• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2020

A cluster of severe pneumonia of unknown etiology in Wuhan City, Hubei province in China emerged in December 2019. A novel coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was isolated from lower respiratory tract sample as the causative agent. The current outbreak of infections with SARS-CoV-2 is termed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO). COVID-19 rapidly spread into at least 114 countries and killed more than 4,000 people by March 11, 2020. WHO officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020. There have been 2 novel coronavirus outbreaks in the past 2 decades. The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002-2003 caused by SARS-CoV had a case fatality rate of around 10% (8,098 confirmed cases and 774 deaths), while Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) caused by MERS-CoV killed 858 people out of a total 2,499 confirmed cases between 2012 and 2019. The purpose of this review is to summarize known-to-date information about SARS-CoV-2, transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and clinical features of COVID-19.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.54-59
• /
• 2017

Purpose: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common serious bacterial infection in infants younger than 3 months of age. Lumbar puncture is routinely performed to evaluate febrile young infants for sepsis. However, there is no clear consensus on the use of routine lumbar puncture to diagnose concomitant meningitis in infants with UTI. We evaluated the prevalence of coexisting bacterial meningitis and sterile cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis in young infants with UTI. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 85 infants with UTI, aged from 29 to 99 days, who were admitted to Daegu Catholic University Medical Center from January 2013 to May 2016. We included 80 patients who had undergone lumbar puncture. Demographic features, clinical features, and laboratory findings were analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of sterile CSF pleocytosis and we compared these groups and assessed the differences between them. Results: Of the 80 UTI patients enrolled, 34 (43%) had sterile CSF pleocytosis. None had bacterial meningitis, and CSF polymerase chain reaction for enterovirus was positive in two patients without CSF pleocytosis. There were no significant differences between the two groups with regards to age, body temperature, peripheral white blood cell count, urinalysis, and duration of hospital stay. Conclusions: Though sterile CSF pleocytosis is common in young UTI patients, coexisting bacterial or viral meningitis is very rare. Indications for lumbar puncture in these patients depend on clinical condition.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.36 no.1
• /
• pp.21-25
• /
• 2003

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for decortication or debridement in the management of empyema thoracis has increased the available treatment options but requires validation. We present and evaluate our technique and experience with thoracoscopic management of pleural empyema, irrespective of chronicity. Material and Method : VATS debridement or decortication was performed with endoscopic shaver system in 40 consecutive patients presented with pleural space infections. A retrospective review was performed and the effect of this technique on perioperative outcome was assessed. Result : VATS evacuation of infected pleural fluid and decortication was successfully performed in 35 of 40 patients. The mean duration of preoperative symptoms before referral was 23$\pm$1.8 days. The mean duration of hospitalization before transfer was 13.5$\pm$1.5 days. Blood loss was 250 to 200 mL. Intercostal drainage was required for 5$\pm$3 days. The postoperative hospital stay was 5 $\pm$0.7 days. There were no operative mortalities. Conclusion : Video-assisted evacuation of infected pleural fluid and decortication is an effective modality in the management of the fibropurulent stage of empyema. An organized empyema should be approached thoracosco-pically, but may require open decortication.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.233-241
• /
• 1986

Patients of chronic hepatic diseases(n=107) including chronic hepatitis caused by hepatitis B virus infections(n=31), liver cirrhosis(n=53), and hepatocellular carcinoma(n=23) were examined to ascertain genetic relationship between chronic hepatic diseases and histocompatibility antigen. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were separated from whole blood by the method of Ficoll/Hypaque gradient. Total 54 histocompatibility antigens(class I antigens: 41, class II antigens: 13) were analysed by performing of complement dependent microlymphocytotoxicity method using Terasaki's and Catholic Medical College tissue typing plates. HLA antigen frequencies were compared with those of 661 normal controls. The following results were obtained: 1. HLA antigen frequencies of HLA-Bw46, -Bw76, -Cw1, -Cw6, and HLA-DR8 in chronic hepatitis patients were shown to be higher than those in controls(P<0.01). 2. HLA antigen frequencies of HLA-Bw46, -Cw7(P<0.01), and HLA-B37, -Bw58, -Cw1, -MT1(P < 0.05) in liver cirrhosis patients were shown relatively higher frequencies than those in controls. 3. In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, antigens of HLA-A1, -A26, -Cw3, -Cw7 and HLA-DR6 were dominantly detected. 4. There were negative associations with HLA-Cw4, and -DR4 in patients of chronic hepatic diseases(P < 0.05).

