• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.3
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• pp.232-238
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• 2015

Background: A relationship between low vitamin D levels and the development or outcomes of respiratory diseases has been identified. However, there is no data on the vitamin D status in patients with acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP). We evaluated the vitamin D status in patients with AEP among South Korean military personnel. Methods: We prospectively compared the serum levels of total 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], 25(OH)D3, and 25(OH)D2 among patients with AEP, pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Results: In total, 65 patients with respiratory diseases, including AEP (n=24), PTB (n=19), and CAP (n=22), were identified. Of the 24 patients with AEP, 2 (8%) had deficient total 25(OH)D levels (<10 ng/mL), 17 (71%) had insufficient total 25(OH)D levels (${\geq}10$ to <30 ng/mL), and only 5 (21%) had sufficient total 25(OH)D levels (${\geq}30$ to <100 ng/mL). The difference in the total 25(OH)D levels among patients with AEP, PTB, and CAP was not statistically significant (p=0.230). The median levels of total 25(OH)D, 25(OH)D3, and 25(OH)D2 were 22.84, 22.84, and 0.00 ng/mL, respectively, and no differences in the 25(OH)D level were present among patients with AEP, PTB, and CAP with the exception of the total 25(OH)D level between patients with AEP and PTB (p=0.042). Conclusion: We have shown that low vitamin D levels are frequently found in patients with AEP and are comparable with those in patients with PTB and CAP.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.68 no.2
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• pp.97-100
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• 2010

A 73-year-old man was admitted with a sudden onset of dyspnea. He had never smoked. The chest radiograph and computed tomography revealed bilateral ground glass opacity and an enlarging perihilar consolidation with lymphadenopathies. There was a higher percentage of eosinophils (72%) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) than normal. The patient was diagnosed with acute eosinophilic pneumonia and managed with steroid. Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) was diagnosed by an examination of the BALF, and the patient was treated with trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole. The patient tested positive to the HIV antibody and the peripheral blood CD-4 positive lymphocyte count was only $33/{\mu}L$. The percentage of eosinophils in the BALF can increase in some cases of PCP that is complicated with AIDS. Only a few cases of eosinophilic pneumonia associated with PCP pneumonia have been reported in patients with AIDS but there are no case reports in Korea. This case highlights the need to consider PCP when the percentage of eosinophils in the BALF is elevated.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.6
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• pp.556-559
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• 2009

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) is characterized by idiopathic acute febrile illness, diffuse pulmonary infiltration, severe hypoxemia, and pulmonary eosinophilia. We report a case of AEP associated with intramuscular administration of progesterone as luteal phase support after in vitro fertilization. A 33-year-old woman presented to our emergency room with tachypnea and hypoxemia, complaining of fever and cough for 4 days, and dyspnea for 2 days. The symptoms began 9 days after the first injection of progesterone. Chest radiograph showed bilateral infiltrates, located predominantly in the periphery of the lungs, with blunting of the costophrenic angle. Symptoms and chest radiograph dramatically improved after corticosteroid therapy and shifting the progesterone from an intramuscular form of administration to a vaginal form of administration.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.5
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• pp.479-483
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• 2006

Acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia (AFOP) is a histological pattern consisting of prominent intra-alveolar fibrin and organizing pneumonia, with out hyaline membranes or prominent eosinophilia. The clinical manifestations of AFOP resemble those of acute lung injury such as acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP). However, the classic histological patterns of AFOP differ from diffuse alveolar damage (DAD), bronchiolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia (BOOP) or acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP). The characteristic intra-alveolar fibrin ball and lack of classic hyaline membrane are the predominant histological features of AFOP. Although some reports suggest that its clinical course is less catastrophic than DAD, the clinical entity that distinguishes AFOP from DAD has not been established. We present a case of pathologically demonstrated AFOP in a 79-year-old man. The radiological findings of our case were similar to those of DAD, presented with diffuse bilateral lung infiltrations. However, despite the rapid development of respiratory failure, the patient had a better response and outcome to steroid therapy than what would be expected for DAD.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.71 no.5
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• pp.368-372
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• 2011

Acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia is a newly recognized pattern of acute lung injury. A 49-year-old female presented with a cough and worsening dyspnea on exertion. She had no history of smoking and no specific past medical history except exposure of home humidifier containing sterilizer. A chest computed tomography scan showed patchy consolidation with fibrosis in the right lower lobe and ill-defined centrilobular ground glass opacity in both lungs. The pathological findings were patchy areas of lung parenchyma with fibrin deposits in the alveolar ducts and alveoli, and fibrin balls with hemosiderin deposition in the alveolar spaces. The histological pattern of our case is differentiated from diffuse alveolar damage by the absence of hyaline membranes, and from eosinophilic pneumonia by the lack of eosinophils. In our case, the patient was treated with corticosteroid pulse therapy. However, the clinical course became aggravated and she died within two weeks.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.71 no.6
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• pp.459-463
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• 2011

