• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.45 no.3
• /
• pp.102-107
• /
• 2013

Hepatitis A (HA) is an acute infectious disease of the liver caused by the Hepatitis A virus (HAV). In acute HA, the presence of anti-HAV IgM is detectable and about 3 weeks after exposure, its titre increases over 4 to 6 weeks. Anti-HAV IgG is detectable within a few days of the onset of symptoms. IgG antibodies continue to last for years after infection and provide lifelong immunity to the host. This study was performed to investigate the current seroprevalence of anti-HAV antibodies in Jeonbuk province, South Korea. A total of 591 (male 322, female 269) serum samples were collected in July 2011 to June 2012. We tested the antibodies of anti-HAV IgG and IgM using a Modular E170 (Roche Diagnostics, Germany), and analysed the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels by HITACH 7600-100 (HITACH, Japan). The overall seroprevalence of anti-HAV IgG was 84.6% (500/591), and the rate of females (85.9%) was higher than males (83.5%). According to the decade of age, seroprevalence of anti-HAV IgG were as follows; 68.8% (11/16) in the under 10 years old category, 100% (19/19) in the 10~19 category, 96% (48/50) in the 20~29 category, 83.6% (56/67) in the 30~39 category, 84.3% (123/146) in the 40~49 category, 83.3% (135/162) in the 50~59 category, 83.1% (54/65) in the 60~69 category, 78.1% (32/41) in the 70~79 category, and 88% (22/25) in the over 80 category. Total seroprevalence of anti-HAV IgM was 3.4% (20/591), and according to gender, the seroprevalence of male (3.1%) was very similar to that of female (3.7%). Through this study, we know that the seroprevalence of anti-HAV antibody in north-west Jeonbuk province, South Korea, was high. Only children under the age of 10 remain susceptible to HAV infection. Vaccination against HAV is not needed at the present time for the people of Jeonbuk province, South Korea, but a vaccination should be recommended and the improvement in sanitary conditions and personal hygiene should be highlighted.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.263-268
• /
• 1992

A study was presented on the anisakid larvae in Astroconger myriaster which were caught at the Southern Sea and waled at Pusan area. The nematodes were morphologically classified into Anisakis sp. and Centracgecum sp. after fixation in 70% ethanol and clearing in lactophenol. Total of 1, 768 larval anisakids were collected from 259(67.8% positive rate) out of 382 examined A. myriaster. Total 642 larvae of Anisakis sp. were obtained from 94 (24.6%) and 1, 126 Ccntracaecum sp. were recovered from 165 (43.1%) fish. The average number of worms per infected fish was 4.6. The infection rate increased according to the length of fish, and all of the fish over 71 cm were found infected. The numbers (proportions) of recovered worms by the organs were 1, 440 (80.5%) in the omentuin, 166(9.4%) in the intestine, 107(6.0%) in the stomach, 32(1.8%) in the skin, 18(1.0%) in the muscle, 13(0.7%) in the liver, and 2(0.1%) in the head. The larvae in the muscle may infect the humans who are enjoying raw sliced meat of the fish.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.793-807
• /
• 1997

We tried to develop detection system of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus(PRRSV) by in situ hybridization(ISH) in the piglets experimentally infected with KPRRS-2, the Korean isolate(12 piglets) or Mn-1b, the American isolate(4 piglets), and in the natural infection suspected 6 piglets. Twelve 30-days-old piglets(two pigs per each inoculated group) were inoculated by nasal instillation of KPRRS-2 virus(total dose $10^{4.5}TCID_{50}$), Six piglets(one pig per each group) were induced contact infection with inoculated piglets, during the experiment, and two piglets were used as control. Inoculated or contacted piglets were euthanized at 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 21 days postinoculation(DPI). The respiratory signs such as coughing and nasal discharge were observed on day 3 DPI, and ear cyanosis were on day 5 DPI, including contacted piglets. Through the necropsy, purple discolorization of dorsal part of lung, and hypertrophy of local lymph nodes were observed. The histopathological lesions of lung were interstitial pneumonia characterized by type 2 pneumocyte hyperplasia. We prepared the probe for ISH by RNA isolation from KPRRS-2, RT-PCR, and biotin labeling. We performed the ISH within only 1~2 hours using $Microprobe^{TM}$ capillary action system. As the results, the strong red specific positive signals, means PRRSV distribution, was mainly observed in the cytoplasm of alveolar macrophages. And also signals were detected in some type 2 pneumocytes and bronchiolar epithelium of lung, myocardium, liver, kidney, tonsil, spleen, gastrointestinal mucosa, testis and lymph nodes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.186-192
• /
• 2001

