• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제64권11호
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• pp.543-551
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• 2021

The human microbiome, which consists of a collective cluster of commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic microorganisms living in the human body, plays a key role in host health and immunity. The human nasal cavity harbors commensal bacteria that suppress the colonization of opportunistic pathogens. However, dysbiosis of the nasal microbial community is associated with many diseases, such as acute respiratory infections including otitis media, sinusitis and bronchitis and allergic respiratory diseases including asthma. The nasopharyngeal acquisition of pneumococcus, which exists as a pathobiont in the nasal cavity, is the initial step in virtually all pneumococcal diseases. Although the factors influencing nasal colonization and elimination are not fully understood, the adhesion of opportunistic pathogens to nasopharyngeal mucosa receptors and the eliciting of immune responses in the host are implicated in addition to bacterial microbiota properties and colonization resistance dynamics. Probiotics or synbiotic interventions may show promising and effective roles in the adjunctive treatment of dysbiosis; however, more studies are needed to characterize how these interventions can be applied in clinical practice in the future.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제74권2호
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• pp.79-81
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• 2013

Few recent reports have indicated that Mycobacterium massiliense causes various infections including respiratory infection. However, there is scarce information on the clinical significance, natural history of the infection, and therapeutic strategy. This report describes a case of an immunocompetent old man infected by M. massiliense that causes acute respiratory failure. In light of the general courses of non-tuberculous mycobacterium infections, rapid progression and fatality are very rare and odd. In addition, we discuss the biological and pathological properties of M. massiliense with the review of cases reported previously including our fatal one.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제44권2호
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• pp.194-204
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• 2020

The detrimental impact of air pollution as a result of frequent exposure to fine particles posed a global public health risk mainly to the pulmonary disorders in pediatric and geriatric population. Here, we reviewed the current literature regarding the role of ginseng and/or its components as antimicrobials, especially against pathogens that cause respiratory infections in animal and in vitro models. Some of the possible mechanisms for ginseng-mediated viral inhibition suggested are improvements in systemic and mucosa-specific antibody responses, serum hemagglutinin inhibition, lymphocyte proliferation, cell survival rate, and viral clearance in the lungs. In addition, ginseng reduces the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8) and chemokines produced by airway epithelial cells and macrophages, thus preventing weight loss. In case of bacterial infections, ginseng acts by alleviating inflammatory cytokine production, increasing survival rates, and activating phagocytes and natural killer cells. In addition, ginseng inhibits biofilm formation and induces the dispersion and dissolution of mature biofilms. Most clinical trials revealed that ginseng, at various dosages, is a safe and effective method of seasonal prophylaxis, relieving the symptoms and reducing the risk and duration of colds and flu. Taken together, these findings support the efficacy of ginseng as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent for respiratory infections.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제75권3호
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• pp.125-127
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• 2013

In this paper, we describe 72-year-old female patient without evidence of malignant disease presented with significantly elevated serum carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 levels by respiratory infections. She was diagnosed with respiratory infections due to Mycobacterium avium complex and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The serum CA 19-9 levels remarkably increased (1,453-5,300 U/mL; reference range, <37 U/mL) by respiratory infection and abruptly decreased (357-534 U/mL) whenever infection was controlled by specific treatments. This case suggests that serum CA 19-9 levels may be used as a diagnostic marker to indicate new or resistant infections to previous antibiotics in chronic lung diseases without significant changes in chest X-ray findings.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.153-157
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• 2004

Bacteria isolated from nasal cavity of 50 Thoroughbred horses with respiratory tract infection were examined. There were isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa(33.5%), Escherichia coli(10.2%), Pseudomonas spp(7.6%), Klebsiella oxytoca(5.9%), Streptococcus equi subsp zooepidemious(6.2%), Klebsiella pneumoniae(3.4%), Acinetobacter spp(5.5%) and coagulase negative staphylococcus(2.1%). The majority of isolates were highly susceptible to amikacin, amoxicillin, aztreonam, cefotaxime, cefepime, cefotetan, ceftazidime, cefuroxime, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, erythromycin, gentamicin, imipenem, tetracyclin and vancomycin. These results can provide basic information for the treatments of respiratory tract infections in Thoroughbred horses.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제53권1호
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• pp.11-18
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• 2021

