• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.70 no.3
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• pp.247-250
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• 2011

The pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza outbreak coincided with the typical Scrub typhus season, which can lead to diagnostic difficulties due to their similar and non-specific symptoms. Here we describe a case of laboratory confirmed co-infection of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza and Scrub typhus and discuss the difficulties in distinguishing the two illnesses clinically.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.149-156
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• 2012

Purpose : We conducted a prospective comparative clinical study to determine the field efficacy of the 2010-2011 influenza vaccines [Influenza virus strains; A/California/7/2009 (H1N1), A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2), B/Brisbane/60/2008] in healthy Korean children under 18 years of age. Methods : In this study, we enrolled subjects aged between 6 months and 18 years and divided them into 2 study groups: a group who received the influenza vaccines (407 subjects), and a control group who did not receive the influenza vaccines (230 subjects). Ours was a multicenter study that involved 7 hospitals, including the Korea Cancer Center Hospital. The study was conducted between September 2010 and February 2011. We collected nasal wash or throat swab samples from subjects who presented with acute febrile respiratory or influenza-like illnesses at the hospital. We used PCR to confirm the presence of the influenza virus in the respiratory samples and characterize the virus type. Results : In this study, we collected 22 respiratory samples from the influenza-vaccinated group and found 3 cases of influenza virus infection. Similarly, we collected 21 samples from the control group and found 12 cases of influenza virus infection among 10 subjects during the study period. We determined the field efficacy of the 2010-2011 seasonal influenza vaccines to be 83.2% in healthy Korean children and adolescents. Conclusion : In this study, we determined the field efficacy of the 2010-2011 seasonal influenza vaccines in healthy Korean children and adolescents. We found that the field efficacy of 2010-2011 seasonal influenza vaccines was adequate.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.449-454
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• 2011

The infection of pandemic influenza viruses such as swine flu (H1N1) and avian flu viruses to the host cells is related to the following two factors: First, the surface protein such as HA (hemagglutinin) and NA (neuraminidase) of the influenza virus. Second, the specific structure of the oligosaccharide [sialic acid(${\alpha}2$-6) galactose(${\beta}1$-4)glucose or sialic acid(${\alpha}2$-3)galactose(${\beta}1$-4)glucose] on the host cell. After recognizing the specific structure of the oligosaccharide on the surface of host cells by the surface protein of the influenza virus, the influenza virus can secrete sialidase and cleave the sialic acid attached on the final position of the specific structure of the oligosaccharide on the surface of host cells. Tamiflu (oseltamivir), known as a remedy of swine flu, has a saccharide analog structure, especially the sialic acid analog. Tamiflu can inhibit the invasion of influenza viruses (swine flu and avian flu viruses) into the host cells by competition with sialic acid on the terminal position of the specific oligosaccharide on the surface of the host cell. Because of the emergence of Tamiflu resistance, the development of new potent anti-influenza inhibitors is needed. The inhibitors with positive-charge groups have potential as antiviral therapeutics, and the strain specificity must also be resolved.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.271-281
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• 2003

Virulent and avirulent H5N1 viruses were inoculated intranasally to BALB/c and immunodeficient mice, and compared the pathogenesis by histology and immunohistochemistry. All of mice infected with virulent virus died by systemic infection at 6 to 7 days postinfection (PI). BALB/c mice infected with avirulent virus survived from the infection, whereas immunodeficient mice showed nervous symptoms in addition to respiratory disease and died at 13 days PI. Viral positive antigens was detected from multiple organs including central nervous system in immunodeficient mice infected with avirulent virus. These results suggest that avirulent H5N1 influenza virus can aquire the multiple tissue tropism under immunosuppresed condition and host immune system is a important factor to protect the development of disease.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.113-119
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• 2023

Descurainia sophia seeds methanol extract showed significant anti-influenza activity and we tried to isolate anti-influenza compounds from the D. sophia extract. D. sophia seeds were extracted with 80% methanol and fractionated with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, CHCl₃ and n-butanol. The anti-influenza activity of each fraction was assessed using sulforhodamine B (SRB) method in A549 cells, human-derived lung cancer cells. The ethyl acetate and CHCl₃ fractions showed the most potent anti-influenza activity. Seven compounds were isolated from CHCl₃ fraction and identified 1-decanol (1), 2-(3,4-dihydroxy-2-methylenebutoxy)-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-3,4,5-triol (2), daucosterol (3), isorhamnetin (4), quercetin (5), sinapic acid (6), and helveticoside (7) by spectroscopic data such as UV, IR, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR and mass spectroscopy. Anti-influenza activities of isolated compounds were evaluated using SRB method in A549 cells. Compounds 3, 4 and 7 had significant anti-influenza activity in a dose-dependent manner.