A primary culture of human fetal hepatocytes was obtained through a therapeutic abortion process at 26 weeks of gestation period. More than $10^8$ cells were seeded on a plastic plate. These hepatocytes were infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). The HBV was purified from serum of one chronic HBV carrier. Transformed hepatocytes were subcultured in a 10% FBS-supplemented medium. The morphology of the transformed cell was epithelial-like. The cells from the first pass showed signs of early proliferation and had a latent period of more than 3 months after 6-7 passages. After the rest period, the transformed cell proliferated actively and they were subcultured every three days. Transformed hepatocytes were characterized by detection of the HBV transcript by RT-PCR. The secretion of virions from transformed cells was investigated by PCR with the cell medium. Two types of virions secreted into the culture medium were examined by using the transmission electron microscope. Another approach to study the secretion of virions in to culture medium was carried out with HBV antibody. HBsAg was detected in the culture medium of transformed cells using ELISA and Western blot analyses. These data suggested that the human fetal hepatocyte cell line has been established by infection of HBV, in which this cell line secreted viral particles into the culture medium.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.228-254
• /
• 2006

1. King Hyeonjong(1641-1674) mainly suffered from eye disease and abscess. He specially took a hot spring bath for cure of eye and skin problems. He probably died of septicemia and the following gastro-intestinal infection at the age of 34, quite early for his age. 2. King Sukjong(1661-1720) was not very well all through his life, but lived quite longer than other Kings in the Joseon Dynasty. He suffered from various diseases like heart-based heat, abscess, edema, upper respiratory infections, etc. He frequently took the treatments of acupuncture and moxibustion. He presumably died of dysfunction of liver and kidney at the age of 60. 3. King Gyeongjong(1688-1724) suffered from political problems from birth to death, so he may have had excessive mental stress for his poor health. He mainly suffered from heart-based heat and abscess. It is quite not sure why he died in only one month from the onset of his symptoms, so many people thought that he was poisoned to death. He probably died of septicemia and the following gastro-intestinal infection at the age of 37. 4. King Yeongjo(1694-1776) lived for 83 years, which is the longest of all the Kings in the Joseon Dynasty. He mainly suffered from hypofunction of gastro-intestinal system with cold symptoms, coughs, uneasiness. He took various kinds of herbal medicine, of which he took ginseng the most. He is supposed to be dead due to his old age at 83.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.325-332
• /
• 1986

Since Combes' first description of hepatitis B virus associated membranous glomerulonephritis, many reports have shown a strong association of hepatitis B virus infection with various types of nephropathies, especially membranous glomerulonephritis and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Recently, the authors experienced a case of membraoproliferative glomerulonephritis, type I in a 16-year-old male patient with persistent HBs and HBe antigenemia. One year prior to admission the patient was told of hepatitis at routine check, but he remained asymptomatic throughout. He was admitted to our hospital with chief complaints of proteinuria and microscopic hematuria found on routine urinalysis. Liver and kidney biopsy revealed chronic persistent hepatitis and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type I, respectively. We report a case of hepatitis B virus associated nephropathy with review of the literatures. Considering the endemic nature of hepatitis B virus infection in Korea, the incidence of hepatitis B viurs associated nephropathy would be proportionally high in comparison with those of other countries. So, the importance of this entity merits special consideration in our country. Further study concerning pathogenesis, epidemiology, and treatment may be needed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.8
• /
• pp.3923-3927
• /
• 2016

