• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.182-186
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• 2008

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that affects the large bowel. Its etiology remains controversial. However, an infectious or immunologic origin is considered the primary cause. The onset of UC is typically slow and insidious, but some patients may present acutely with symptoms mimicking infectious colitis. We report a case of ulcerative colitis mimicking acute hemorrhagic colitis at initial presentation. A 60-year-old man was referred to Yeungnam University Hospital for bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain. Sigmoidoscopy revealed mildly edematous mucosa in the rectum and hyperemic mucosa with petechiae in the sigmoid colon. The patient was treated with antibiotics for several days, and his symptoms improved. However, after one month, his bloody diarrhea relapsed. Follow-up sigmoidoscopy revealed mucosal friability in the rectum and sigmoid colon. He was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and his symptoms were improved with mesalazine and a steroid enema.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.117-124
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• 2005

Before twentieth centuries and during early twentieth centuries, communicable diseases were the major cause of morbidity and mortality in Korea. But reliable data are not available. After 1975, the overall morbidity and mortality from communicable diseases, rapidly declined. Recently many new pathogenic microbes were recognized: L. monocytogenes, Hantaan virus, Y. pseudotuberculosis, P. multocida, L. pneumophilia, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), G. seoi, H. capsulatum, C. burnetii, V. cholerae O139, C. parvum, F. tularensis, E. coli O157:H7, B. burgdorferi, S. Typhimurium DT104, Rotavirus, hepatitis C virus and so on. Since the first HIV infection recognized in 1985, the reported cases of infection and deaths from HIV/AIDS have been steady increased each year. Legionnaire's disease, E. coli O157:H7 colitis, listeriosis and crytosporidiasis have been occurring just sporadically among immunocompromized cases. Many re-emerging communicable diseases were occurred in Korea: leptospirosis, malaria, endemic typhus, cholera, tsutsugamushi disease, salmonellosis, hepatitis A, shigellosis, mumps, measles, acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, brucellosis and so on. Leptospirosis and tsutsugamushi diseases have been noticed as major public health problems since 1980s. The malaria that had been virtually disappeared for a decade has reappeared from 1993 with striking increase of patients in recent 3-4 years. The distributions of salmonella and shigella serotypes have been changed a lot in recent few decades. Furthermore rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains induces more difficult and complex problems in control of communicable diseases. We must recognize on the importance of environment and ecosystem conservation and careful prescription of anti-microbial agent in order to prevent communicable diseases.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제33권5호
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• pp.559-573
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• 2023

Shiga toxin (Stxs)-producing enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1 are major causative agents of severe bloody diarrhea (known as hemorrhagic colitis) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) associated with extraintestinal complications such as acute renal failure and neurologic impairment in infected patients under 9 years of age. Extreme nephrotoxicity of Stxs in HUS patients is associated with severe outcomes, highlighting the need to develop technologies to detect low levels of the toxin in environmental or food samples. Currently, the conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or immunoassay is the most broadly used assay to detect the toxin. However, these assays are laborious, time-consuming, and costly. More recently, numerous studies have described novel, highly sensitive, and portable methods for detecting Stxs from EHEC. To contextualize newly emerging Stxs detection methods, we briefly explain the basic principles of these methods, including lateral flow assays, optical detection, and electrical detection. We subsequently describe existing and newly emerging rapid detection technologies to identify and measure Stxs.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제50권10호
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• pp.931-937
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• 2007

The hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a rare disease of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, low platelet count and renal impairment. HUS usually occurs in young children after hemorrhagic colitis by shigatoxin-producing enterohemorrhagic E. coli (D+HUS). HUS is the most common cause of acute renal failure in infants and young children, and is a substantial cause of acute mortality and morbidity; however, renal function recovers in most of them. About 10% of children with HUS do not reveal preceding diarrheal illness, and is referred to as D- HUS or atypical HUS. Atypical HUS comprises a heterogeneous group of thrombomicroangiopathy (TMA) triggered by non-enteric infection, virus, drug, malignancies, transplantation, and other underlying medical condition. Emerging data indicate dysregulation of alternative complement pathway in atypical HUS, and genetic analyses have identified mutations of several regulatory genes; i.e. the fluid phase complement regulator Factor H (CFH), the integral membrane regulator membrane cofactor protein (MCP; CD46) and the serine protease Factor I (IF). The uncontrolled activation of the complement alternative pathway results in the excessive consumption of C3. Plasma exchange or plasma infusion is recommended for treatment of, and has dropped the mortality rate. However, overall prognosis is poor, and many patients succumb to end-stage renal disease. Clinical presentations, response to plasma therapy, and outcome after renal transplantation are influenced by the genotype of the complement regulators. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), another type of TMA, occurs mainly in adults as an acquired disease accompanied by fever, neurologic deficits and renal abnormalities. However, less frequent cases of congenital or hereditary TTP associated with ADAMTS-13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease, with thrombospondin 1-like domains 13) gene mutations have been reported, also. Recent advances in molecular genetics better allow various HUS to be distinguished on the basis of their pathogenesis. The genetic analysis of HUS is important in defining the underlying etiology, predicting the genotype-related outcome and optimizing the management of the patients.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.183-192
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• 2006

