• Title/Summary/Keyword: Disease surveillance system

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Community-acquired Legionnaires' Disease in a Newly Constructed Apartment Building

  • Ryu, Sukhyun;Yang, Kyungho;Chun, Byung Chul
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.50 no.4
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    • pp.274-277
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    • 2017
  • Objectives: Legionnaires' disease (LD) is a severe type of pneumonia caused by inhalation of aerosols contaminated with Legionella. On September 22, 2016, a single case of LD was reported from a newly built apartment building in Gyeonggi province. This article describes an epidemiologic investigation of LD and identification of the possible source of infection. Methods: To identify the source of LD, we interviewed the patient's husband using a questionnaire based on the Legionella management guidelines from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Water samples from the site were collected and analyzed. An epidemiological investigation of the residents and visitors in the apartment building was conducted for 14 days before the index patient's symptoms first appeared to 14 days after the implementation of environmental control measures. Results: Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 was isolated from the heated-water samples from the patient's residence and the basement of the apartment complex. Thirty-two suspected cases were reported from the apartment building during the surveillance period, yet all were confirmed negative based on urinary antigen tests. Conclusions: The likely source of infection was the building's potable water, particularly heated water. Further study of effective monitoring systems in heated potable water should be considered.

Study on elements for effective infection control at dental hospitals (효과적인 치과병원 감염관리의 구성요소에 대한 고찰)

  • Bae, Sung-Suk;Lee, Myung-Sun
    • Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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    • v.11 no.4
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    • pp.557-569
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    • 2011
  • Objectives : Based on the system and control activity for the monitoring system made of components for infection control at dental hospitals and infection rate reporting, and the role of trained infection control staff, this study tried to understand approaches to the effective infection control program by surveying infection control at dental hospitals in Korea. Methods : The survey was conducted from December 14,2010 to January 31,2011 for 121 dental hospitals in Korea. For statistical analysis, PASW Statistic 18 was used. Results : And following conclusions were reached. 1. As for the infection control system at dental hospitals, 54.7% has an infection control committee, 58.7% infection control staff, 78.5% infection control rules, and 39.7% annual infection control plan and record. 2. As for surveillance indexes to report infection rates, 50.4% has the reporting system for staff's exposure to infectious disease and needle pricking. The average number of exposures to infectious disease was $0.28{\pm}2.23$ and that of needle pricking was $1.83{\pm}5.39$. 3. As for infection control indexes, it was reviewed whether infection control rules were implemented according to operation agents, general hospitals were more active in staff infection control, and hospitals annexed to a dental university or special legal entity were more active in microorganism control. As for use of personal protection gear, there was no significant difference among operation agents. More than 71% of operators and their assistants said they did not replace their masks between patients. 4. As for personnel indexes for effective infection control staff, most hospitals designated dental hygienists, which was followed by dental doctors (or doctors). Where their workload was reviewed, the ratio of other work such as treatment was relatively higher than that of infection control (n=71). Conclusions : These results show dental hospitals in Korea have a certain level of infection control system. As infection indexes are managed mainly for staff members, patient monitoring is needed, and trained and effective infection control staff should be designated. This study reviewed surveillance, infection control and personnel indexes. And further studies are needed in the future.

The Health and Occupation Research Network: An Evolving Surveillance System

  • Carder, Melanie;Hussey, Louise;Money, Annemarie;Gittins, Matthew;McNamee, Roseanne;Stocks, Susan Jill;Sen, Dil;Agius, Raymond M.
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.8 no.3
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    • pp.231-236
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    • 2017
  • Vital to the prevention of work-related ill-health (WRIH) is the availability of good quality data regarding WRIH burden and risks. Physician-based surveillance systems such as The Health and Occupation Research (THOR) network in the UK are often established in response to limitations of statutory, compensation-based systems for addressing certain epidemiological aspects of disease surveillance. However, to fulfil their purpose, THOR and others need to have methodologic rigor in capturing and ascertaining cases. This article describes how data collected by THOR and analogous systems can inform WRIH incidence, trends, and other determinants. An overview of the different strands of THOR research is provided, including methodologic advancements facilitated by increased data quantity/quality over time and the value of the research outputs for informing Government and other policy makers. In doing so, the utility of data collected by systems such as THOR to address a wide range of research questions, both in relation to WRIH and to wider issues of public and social health, is demonstrated.