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.11
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• pp.653-658
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• 2012

After the outbreak of the swine-origin influenza A H1N1 virus in April 2009, World Health Organization declared this novel H1N1 virus as the first pandemic influenza virus (2009 pH1N1) of the $21^{st}$ century. To elucidate the characteristics of 2009 pH1N1, the growth properties of A/Korea/01/09 (K/09) was analyzed in cells. Interestingly, the maximal titer of K/09 was higher than that of a seasonal H1N1 virus isolated in Korea 2008 (S/08) though the RNP complex of K/09 was less competent than that of S/08. In addition, the NS1 protein of K/09 was determined as a weak interferon antagonist as compared to that of S/08. Thus, in order to confine genetic determinants of K/09, activities of two major surface glycoproteins were analyzed. Interestingly, K/09 possesses highly reactive NA proteins and weak HA cell-binding avidity. These findings suggest that the surface glycoproteins might be a key factor in the features of 2009 pH1N1.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2003

Respiratory viruses were isolated from patients with acute respiratory infections in Busan during 2000-2001 and characterized for their antigenic properties. In 2000, 39 out of 43 isolated viruses were identified as influenza viruses and the others were adenoviruses. Among the isolated influenza viruses,23 were type A influenza viruses and 16 were type B influenza viruses. As a result of antigenic characterization, the influenza viruses were determined to A/Sydney/05/97(H3N2)-like, A/Beijing/262/95(H1N1)-like, and B/Harbin07/94-like viruses and serotypes of the isolated adenoviruses were type 1, 2, and 5. In 2001, 56 viruses were isolated and all of the viruses were identified as influenza viruses. They were A/panama/253/99(H3N2)-like and A/Newcaledonia/2007/99(H1Nl)-like viruses when determined by their antigenic properties. The sex distribution of the patients is as follows, 14 males (32.56%),23 females (67.44％) in 2000, and 23 males (41.07%), 33 females (58.93%) in 2001. Occurrence rate was found to be higher in female patients in both years. Age distribution of patients, in 2000, 48.84％ of infection occurred in 0 to 1 year old while in 2002, 33.93% occurred among 11-20 year olds. In 2000, occurrence rate was found to be high in January and again in April and various types of viruses were isolated. These results may be useful for vaccine development and establishment of reliable epidemic data.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.403-410
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was to identify the current status of vaccination against the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus among university students from the fields of nursing and allied health from a local community and verify factors influencing vaccination. Methods: The study included 227 students in the fields of nursing and allied health from a provincial university. Data were obtained from these participants between May 31 and June 11, 2010 by using self-report questionnaires. Results: The rate of vaccination against the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus for these participants was 14.5%. No difference was observed in this regard between majors and school year. Factors that influence vaccination against this virus included previous vaccination against seasonal influenza and participants’ attitudes toward general vaccination. Conclusion: The results suggest that for effective pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccination of university students from the fields of nursing and allied health, students who have not been vaccinated should be intensively managed. Developing a vaccination program that encourages a positive attitude toward vaccination is recommended.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1500-1505
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• 2010

The novel swine-origin influenza A/H1N1 virus (S-OIV) first detected in April 2009 has been identified to transmit from humans to humans directly and is the cause of the currently emerged pandemic. In this study, nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) of the S-OIV and other influenza A viruses were analyzed through bioinformatic tools for phylogenetic analysis, genetic recombination, and point mutation to investigate the emergence and adaptation of the S-OIV in humans. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the HA comes from triple reassortant influenza A/H1N2 and the NA from Eurasian swine influenza A/H1N1, indicating that HA and NA descend from different lineages during the genesis of the S-OIV. Recombination analysis ified the possibility of occurrence of recombination in HA and NA, denoting the role of reassortment in the outbreak. Several conservative mutations were observed in the amino acid sequences of the HA and NA, and these mutated residues were identical in the S-OIV. The results reported herein suggest the notion that the recent pandemic is the result of reassortment of different genes from different lineages of two envelope proteins, HA and NA, which are responsible for the antigenic activity of the virus. This study further suggests that the adaptive capability of the S-OIV in humans is acquired by the unique mutations generated during emergence.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.104-110
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• 2011

Korean red ginseng (RG), which is a ginseng treated by heating and steaming, has biological activity similar to Panax ginseng. The effect of ginseng on influenza infection has not been studied although it is known to have a broad range of biological activities. The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of RG extract on influenza A (H1N1) virus infection. We investigated the inhibitory effect of RG extract on plaque formation by influenza A virus in a cell-based plaque assay, and the effect of orally administered RG on influenza A virus infection in mice. RG extract, which was applied at a non-cytotoxic concentration, inhibited plaque formation by influenza A virus in the cell-based plaque assay. The orally administered RG extract ameliorated body weight loss and significantly increased survival in mice infected with influenza A virus. Our results suggest that RG extract has components that reduce the severity of infection by influenza A virus and could potentially be used as a complement to treatment of influenza A virus infections.