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.73-95
• /
• 1986

A total of 5,462 isolates suspicious of Salmonella, Shigella and E. coli which were isolated during 1983 to 1985 by 12 City Hygine Laboratories and General Hospital Laboratories were received and identified at the National Salmonella Center, Seoul, Korea. The result of identification of these strains were summarized as follows: 1. It was confirmed that the total organisms broke down into 2,014 strains of Salmonella 1,294 of which were S. typhi, 887 strains of Shigella and 2,561 strains of E. coli. 2. For seasonal distribution of enteric pathogens, July was the month with the highest out breaks of salmonellosis, May was the month of Shigellosis, and April was of the highest month it in the case of E. coli. 3. Salmonella typhi with the highest incidence of isolation was shown to belong to various phage types, especially with the strains detected in Seoul. M1 type was widely distributed all over the country, but the majority was E1 type in 1983. 4. For age distribution of patients, the 20-29 age group had the highest incidence of salmonellosis whileas the 1 to 9 age group had the highest incidence of Shigellosis. 5. For sexuly distribution of Salmonella and Shigella infections seemed to be relatively higher in the female than in the male. However, E. coli. had no relationship to both sex. 6. The antibiotic sensitivity patterns of S. typhi cultures showed a tendancy to be resistant to colistin, gentamycin, neomycin, tetracycline and streptomycin. 7. The isolates of S. paratyphi-A, S. typhimurium and S. enteritidis seemed to have a tendency of multiple drug resistance. 8. 93.9 percent of 1,568 E. coli strains showed negative reactions to the antisera of enteropathogenic E. coli and 15.6 percent of them produced a heat-labile enterotoxin, but positive reaction to the antisera was 6.1 percent and 11.6 percent of them producled the enterotoxin.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.199-204
• /
• 2009

Purpose : Various proteins encoded in the early region 3 (E3) of adenoviruses protect cells from being killed by cytotoxic T cells and death-inducing cytokines. We sought to find out whether the genetic heterogeneity of the E3 gene might contribute to the molecular diversity of adenoviruses. Methods : Sequences in the E3 region were analyzed for 14 adenovirus type 3 (Ad3) strains that were isolated from children with lower respiratory tract infections in the Seoul National University Children's Hospital during the period 1991-2000. Full-length adenoviral DNA was purified from the infected A549 cell lysates using a modified Hirt procedure. Results : There was 98% homology between 14 Korean Ad3 strains with a reference strain (M15952). Homology within the Korean Ad3 strains was 98.7%. Variation was found in the region of transcripts 20.1 kDa, 20.6 kDa, truncated 7.7 kDa, 10.3 kDa, 14.9 kDa, and 15.3 kDa. In particular, all 14 Korean strains showed a missense single point mutation at the start codon of the truncated 7.7 kDa. In addition, a deletion was found in the truncated 7.7 kDa region by 58 base pairs in 10 strains and 94 base pairs in 4 strains. Variations in amino acids were observed in the receptor internalization and degradation complex (10.3 kDa/14.9 kDa) which stimulates the clearance from the cell surface and subsequent degradation of the receptors for the Fas ligand and TRAIL, while no variations were observed in another immunoregulatory transcript, 19 kDa. Conclusion : Sequence analysis of the immunoregulatory region of adenovirus E3 shows that genetic heterogeneities are related to genome type patterns.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.105-111
• /
• 2015

In late December 2013, the Ebola virus emerged from West Africa. The outbreak started in Guinea and rapidly spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone. Initially, the virus is spread to the human population after contact with infected wildlife and then spread person-to-person through direct contact with body fluids such as blood, sweat, urine, semen, and breast milk. The Ebola virus infects endothelial cells, mononuclear phagocytes and hepatocytes. It causes massive damage to internal tissues and organs, such as blood vessels and the liver, and ultimately death. Most tests for the virus RNA rely on a technology called reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). While this method is highly sensitive, it is also expensive, requiring skilled scientists, and delicate power supplies. The strip analytical technique (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or ELISA) detects antigens or antibodies to the Ebola virus. This test is cheap and does not require electricity or refrigeration. Despite ongoing efforts directed at experimental treatments and vaccine development, current medical work on the Ebola viral disease is largely limited to supportive therapy. Thus, rapid and reliable diagnoses of the Ebola virus are critically important for patient management, infections, prevention, and control measures.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.3-7
• /
• 2012