Pulmonary complications occur in 40~60% of patients who receive hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and are a source of substantial morbidity and mortality. Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) is an uncommon, non-infectious pulmonary complication occurring in HSCT recipients. We now report the case of a 52-year-old man with AEP who was treated with allogenic HSCT due to acute myeloid leukemia. He complained of fever, cough and dyspnea 390 days after allogenic HSCT. He also had skin and hepatic graft versus host disease (GVHD). Hypoxemia, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates on a chest x-ray and eosinophilia in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were also noted in several tests. His symptoms, pulmonary infiltrates, hepatic dysfunction and skin lesions rapidly improved after treatment with corticosteroid therapy. Our case supports the idea that AEP is a late phase non-infectious pulmonary complication and one of the manifestations of chronic GVHD.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.65-74
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• 1999

Background : Open lung biopsy(OLB) has conventionally been regarded as the gold standard for the diagnosis in interstitial lung disease. With recent advances in diagnostic technique such as high resolution computed tomography(HRCT), and transbronchial lung biopsy(TBLB) which provide relatively accurate diagnosis of ILD, it is necessary to reevaluate the role of these methods in the diagnosis of ILD. Methods: We carried out a retrospective analysis of nineteen patients who underwent OLB at Dankook University Hospital for the diagnosis of acute and chronic ILD, between May 1995 and June 1998. By reviewing the medical records, the demographic findings, underlying conditions, HRCT and TBLB findings, OLB diagnosis, therapy after OLB, and complication of OLB were evaluated. Results: Thirteen patients(68.4%) had chronic ILD(symptom duration over 2 weeks prior to OLB), and six patients(31.6%) had acute ILD(symptom duration less than 2 weeks). Specific diagnosis were reached in 92%(12/13) of chronic ILD(5 bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia(BOOP), 2 constrictive bronchiolitis, 3 usual interstitial pneumonia, 1 hypersensitivity pneumonitis, 1 eosinophilic pneumonia), and in all patients of acute ILD(5 acute interstitial pneumonia, 1 pneumocystis carinii pneumonia). HRCT were performed in all patients and a correct first choice diagnosis rate of HRCT was 42%(5/12) in chronic ILD. In chronic ILD patients, 62%(8/13) received specific therapy(steroid therapy in 7 patients and moving in one patient), after OLB, but in acute ILD, all patients received specific therapy(steroid therapy in 5 patients and steroid and antibiotic therapy in one patient) after OLB. The in-hospital mortality after OLB was 5.3%(1/19). Conclusion: OLB is an excellent diagnostic technique with relatively low complications in patients with ILD. Therefore OLB should be considered in patients with ILD when the specific diagnosis is important for the treatment, especially in patients with acute ILD.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Pathology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 1998

A total of 5 animals including 3 raccoons, 1 badger, and 1 fennec fox kept in outdoor exhibits at the Everland Zoological Gardens showed depression, anorexia, dyspnea, serous oculonasal discharge, diarrhea, and convulsions. All the affected animals died within 10 days after the onset of clinical signs. This outbreak lasted about 4 months. On necropsy, major gross lesions were confined to the lungs. Red to grey sublobular to lobular consolidations with various sized tan to reddish spots were observed in the lungs. Histopathologically, the pulmonary lesions were characterized by acute to subacute bronchointerstitial pneumonia with secondary bacterial or adenoviral infections. Intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion bodies compatible with canine distemper virus (CDV) were found in the lung, urinary bladder, kidney, intrahepatic bile duct, stomach, small and large intestines. Multifocal areas of severe demyelination and accumulation of gitter cells or nonsuppurative inflammation were seen in the brains of 2 raccoons. CDV -specific antigens were demonstrated in the lung sections on immunofluorescent assay. The present report describes an outbreak of CDV infection in a zoo and indicates the range of susceptible zoo animal species.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.39-42
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• 2019

Tetanus is an acute, often fatal, and infectious disease of all species of domestic animals caused by the neurotoxin of Clostridium tetani (C. tetani). This disease is usually known to develop after microbial contamination in the deep or penetrating wound sites. In February 2017, a farmer who was raising 76 cows injected foot and mouth disease vaccine to three or more cows with one syringe. Their clinical symptoms were observed 2 to 16 days after the vaccination. The initial symptoms were stiffness, rigidity of the neck and limbs, pricked ears, and prolapse of the third eyelid. Subsequently, there was recumbency with extension of the limbs, convulsions and opistotonus and the affected 20 cows were all died. Two dead cows were submitted to Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency for disease diagnosis. At necropsy, a focal edematous abscess of 15 to 20 cm in diameter was grossly observed in the subcutaneous and intramuscular tissue of scapular region and filled with a large amount of greenish pus. The feed was full in oral cavity and slightly observed in the trachea and lobes of lung. Histopathologically, focal granulomatous nodules with eosinophilic materials in the tissue were observed. In the lung, aspiration pneumonia and gram (+) bacteria were seen. The C. tetani was isolated in samples anaerobically cultured using reinforced clostridial medium and identified by PCR. To our knowledge, no previous outbreak of tetanus in cattle has affected such a high number of animals; neither has it been associated with misuse of the same syringe and needle to administer multiple individuals.