목 적: HS 자반증 환아에서 선행 질환, 위장관 증상 유무, 그리고 검사 소견의 차이에 따른 임상 경과의 차이가 있는지를 알아보고자 본 연구를 시행하였다. 방 법: 1996년 1월부터 2006년 4월까지 한양대학교병원 소아과에 입원하였던 HS 자반증 환아 중 피부 증상 외 다른 증상 없이 위장관 증상을 호소하는 환아와 위장관 증상을 호소하지 않은 환아 104명을 대상으로 급성 감염 병력, 입원 기간, 치료, 재발 여부를 조사하였고, 말초 혈액 검사, 대변 잠혈 반응 검사, 복부 초음파 검사, 위장관 내시경 검사를 시행하여 그 결과를 비교 관찰하였다. 결 과: HS 자반증 환아 104명 중 위장관 증상이 있는 환아는 66명(63.5%)이었고, 위장관 증상이 없는 환아는 38명(36.5%)이었다. 위장관 증상 유무에 관계없이 6~10세 연령군이 가장 많았고, 위장관 증상이 있는 군에서는 남아가 더 많았으나 위장관 증상이 없는 군에서는 성별 차이가 없었다. 위장관 증상으로는 복통 57명(54.8%), 구토 21명(20.2%), 혈변 5명(4.8%), 설사 3명(2.9%), 오심 3명(2.9%)으로 복통이 가장 많았다. 또한 위장관 증상이 하나인 경우가 46명(44.2%)이었고, 2개 이상을 동반하는 경우가 20명(19.2%)이었다. 위장관 증상이 많은 환아와 위장관 내시경 검사를 시행한 군에서 입원 기간이 길었으며, 스테로이드 치료 시행 예와 질병의 재발이 더 많았고, 대변 잠혈 반응 검사에서 통계학적으로 의의가 있었다(p<0.05). 재발 환자와 재발하지 않은 환자와의 비교에서는 통계학적 의의가 관찰되지 않았다. 87명에서 복부 초음파 검사를 시행하였고, 6명(6.9%)에서 소장벽이 두꺼워진 소견이 관찰되었다. 위장관 내시경 검사상 병변의 양상에 따른 빈도는 급성 출혈성 위염과 급성 출혈성 십이지장염 6명(40.0%), 십이지장 궤양 3명(20.0%), 급성 출혈성 위염과 십이지장 궤양 3명(20.0%), 십이지장염과 출혈성 대장염 2명(13.3%), 출혈성 대장염 1명(6.7%) 순으로 관찰되었고, 급성 출혈성 위염과 급성 출혈성 십이지장염이 동반된 경우가 가장 많았다. 치료는 30명(28.8%)에서 시행되었고, 재발은 6명(5.7%)에서 관찰되었으나 모두 1회였고, 추적 관찰이 되지 않은 3명을 제외하고는 치료한 환아와 치료하지 않은 환아 모두 증상이 호전됨을 알 수 있었다. 결 론: HS 자반증 환아에서 적극적인 위장관 점막병변에 대한 검토가 잘 이루어질 경우 환아의 진단과 치료에 도움이 될 것이라 생각된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제57권2호
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• pp.96-99
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• 2014

