of tracheobronchitis, adenovirus was detected most frequently in SSH, whereas influenza virus-type A was mainly isolated in MFH. Similar pattern of seasonal occurrences of RSV, parainfluenza virus and influenza virus-type A was noted in both hospitals. Adenovirus was isolated sporadically throughout the study periods. Conclusion : Seasonal occurrence and clinical syndromes according to viral pathogens showed similar pattern in two areas. However, distribution of offending viruses was different, although this is mainly related to the different age distribution. An annual nationwide surveillance is necessary to understand the viral epidemiology associated with respiratory illnesses in Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 1996

In situ hybridization was performed to detect rat heumocwstis ca4nii in the lung sections. Rats were immunosuppressed by weekly subcutaneous injection of 10 mg/kg methylprednisolone. On the 6th, 8th and 9th week of immunosuppression, the lungs were removed and fled in 10% neutral formalin. A 22 base oligonucleotide probe complementary to p. carinii 5S ribosomal RMh was commercially synhesized and its 3' terminal was labeled wiH biotin. In situ hybridization was performed utilizing manual capillary action technolog)r on the Microprobe system. p. cnrinii were detected along the luminal surface of alveolar pneumocytes, in exudate of alveolar cavities, and also in secretory material of bronchioles. In the 6th week group, positive reaction was observed focally in the peripheral region of the lung sections, but the reaction was observed diffusely in the 8th or 9th week groups. In comparison with Grocott's methenamine silver stain, in situ hybridization technique can detect the organism rapidly, and can detect trophic forms very well. Furthermore, no nonspecific reaction with other pathogenic fungi and protozoa was recognized. Therefore, in situ hybridization can be a good technique to detect p. carinii in the lungs of infected rats.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.62-72
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• 2023

Purpose: A change is expected in the pattern of respiratory viruses including human coronavirus (HCoV) after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Accordingly, identifying the distribution of respiratory viruses before the COVID-19 outbreak is necessary. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the results of samples of nasal swabs collected from children under aged ≤18 years who were hospitalized at Myongji Hospital, Gyeonggi-do due to acute respiratory infections from 2017 to 2019. Viruses were detected by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Out of 3,557 total patients, 3,686 viruses were detected with RT-PCR including coinfections. Of the 3,557 patients, 2,797 (78.6%) were confirmed as PCR-positive. Adenovirus and human rhinovirus (hRV) were detected throughout the year, and human enterovirus was most detected during summer. Respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus, and HCoV were prevalent in winter. In patients with croup, parainfluenza virus was most frequently detected, followed by hRV and HCoV. The PCR positive rate in summer and winter differed significantly. Conclusions: Respiratory virus patterns in northwestern Gyeonggi-do were not much different from previously reported data. The data reported herein regarding respiratory virus epidemiological information before the COVID-19 outbreak can be used for use in comparative studies of respiratory virus patterns after the COVID-19 outbreak.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.8
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• pp.781-784
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• 2007

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a common accident in young children. Undiagnosed and retained foreign bodies may result in severe early and late complications such as asphyxia, pneumonia, atelectasis and bronchiectasis. Moreover, because it can mimic bronchiolitis, croup or asthma, an accurate history and a high index of suspicion are of paramount importance for early diagnosis. With our experience on bronchial FBA initially misdiagnosed as acute bronchiolitis, we emphasize that a minute radiological finding should not be neglected and a repeat chest radiograph may be helpful when the initial study shows normal findings. Multidetector computed tomography is a very useful noninvasive diagnostic modality for FBA.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Pathology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.157-160
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• 1997

Two 2 and 7 months-old holstin and one 3 months-old native Korean calf suffering from respiratory illness were submitted to the National Veterinary Research Institute for euthanasia and pathologic examination. At necropsy diffuse lobar pneumonia was present in apical cardiac and diaphragmatic lobes in all calves. Microscopically acute multifocal bronchiolitis and interstitial syncytial cell formation were frequently observed. in addition occlusion of bronchiolar lumen due to cellular proliferation and fibrosis accompanied by interlobular septal emphysema were also present. Immunohistochemically bovine respiratory syncytial virus antigen were positively identified in lung lesions including bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium alveolar macrophages and lymphocytes.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.129-137
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• 2008

Purpose : Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) was recently discovered in children with respiratory tract infection. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and the clinical manifestation of hMPV infection in Korean children. Methods : From January to December, 2005, we collected throat swabs from 1,098 children who were hospitalized for acute respiratory illness at the Department of Pediatrics, Kwang-Ju Christian Hospital. hMPV was detected by performing reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The medical records of the patients with positive results were retrospectively reviewed. Results : We detected hMPV in 25 (2.2%) of the 1,098 hospitalized children. The mean age of the hMPV infected children was 2.3 years, and 84% of the illnesses occurred between April and June. The most common diagnoses were pneumonia (60%) and bronchiolitis (20 %). The clinical manifestations included cough, fever, coryza, rale, wheezing and injected throats. Peribronchial infiltration and consolidation were the common chest X-ray findings. Four (16%) of 25 patients with hMPV infection had exacerbation of asthma. Coinfection with other respiratory viruses was found in six children (24%). Conclusion : hMPV is the cause of an important proportion of acute respiratory tract infection in Korean children. Additional studies are required to define the epidemiology and the extent of disease caused by hMPV and to determine future development of this illness in Korean children.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.156-164
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• 2018

