• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.207-211
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• 2011

Dengue is an acute febrile viral disease which is found in tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world. Dengue fever has steadily increased in both incidence and distribution over the past 50 years. Even though Korea is not an endemic country for dengue fever, with the increasing numbers of overseas travelers in Korea, the numbers of imported dengue cases are steadily increasing. Here, we report a case of imported dengue hemorrhagic fever in a Korean child presenting with fever and epistaxis. Dengue fever should be considered if a patient who has a recent travel history to endemic areas showed classical symptoms.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 2017

Blackwater fever is a serious clinical syndrome manifested by acute intravascular hemolysis, fever, and the passage of black or red urine, which is classically associated with falciparum malaria and irregular administration of quinine. In Korea, Plasmodium vivax is the only endemic malaria circulating; a number of imported cases of falciparum malaria have been reported in patients following return from international travel to a malaria endemic area. Therefore, it is important for health care professionals including pediatricians to be aware of the falciparum malaria and its clinical courses. Herein, we report a case of a 14-year-old girl with severe falciparum malaria that was complicated by blackwater fever.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.531-543
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• 2018

Historically, Plasmodium vivax malaria has been one of the most highly endemic parasitic diseases in the Korean Peninsula. Until the 1970s, vivax malaria was rarely directly lethal and was controlled through the Korean Government Program administered by the National Malaria Eradication Service in association with the World Health Organization's Global Malaria Eradication Program. Vivax malaria has re-emerged in 1993 near the Demilitarized Zone between South and North Korea and has since become an endemic infectious disease that now poses a serious public health threat through local transmission in the Republic of Korea. This review presents major lessons learned from past and current malaria research, including epidemiological and biological characteristics of the re-emergent disease, and considers some interesting patterns of diversity. Among other features, this review highlights temporal changes in the genetic makeup of the parasitic population, patient demographic features, and spatial distribution of cases, which all provide insight into the factors contributing to local transmission. The data indicate that vivax malaria in Korea is not expanding exponentially. However, continued surveillance is needed to prevent future resurgence.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3491-3497
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• 2013

Background: Gastric and esophageal cancers are among the most lethal human malignancies worldwide. Of all malignancies estimated in Iran (47,100), gastric and esophageal cancers were responsible for 7,800 and 3,500 deaths in 2008 respectively. The present study aimed to provide an image of patho-epidemiological characteristics with their trends during two past decades with emphasis on topographic, morphologic, and some demographic features. Materials and Methods: In a hospital-based retrospective study in 2009, all pathological reports from esophageal endoscopies and gastric biopsies through a 20 years period (1989-2008) were collected and analyzed in four interval periods(five years each). Also, all eligible samples in hospital archives were enrolled for further testing. Besides, demography, topography and morphology of all samples were determined and analyzed by statistical software. Results: No significant statistical difference was seen in frequency of espohageal and gastric tumors throughout the study. Esophageal cancer cases were older than gastric. Sex ratio was 2.33/1 and men had a higher rate of both esophageal and gastric tumors. Stomach cancer included 64.3% of all cases. Inferior third and end of esophagus were common locations for esophageal tumors whereas proximal stomach was common for gastric tumors. Squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma were common morphological types of tumors in esophagus and stomach respectively. Conclusions: Morphological trends showed an increase of esophageal adenocarcinoma and diffuse/intestinal ratio in stomach cancers. Trends in incidence from gastric cancer decreased based on topographic studies but we could not find a topographical trend toward cadia.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.95-98
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• 2011

Head louse infestation (HLI) is one of the most frequently occurring parasitic diseases in children. This study was conducted to investigate the socioeconomic and personal factors influencing HLI in the Republic of Korea. A total of 2,210 questionnaires about various factors related to HLI were obtained from children in 17 primary schools throughout the country. The rate of HLI was significantly lower in children who lived together with mother or in a family where both parents worked. In addition, HLI was lower in children whose fathers or mothers were public officers or teachers. However, HLI was higher in children who had small families and washed their hair less often. Education levels of parents and the number of children in family were not significant. Improvement of socioeconomic factors and personal hygiene will be helpful for reducing HLI.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.67-71
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• 2019

A variety of livestock feed resources were used in Korean dairy farm due to a lack of the endemic feed. However, there is inadequate real farm data to support farmers' decisions on the choice of options. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional value of total mixed ration (TMR) as well as the metabolic diseases status in Korean dairy farms. TMR samples were collected from nine feed companies and eight selected self-formulated by the dairy farms. The nutrient contents were examined by AOAC methods. The frequency of metabolic diseases such as ketosis and hypocalcemia were surveyed. The average moisture content was 36.2% although the min. and max. value were varied from 21.7% and 50.6% among farms. The mean${\pm}$standard deviation of crude fiber (CF), crude ash (CA), ether extract (EE), and crude protein (CP) were $21.4{\pm}2.5$, $4.6{\pm}0.4$, $3.2{\pm}0.5$ and $9.8{\pm}1.7$, respectively. However, the average ADF and NDF was $17.3{\pm}3.7$ and $31.0{\pm}5.7$, respectively. The compositions of TMR were varied significantly among the dairy farms. The frequency of clinical Ketosis (CK), subclinical ketosis (SCK) and hypocalcemia were higher in early lactation period with 4.5%, 11.0% and 3.0%, respectively. Also, the frequency of SCK was higher than CK and hypocalcemia throughout the lactation. Periodic TMR nutrient analysis based on herd production or physiology change would maximize the effects of TMR feeding. Furthermore, the study results would be useful to the farm practitioner and producer for their farm management.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