Background and Objectives : Nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) shows a distinct geographic and demographic distribution with high incidences in Chinese and Southeast Asians. Current WHO classification divides NPC into nonkeratinizing carcinoma(NKC)(differentiated and undifferentiated subtypes), keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma(KSCC), and basaloid squamous cell carcinoma(BSCC). Relative frequency of histologic subtypes of NPC is known to vary according to the incidence of NPC. Korea is one of the low-incidence countries according to the GLOBOCAN 2008 database by IARC. The aim of this study is to assess the histopathologic types and EBV status of NPC of Koreans. Materials and Methods : We reviewed and reclassified 168 cases of NPC(132 males and 36 females) diagnosed from January 1996 through July 2006. In situ hybridization for EBV-encoded early RNA(EBER) was performed on 146 cases and the results were compared among different histologic types, genders, and age and stage groups. Results : NKC, undifferentiated subtype(NKC-U) was identified in 106 cases(63.1%) and differentiated subtype(NKC-D) in 49 cases(29.2%). Remaining 13 cases(7.7%) were classified as KSCC. NKC and NKC-U were more common in females than in males. EBV prevalence was higher in NKC than in KSCC(NKC-U, 90% ;, NKC-D, 84.1% ; KSCC, 7.7%) and more common in younger age(${\leq}40$) than older age(>40) group. Conclusion : Histologic type distribution and EBV prevalence of NPC in Korean patients corresponded to that of intermediate incidence area. Pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal KSCC is assumed to be different from that of NKC.

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.19-24
• /
• 2020

In the present study, using biological information of bacteria and biochemical information of chlorine dioxide gas, Gram-positive bacteria, e.g., Alloiococcus otitis, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Staphylococcus caprae, Staphylococcus lentus, and gram-negative bacteria, e.g., Acinetobacter baumannii complex, Aeromonas salmonicida, Brucella melitensis, Oligella ureolytica were used whether a plastic kit to release ClO₂ gas could inhibit their growth. Overall, chlorine dioxide gas showed about 99% inhibition of bacterial growth, with less than 10 CFU. However, it was found that Gram positive Alloiococcus otitis and Gram negative Aeromonas salmonicida had more than about 50 CFU. When comparing the results of experiments with several bacteria, it suggested that the concentration of chlorine dioxide gas would be at least 10 ppm to 400 ppm for the bacterial inhibition. The results of this study could be used as basic data to evaluate the clinical usefulness of chlorine dioxide gas. If this study helps with prior knowledge to help clinicians to recognize and prevent the presence of micro-organisms that cause infections in hospitals, it would be helpful for activities such as patient care as a convergence field. In the future, it is considered that the research results will be the basis for rapidly inhibiting the microbes infected with patients by utilizing data of the information of the microbes that are inhibited for chlorine dioxide gas.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
• /
• 1977.06a
• /
• pp.9.1-10
• /
• 1977

Many etiological factors playa significant role in the development of tracheal stenosis; too high tracheostomy (Jackson, 1921), too small stoma (Greisen, 1966), the treatment with respirator using cuffed tube (Pearson et al., 1968; Lindholm, 1966; Bryce, 1972) and infection (Pearson, 1968). Although the incidence has been reduced due to development of surgical technique and antibiotics, the frequency of tracheal stenosis which produces symptoms after tracheostomy ranges from 1.5 per cent (Lindholm, 1967). In the management of the stenosis, mild cases are treated by mechanical dilatation with silicon tube or stent (Schmigelow, 1929; Montgomery, 1965) combined steroid (Birck, 1970), and in the cases of stenosis causes, these removed under the are bronchoscopy. But in severe stenosis, transverse resection with subsequent end-to-end anastomosis has been used in recent years (Pearson et al., 1968). During about 10 years, 1967 to 1977, a total of 23 patients with tracheal stenosis complicated among the 1, 514 tracheostomies have been treated in Severance Hospital. Now, we have obtained following conclusions by means of clinical analysis of 23 cases of tracheal stenosis. 1. The frequency of tracheal stenosis was 23 cases among 1, 514 cases of tracheostomy (1.5%). 2. Under the age of 5, these are 12 cases (52.2 %). 3. The sex incidence was comprised of 18 males and 5 females. 4. The duration of tracheostomy ranges from 4 days to 16 months. 5. The primary diseases requiring tracheostomy were following; central nerve system lesions 11 cases, upper air way obstruction 10 cases, extrinsic respiratory failure 2 cases. 6. Severe wound infections were only 2 cases. 7. The methods of treatment applied to tracheal stenosis were following; closed observation only 5 cases, nasotracheal intubation combined steroid 5 cases, T-tube stent combined steroid 3 cases, fenestration op. 4 cases, revision 4 cases and transverse resection and end-to-end anastomosis 2 cases.