Infection with the hepatitis C virus is a major public health concern which can lead to carcinoma and liver failure. It has been shown that single nucleotide polymorphisms can affect the level of gene activity of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) which has an important role, especially in viral infections which can lead to apaptosis of infected hepatocellular cells. We investigated the impact of three possible genotypes for rs1800629 or A/G single nucleotide polymorphism located downstream of $TNF{\alpha}$ gene promoter in groups of control (n=76) and chronic hepatitis C patients (n=89) focusing on the response to treatment among sensitive and resistant groups. Genomic DNA was extracted from $500{\mu}l$ prepheral whole blood and PCR and RFLP were used to amplify the region of interest and genotyping. With statistical analyzes a p-value <0.05 was considered meaningful. There was no significant difference in distribution of possible three genotypes among healthy individuals and patients (P=0.906, OR=1.194, CI=0.063-22.790). However, the frequency of G allele was higher in patients whereas A allele was more common among healthy individuals (p<0.0001). Further studies with more samples seem to be necessary.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.105-112
• /
• 1994

A new bacterial infection occurred among the cultured Korean catfish, Silurus asotus, in Chunbuk prefecture, Korea, 1993. This disease produced about 30% mortality in the fish for 4 months. The diseased fish was swimming listless at the water surface with head up and tail down, sometimes spinnig in circles. The most outstanding clinical sign was ulceration on the skull and at the base of the pectoral fins. The causative organism was isolated from the brain, kidney, spleen and liver of diseased fish, and identified as Edwardsiella icaluri by the biochemical and biophysical characteristics. After intraperitoneal innoculaton of the isolate, the pathogenicity was proved positive for Korean catfish, S. asotus, and channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, but negative for carp, Cyprinus carpio.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.97-105
• /
• 2017

Parasitic leeches could directly (through causing poor growth, anemia and wound in the fish) and indirectly (by predisposition of the fish to secondary bacterial and fungal infections) affects their hosts. In the present study, fishes that were attacked by leeches in natural and experimental environment were studied. Pathologic samples were obtained from damages at the site of leech bite, as well as kidney and liver of the fish. Histopathological examination revealed numerous lesions at the site of leech bite including tissue demolition, detachment at the site of leech bite in the epidermis of epithelial tissue in the skin, destructed nucleus in epithelial cells of the skin plus necrosis in the damaged skin and weak inflammatory penetration to acute necrotic damages along with piercing dermis layer. Pathologic lesions in the kidney included some changes such as proliferation by increasing glomerular cells and membrane cells in capillary vein of the kidney, blood cell necrosis in kidney with infiltration of white blood cells mainly mononuclear and less polymorphonuclear which are the symptoms of anemia due to blood feeding and sucking by leeches. There was also a chronic kidney infection probably originated from another part of body such as skin. Moreover, leeches caused hemorrhagic anemia due to blood consumption of the hosts, which led to observation of immature red blood cells. Also results showed that diseases induced by leeched in fish could be acute or chronic, which depends on size of fish, species of leech and severity of infection.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.12
• /
• pp.6115-6119
• /
• 2012

Introduction: Increasing prevalence of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and its association with cervical cancer as a leading cause of death make it necessary to evaluate and improve the public knowledge, especially of university students, about this cause of disease. Methods: A cross-sectional study of knowledge and attitude of a total 669 students from Tabriz University of Medical Sciences was therefore performed with a modified validated questionnaire, arranged into 5 parts and containing 55 questions, in July 2011. Questions were directed to study socio-demographic characteristics of the participant, knowledge about HPV disease, transmission route, relationship with cervical cancer, predisposing factors, and participants attitude toward people with HPV infection. Results: All of the participants were Moslem with a mean age $25.6{\pm}5.33$ years of age. All of the participants had heard of HPV, and acquired their knowledge through university courses (90.6%); the majority of them knew that HPV is a sexually transmitted disease and a potential cause for genital warts but general knowledge about details was not high. Mean knowledge score of residents and post graduate midwifery and nursing students was high as compared to other groups (P<0.001). Statements that indicated the presence of fear to communicate with people suffering HPV and people's avoidance to rely on babysitting of these patients were observed. Educational level (${\beta}$=0.21, P<0.001), age (${\beta}$=0.18, P=0.002,) and smoking (${\beta}$=-0.11, P=0.006) were predicted to effect knowledge. Conclusions: Moderate level of knowledge about HPV among medical university students makes it necessary to set effective national public health efforts on HPV education and prevention considering he excess of young population in Iran vulnerable to cervical cancer.