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is one of the most common causes of acute renal failure in childhood and is primarily diagnosed in up to 4.5% of children who undergo chronic renal replacement therapy. Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7 is the predominant bacterial strain identified in patients with HUS; more than 100 types of Shiga toxin-producing enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) subtypes have also been isolated. The typical HUS manifestations are microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and renal insufficiency. In typical HUS cases, more serious EHEC manifestations include severe hemorrhagic colitis, bowel necrosis and perforation, rectal prolapse, peritonitis, and intussusceptions. Colonic perforation, which has an incidence of 1%-2%, can be a fatal complication. In this study, we report a typical Shiga toxin-associated HUS case complicated by small intestinal perforation with refractory peritonitis that was possibly because of ischemic enteritis. Although the degree of renal damage is the main concern in HUS, extrarenal complications should also be considered in severe cases, as presented in our case.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제28권9호
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• pp.1413-1425
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• 2018

Shiga toxins (Stxs) are the main virulence factors expressed by the pathogenic Stx-producing bacteria, namely, Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1 and certain Escherichia coli strains. These bacteria cause widespread outbreaks of bloody diarrhea (hemorrhagic colitis) that in severe cases can progress to life-threatening systemic complications, including hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) characterized by the acute onset of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and kidney dysfunction. Shiga toxicosis has a distinct pathogenesis and animal models of Stx-associated HUS have allowed us to investigate this. Since these models will also be useful for developing effective countermeasures to Stx-associated HUS, it is important to have clinically relevant animal models of this disease. Multiple studies over the last few decades have shown that mice injected with purified Stxs develop some of the pathophysiological features seen in HUS patients infected with the Stx-producing bacteria. These features are also efficiently recapitulated in a non-human primate model (baboons). In addition, rats, calves, chicks, piglets, and rabbits have been used as models to study symptoms of HUS that are characteristic of each animal. These models have been very useful for testing hypotheses about how Stx induces HUS and its neurological sequelae. In this review, we describe in detail the current knowledge about the most well-studied in vivo models of Stx-induced HUS; namely, those in mice, piglets, non-human primates, and rabbits. The aim of this review is to show how each human clinical outcome-mimicking animal model can serve as an experimental tool to promote our understanding of Stx-induced pathogenesis.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.176-182
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• 2006

목 적: 급성 복통을 주소로 내원한 소아 환아에서 위장관 내시경검사상 위장관 점막 병변을 조사하고 위장관 내시경 검사의 유용성을 알고자 본 연구를 시행하였다. 방 법: 1995년 1월부터 2004년 5월까지 한양대학 병원에 급성복통을 주소로 내원하여 진료받은 환아들 중 내시경 검사를 받은 위장관 점막 고유의 질환으로 간주된 환아31명을 후향적으로 조사하여 성별 및 나이의 분포, 복통의 기간, 동반증상, 복통의 부위, 위장관 내시경 검사상 점막 병변의 종류, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) 양성 환아의 유무 및 양성 환아들의 복통의 특성 등에 관해 조사하였다. 결 과: 남아가 16명, 여아가 15명이었으며 6~10세 환아가 15명으로 가장 많았고 그 다음이 11~15세 환아였다. 복통의 기간은 1주 이하가 23명으로 가장 많았다. 동반된 증상은 구토(15예), 설사(4예), 혈변(2예), 발열(2예) 등이었다. 위장관 내시경 검사 소견으로는 급성 출혈성 위염(6명), 결정성 위염(5명), 십이지장 궤양(4명), 위궤양(3명), 역류성 식도염(3예), 결절성 십이지장염(2예), 표재성 위염(2명), 궤양성 대장염(2명), 미란성 십이지장염(2명), 식도용종(1명), 십이지장위역류(1명) 등이었다. 10명의 환아가에서 H. pylori가 양성이었다. H. pylori가 음성인 환아들과 비교하여 복통의 기간, 환아의 연령, 성별의 차이는 있었으나 통계학적 의의는 없었고 H. pylori 양성 환아 모두에서 복통의 위치가 심와부라는 것에 대해서는 통계학적 의의가 있었다. 위장관 내시경 검사를 받고 위장관 점막 질환에 대한 치료를 받은 환아들 전체에서 증상의 호전이 관찰되었다. 결 론: 급성 복통은 원인이 다양하다. 급성 복통에서 점막 병변의 조기진단을 위해 위장관 내시경 검사가 우선적 검사로서 중요하며, 급성 복통 시에도 H. pylori 위장관 감염에 대해서 관심을 가지는 것이 감별진단에 도움이 된다.