Tuberculosis Surveillance and Monitoring under the National Public-Private Mix Tuberculosis Control Project in South Korea 2016-2017

  • Min, Jinsoo;Kim, Hyung Woo;Ko, Yousang;Oh, Jee Youn;Kang, Ji Young;Lee, Joosun;Park, Young Joon;Lee, Sung-Soon;Park, Jae Seuk;Kim, Ju Sang
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.83 no.3
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    • pp.218-227
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    • 2020
  • Background: The national Public-Private Mix (PPM) tuberculosis (TB) control project provides for the comprehensive management of TB patients at private hospitals in South Korea. Surveillance and monitoring of TB under the PPM project are essential toward achieving TB elimination goals. Methods: TB is a nationally notifiable disease in South Korea and is monitored using the surveillance system. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quarterly generates monitoring indicators for TB management, used to evaluate activities of the PPM hospitals by the central steering committee of the national PPM TB control project. Based on the notification date, TB patients at PPM hospitals were enrolled in each quarter, forming a cohort, and followed up for at least 12 months to identify treatment outcomes. This report analyzed the dataset of cohorts the first quarter of 2016 through the fourth quarter of 2017. Results: The coverage of sputum, smear, and culture tests among the pulmonary TB cases were 92.8% and 91.5%, respectively. The percentage of positive sputum smear and culture test results were 30.7% and 61.5%, respectively. The coverage of drug susceptibility tests among the culture-confirmed cases was 92.8%. The treatment success rate among the smear-positive drug-susceptible cases was 83.2%. The coverage of latent TB infection treatment among the childhood TB contacts was significantly higher than that among the adult contacts (85.6% vs. 56.0%, p=0.001). Conclusion: This is the first official report to analyze monitoring indicators, describing the current status of the national PPM TB control project. To sustain its effect, strengthening the monitoring and evaluation systems is essential.

Enterovirus 71 infection: An experience in Korea, 2009

  • Kim, Kyung-Hyo
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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    • v.53 no.5
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    • pp.616-622
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    • 2010
  • Enterovirus 71 (EV71) has been recognized as a frequent cause of epidemics of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) associated with severe neurological symptoms. In the spring of 2009, HFMD was epidemic in Korea. Severe cases with complication, including death, have been reported and it has become a public health issue. Most symptomatic EV71 infections commonly result in HFMD or herpangina. These clinical manifestations can be associated with neurologic syndromes frequently. Neurologic syndromes observed in EV71 include meningitis, meningoencephalomyelitis, poliomyelitis-like paralytic disease, Guillain-Barr$\acute{e}$ syndrome, transverse myelitis, cerebellar ataxia, opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome, benign intracranial hypertension, and brainstem encephalitis. Examinations for EV 71 were performed from the stools, respiratory secretion or CSF of the children by realtime PCR. Gene analysis showed that most of them were caused by EV71 subgenotype C4a which was prevalent in China, 2008. Public health measures including personal and environmental hygiene, must to target daycare centers, kindergartens, and schools where highly susceptible children congregate. To prevent the spread of infection, preschools where transmission persists for more than 2 incubation periods, have been recommended for closure, and trigger criteria for voluntary closure was instituted. During closure, operators are to thoroughly clean the centers before they are allowed to reopen. In addition, parents are advised to ensure that their children adopt a high standard of personal hygiene and to keep the infected child at home until full recovery. Because the outbreaks occur in a cyclical pattern, surveillance system to predict next outbreaks and adequate public health measures to control need to be planned for future. Control of EV71 epidemics through surveillance and public health intervention needs to be maintained in Korea. Future research should focus on understanding of EV71 virulence, identification of the receptor(s) for EV71, development of antiviral agents and development of vaccine.

Youth Risk Behavior Survey of Middle School Students in Daegu Metropolitan City (대구시 일부지역 중학생들의 건강관련 위험행동과 관련요인조사)

  • 이중정;이충원
    • Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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    • v.19 no.3
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    • pp.51-72
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    • 2002
  • This research was conducted to understand and analyze the health-related behaviors of middle school students and get fundamental research data essential to provide efficient student guidance and public health service at school. The interview using Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System(YRBSS). Translation and modification for Korean students of the YRBS. The Korean version of YRBS(Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System) that translation and modification for Korean students of the YRBS developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)was used to assessment to health-related behaviors of youth. The interviewees were 1040 enrolled students at middle school in Daegu metropolitan city. YRBSS monitors six categories of priority health behaviors among youth and young adults behaviors that contribute to unintentional and intentional injuries; tobacco use; alcohol and other drug use, sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases(STDs)(including human immunodeficiency virus infection); unhealthy dietary behaviors; and physical activity. The result shows that over 30% of students rarely or never used safety belt and almost students were rarely or never wore a bicycle helmet. During the 12 months preceding the survey, 21.9% female students had felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for $\geq$ 2weeks in a row that they stopped doing some usually activities 20.5% of male middle school students have ever tried cigarette smoking. 26.2% of male students and 27.2% do female students had had over one drinks of alcohol during their lifetime(lifetime alcohol use). 47% of male students had had over one drinks of alcohol on $\geq$ 1 of the 30 days preceding the survey(current alcohol use). Over one half of female student were thought they were overweight. These results suggest that some risk behaviors be very prevalent in a korean middle school students and priority health-risk behaviors, which contribute to the leading cause of mortality and morbidity among youth and adult, often are establish during middle school age, extend into adulthood, are interrelated. Among both children and adults, the leading causes of death are closely linked to these behaviors. Among adults, chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes are the national leading killers. Practicing healthy behaviors, such as eating low-fat, high-fruit-and-vegetable diets, getting regular physical activity, and refraining from tobacco use, would prevent many premature deaths. Because health-related behaviors are usually established in childhood, positive choices need to be promoted before damaging behaviors are initiated or become ingrained.