Purpose: We aimed to identify the epidemiology and the clinical characteristics of human parainfluenza virus type 4 (HPIV-4) infection compared to HPIVs 1-3 infections in Korean children. Methods: We reviewed medical records of children with HPIV infection who visited Seoul National University Children's Hospital from 2015 to 2017. Detection of respiratory viruses was performed using real time-polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR), which could differentiate HPIVs 1-4. Diagnosis was classified as a febrile illness, upper respiratory tract infection (URI), croup, bronchiolitis, or pneumonia. The epidemiology, demographic features, and clinical characteristics among HPIV types were compared. The clinical data were analyzed only for the previously healthy children. Results: Of the 472 children diagnosed with HPIV infection, 108 (22.9%) were previously healthy: 24 (22.2%), 19 (17.6%), 39 (36.1%), and 26 (24.1%) in HPIV types 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The median age of children with HPIV-4 infection was 11 (0-195) months: the proportion of children aged < 2 years and 2 to < 5 years were 65.4% and 19.2%, respectively. Clinical diagnoses of HPIV-4 infection were bronchiolitis (38.5%), pneumonia (30.8%), and URI (30.8%). Croup was the most prevalent in HPIV-2 (21.1%) and none in HPIV-4 infection (P=0.026). Hospital admission rates among HPIV types were not significantly different (P>0.05). Conclusions: We observed seasonal peak of HPIV-4 infection in 2015 and 2017. HPIV-4 was a common respiratory pathogen causing lower respiratory tract infection in hospitalized children.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.331-336
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• 2007

Background: Although pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a respiratory disease, the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) DNA or Mtb itself has been reported in the peripheral blood (PB) of several patients with pulmonary TB. Additionally, it was recently announced that active pulmonary TB patients donated PB, and that this blood was then transfused to other individuals in Korea. Methods: Sixty-nine patients with bacteriologically-confirmed pulmonary TB (35), non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease (6), and other lung diseases (28) were enrolled in this study, which was conducted to determine if Mtb DNA could be detected in the PB by PCR. In addition, 10 pulmonary TB patients with high-burden bacilli were also enrolled in this study for the culture of Mtb in PB. Results: PCR detected the presence of Mtb in 22.8% (8/35) of the pulmonary TB patients, in 16.7% (1/6) of the patients with NTM lung disease, and in none of the patients with other diseases (0%). In addition, no Mtb was cultured from the PB of the 10 pulmonary TB patients. Conclusion: Although Mtb DNA was detected in the PB of some patients with pulmonary TB, viable Mtb was not isolated from the PB of those patients, which indicates that patients that viable Mth may not be transmitted via trasfusion of blood of pulmonary TB patients.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.102-113
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• 2003

Purpose : Acute respiratory tract infections are the most common illnesses in children. The great majority of these infections involving lower respiratory tracts infections(LRTI) are caused by respiratory viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus(RSV), parainfluenza virus (PIV), influenza virus(INF), adenovirus(ADV), etc. Our purpose of this study was to examine the seasonal occurrence, clinical and laboratory features of each viral infections. Methods : Nasopharyngeal aspirates(NPA) were collected from 913 hospitalized children on the first day of admission. They were all admitted to Hangang Sacred Heart hospital and diagnosed as LRTIs. The study period was from September 1998 to August 2002. Specimens were inoculated onto HEp-2 cell, LLC-MK2 cell and MDCK cell. Viruses were detected by immunofluorescent method performed at day 10 postinoculation. Respiratory viruses were detected in 251(27%) cases. Medical records of 208 cases diagnosed as acute LRTIs were all taken reviewed and analyzed. Results : The identified pathogens were RSV 122 cases(58%), PIV 30 cases(14%), INFA 20 cases(10%), INFB 21 cases(11%) and ADV 15 cases(7%) during the study period. Outbreaks of RSV infections occurred every year but mostly on December, 1998 and November, 1999. LRTIs by PIV and ADV occurred during all seasons of the year. INFA was isolated moslty on March, 1999 and January, 2000. INFB infections occurred largely on April, 2002. The clinical diagnoses were bronchiolitis 88 cases(43%), pneumonia 87 cases(42%), croup 19 cases(9%) and tracheobronchitis 14 cases(6%). Common symptoms and signs were cough, rhinorrhea, sputum and fever. WBC counts in peripheral blood showed normal findings in 123 cases(59%). Each viral infections also showed some differences in auscultatory findings and chest X-ray findings. Conclusion : We learned that viruses are one of the major and important etiologic agents of acute LRTIs of children in Korea. However, we still need to find out more about its characteristic clinical features and continue studying on their seasonal occurrence to focus on their management and also prevention.