The Indian golden muga silkworm, Antheraea assamensis Helfer is an economically important wild silkworm endemic to Northeastern part of India. In recent years, climate change has posed a threat to muga silk production due to the requirement that larvae be reared outdoors. Since the muga silkworm larvae are exposed to the vagaries of nature, the changing climate has increased the incidence of microbial diseases in the rearing fields. Accurate diagnosis of the disease causing pathogens and its associated epidemiology are prerequisites to manage the diseases in the rearing field. Although conventional microbial culturing methods are widely used to identify pathogenic bacteria, they would not provide meaningful information on a wide variety of silkworm pathogens. The information on use of molecular diagnostic tools in detection of microbial pathogens of wild silk moths is very limited. A wide range of molecular and immunodiagnostic techniques including denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), random amplified polymorphism (RAPD), 16S rRNA/ITSA gene sequencing, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (M-PCR), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), immunofluorescence, and repetitive-element PCR (Rep-PCR), have been used for detecting and characterizing the pathogens of insects with economic significance. Nevertheless, the application of these molecular tools for detecting and typing entomopathogens in surveillance studies of muga silkworm rearing is very limited. Here, we discuss the possible application of these molecular techniques, their advantages and major limitations. These methods show promise in better management of diseases in muga ecosystem.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.313-322
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• 1995

Metosonimus yokosawai was found deeply invaded into the submucosa of the small intestine of mice (ICR) when they were immunosuppressed by prednisolone injection. Experimental groups consisted of control, fluke infection (1,800 metacercariae per mouse) and fluke infection plus immunosuppression. In fluke infection group, many worms were found sectioned in the intervillous space of the jejunum and ileum at 6 hrs, 12 hrs, and 1 day after infection, and pathological changes characterized by villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia were observed. After 3 days, only a few worms were found in intestinal sections, and after 7 days, the pathological changes became minimal. No worm was found penetrated beyond the mucosal layer. On the other hand, in immunosuppressed mice, numerous worms were found sectioned in the duodenum and jejunum, irrespective of the infection period up to 14 days. Pathological changes of the mucosa were minimal until 3 days after infection, but at 5 days marked destruction of the mucosal layer was observed. At this time many flukes were found invaded deeply into the submucosa facing the muscular layer. Despite continuous immunosuppression, the mucosal damage was gradually recovered at 7-21 days post-infection. The results showed that immunosuppression of ICR mice can induce, for a short perid of time, severe mucosal damage, and allow deep invasion of M. yokogcuwai into the submucosa of the small intestine.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.237-244
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• 1992

In order to observe the infectivity, growth and development and adult morphology of Metorchis orientalis, a total of 40 chicks were experimentally infected with 100 metacercariae respectively, collected from Pseuderasbora larva. The worms of various developmental stages were recovered from chicks at 1.5, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 1:k and 21 days after infection, and they were prepared for morphological observations and measurements. All of the worms were found in the gallbladders of chicks, and their recovery rate was 32% in average. The growth of the body was rapid from 9 to 11 days after infection. The genital primordia appeared in 1.5 and 3-day old worms, and ovary and testes were first observed in 5-day old worms. Thereafter, genital organs gradually matured and completed up to 11 days after infection. The adult worm was leaf-like, and possessed a con- voluted tubular seminal vesicle, an ovoid ovary, a sac-like seminal receptacle, 2 lobed-testes and follicular vitellaria. Eggs were $31.9{\times}15.3{\;}\mu\textrm{m}$ in average size, ellipsoid to elliptical in shape and possessed abopercular thickenings. From the above results, it is concluded that M. orientalis grows in sigmoid pattern in chicks, and their genital organs fully matul.e between days 9 and 11. It is also confirmed that a chick is a new definitive host of M. orientalis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.235-240
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• 1990

During an investigation on intestinal flukes of house rats in Yangyang-gun, Kangwon-do, a total of 6 species of trematodes belonging to 3 families; Echinostom-atidae (Echinostoma hortense, E. cinetorchis, E. revolutum and Echinoparyphium recurvatum), Diplostomidae (Fibricoza seoulensis) and Plagiorchiidae (Plagiorchis muris), were recovered from two adult rats. E. revolutum and E. recurvatum were new trematode faunae of rats in Korea. 5. revolutum had an elongated body, 5.3∼6.Omm long and 1.0∼1.3mm wide. The total number of collar spines was 35∼37 including 5 end group ones on each ventral corner. Its coiled uterus contained numerous eggs.5. recurvatum also had an elongated body, 3.5∼4.7 mm long and 0.50∼0.65 mm wide. It had total 45 collar spines including 4 end group ones. The uterus toras short with only a few eggs. It has been first confirmed by this study that E. revolutum and E. recurvatum are indigenously distributed among house rats in Korea. Kef lords: Echinostoma revolutum, Echinoparyphium recurvatum. new fauna. house rats, Yangyang-gun ( Kangwon-do )