Status of national notifiable infectious diseases in Jeju Province, Korea: 2001~2019 (제주도 법정감염병 신고 현황: 2001~2019)

  • Kim, Mi Na;Jang, Sungryul;Kim, Mi Ya;Bae, Jong-Myon
    • Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.53-59
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    • 2020
  • Jeju Province has unique geographical and climatologic characteristics compared with other areas in Korea. Thus it needs to evaluate the status of nationwide notifiable infectious diseases(NND) continuously. The aim was to conduct a descriptive study for NNDs in Jeju Province, 2001~2019. The source of data was on the Infectious Disease Statistics System operated by Centers for Diseases Control & Prevention in Korea between 1 September 2001 and 31 August 2019. When calculating the proportion of the sum of years showing a higher incidence in Jeju province than nationwide divided by the sum of comparing years, the NDD with the proportion of the sum of years over 75% in 2001~2019 included varicella and syphilis. The results support significant evidence to plan strategies and distribute community resources for the control and prevention of NND in Jeju Province, Korea.

Epidemiological characteristics on new cases of notified tuberculosis in Jeju Province, Korea, 2011~2018 (제주도 결핵 신환자 발생의 역학적 특성, 2011~2018)

  • Jang, Sungryul;Kim, Dae Soon;Bae, Jong-Myon
    • Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.39-42
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    • 2019
  • While the notified crude incidence rates(per 100,000 persons, CIR) of new tuberculosis between 2016 and 2017 decreased in nationwide and 16 provinces, except Jeju Province, Korea. The aim of this study was to compare CIRs of Jeju Province and nationwide by calendar years and age groups in order to interpret the increasing trend of CIR in Jeju Province. The data source was the Integrated Diseases and Health Control System of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The selection criteria were the notified new cases as tuberculosis, who had the address as Jeju Province at diagnosis, between 2011 and 2018. The 95% confidence interval of CIR was estimated based on Poisson distribution. There was not statistically significant difference of CIRs between Nationwide and Jeju Province of 2011 and 2018, except 2016. Especially the CIR of group aged over 65 years in Jeju Province, 2016 was significantly lower compared to Nationwide CIR. But, the CIR of group aged 30~50 between 2017 and 2018 showed significantly higher compared to Nationwide CIR. Based on the results, the fact of increasing CIR from 2016 to 2017 in Jeju Province might be interpreted as an introduction of new tuberculosis screening project rather than real increased CIRs.

A retrospective study of age-specific disease incidence in major popular breed dogs in Republic of Korea

  • Seung-Won Yi;Sang-Ik Oh;Yoon Jung Do;Jae Gyu Yoo;Eunju Kim
    • Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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    • v.63 no.4
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    • pp.34.1-34.9
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    • 2023
  • Dogs exhibit patterns of health issues that vary by life stage. An understanding of disease incidence with respect to breed and age/life stage could be an important component of canine health management and welfare. This study aimed to describe the age-specific disease incidence of 3 small dog breeds that attended veterinary clinics in the Republic of Korea, based on data from electronic veterinary medical records (EVMRs). A total of 40,785 EVMRs from Maltese (n = 21,355), Miniature Poodle (n = 11,658) and Shih Tzu dogs (n = 7,772) were analyzed. Common health problems in 3 small dog breeds were 'diseases of the skin' and 'diseases of the ear,' respectively. Among dogs aged ≤ 3 years, 'preventive medicine' was the most common cause cited for veterinary clinic visits. Among dogs aged 4 to 8 years, the most frequent health problems were 'diseases of the skin.' Among dogs aged 9 to 13 years, 'heart diseases,' 'kidney diseases,' 'mammary gland tumor,' and 'neoplasia (unspecified)' were considerably more frequent, compared to the rates in dogs ≤3 years. Among dogs aged ≥ 14 years, 'heart diseases' and 'sneezing/cough' were the main health problems. In all breeds, the frequencies of 'diseases of circulatory system,' 'diseases of respiratory system,' 'diseases of the nervous system,' 'endocrine' and 'neoplasia' increased rapidly with aging. This surveillance could inform strategies for disease screening tests and management based on life stage in these dog breeds and enable more effective health management.

Coexisting with the Coronavirus, How to Prepare for It (위드코로나 시대, 어떻게 준비할 것인가?)

  • Lee, Sun-Hee
    • Health Policy and Management
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    • v.31 no.3
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    • pp.241-243
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    • 2021
  • With the increase in vaccinations worldwide, the world is facing the era of coexisting with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The government announced that it will change its focus of public health emergency response system, gradually toward daily recovery from November. Hence, this article reviews an overview of policy tasks to prepare for the era of coexistence with COVID-19. The three key policies that should be considered are as follow: (1) vaccination should be administered promptly to improve the immunity of the target population; (2) the government should advance the medical capability for critically ill patients and reorganize the patient delivery system; and (3) epidemiological surveillance system should be reformed in a direction to raise the social capacity.