호흡기 바이러스는 감염된 방문자와의 직접적인 접촉을 통해 병원 환경에서 감염된다. 감염관리 분야에서 호흡기 바이러스에 의한 병원내 획득 감염의 주요한 문제를 유발한다. 임상 검사실에서 파생된 감시 데이터는 또한 의료 서비스를 제공하는 기관과 공중 보건 분야에서 치료, 소모품 및 진단 제품 구매를 위해 병원과 지역 사회에 의료자원을 적절하게 배분하기 위해 종종 사용된다. 호흡기바이러스의 감염에서 조기 진단은 필수적이며 호흡기 검체를 사용하는 진단법에 활용될 수 있는 방법에는 바이러스 배양, 분자 진단 및 분석 등이 포함된다. 랩온어칩(LoC)/마이크로칩은 보다 다양하고 강력한 기술인 차세대 현장검사 시험법을 개발할 수 있는 새로운 전략으로 제공한다. 호흡기계의 중요성은 의료관련 종사자의 직업적 건강과 안전을 보장하기 위해 감염 관리 지침에 엄격히 적용되어야 한다. 이 연구를 포함하여 점점 더 많은 임상적 효능 증거가 감염 전파에 대한 오랜 패러다임에 도전하고 있다. 바이러스의 감염 가능성을 의심하는 새로운 호흡기 증상이 시작된 입원 환자로부터 호흡기 바이러스를 탐지하기 위한 빈번한 검사에 대해 추가 지원이 요구되고 감염통제의 노력에 집중적으로 도움이 이루어져야 할 것이다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제59권11호
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• pp.432-439
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• 2016

Asthma is recognized as a complex disease resulting from interactions between multiple genetic and environmental factors. Accumulating evidence suggests that respiratory viral infections in early life constitute a major environmental risk factor for the development of childhood asthma. Respiratory viral infections have also been recognized as the most common cause of asthma exacerbation. The advent of molecular diagnostics to detect respiratory viruses has provided new insights into the role of human rhinovirus (HRV) infections in the pathogenesis of asthma. However, it is still unclear whether HRV infections cause asthma or if wheezing with HRV infection is simply a predictor of childhood asthma. Recent clinical and experimental studies have identified plausible pathways by which HRV infection could cause asthma, particularly in a susceptible host, and exacerbate disease. Airway epithelial cells, the primary site of infection and replication of HRV, play a key role in these processes. Details regarding the role of genetic factors, including ORMDL3, are beginning to emerge. This review discusses recent clinical and experimental evidence for the role of HRV infection in the development and exacerbation of childhood asthma and the potential underlying mechanisms that have been proposed.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.316-321
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• 2022

Since 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly, infecting millions of people worldwide. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease (COVID-19) a pandemic owing to the worldwide spread of SARS-CoV-2, which created an unprecedented burden on the global healthcare system. In this context, there are increasing concerns regarding co-infections with other respiratory viruses, such as the influenza virus. In this study, clinical data of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses were compared with patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 alone. The hematology and blood biochemistry results of 178 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 , who were tested on admission, were retrospectively reviewed. In patients with SARS-CoV-2 and adenovirus co-infection, C-reactive protein levels were elevated on admission, whereas lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, activated partial thromboplastin clotting time, and bilirubin values were all within the normal range. Moreover, patients with SARS-CoV-2 and human bocavirus co-infection had low LDH and high bilirubin levels on admission. These findings reveal the clinical features of respiratory virus and SARS-CoV-2 co-infections and support the development of appropriate approaches for treating patients with SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory virus co-infections.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.182-189
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• 2009

목 적 : 최근 multiplex RT-PCR의 개발로 급성 호흡기 감염에서 바이러스의 검출이 용이해졌다. 지금까지 respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)에 대한 연구는 많았지만 이전에 건강했던 신생아나 미숙아로 출생한 어린 영아에 대한 연구는 많지 않고 더욱이 이들에서의 다른 호흡기 바이러스에 대한 연구는 거의 없다. 저자들은 신생아집중치료실에 입원한 급성 호흡기 감염 환아를 대상으로 바이러스를 검출하고 다른 바이러스와 비교한 RSV 감염의 특성을 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법 : 신생아집중치료실에 급성 호흡기 감염으로 입원하여 multiplex RT-PCR을 시행한 환아를 대상으로 전향적 관찰 연구를 시행하였다. 모든 환아를 RSV군과 RSV가 검출되지 않은 No RSV 군으로 나누어 인구학적 특징과 임상양상 및 혈액검사와 흉부X-선 검사결과를 비교하였다. 결 과 : RSV 군은 23명(50%)이었다. Rhinovirus는 15.2%로 두 번째로 많이 검출되었다. RSV는 1월과 2월에, rhinovirus는 4월에 중점적으로 발생하였다. 중복감염 된 환아는 세 명(6.5%)이었다. 미숙아 수와 형제가 있거나 흡연에 노출 된 경우는 두 군간 차이가 없었으나 RSV 군에서 조리원 감염이 유의하게 많았다(60.9% vs. 21.7%, P=.007). RSV 군에서 No RSV 군에 비해 호흡곤란(34.8% vs. 8.7%, P=.032)과 폐렴(73.9% vs. 43.5%, P=.036)으로 입원한 환아가 많았고 산소 투여(52.5% vs. 13.0%, P=.005)와 금식(43.5% vs. 13.0%, P=.022)이 필요한 경우가 많았다. 우측상엽의 침윤도 RSV 군에서 많았다(56.5% vs. 8.7%, P=.001). 결 론 : 신생아나 미숙아로 출생했던 어린 영아는 RSV 뿐만 아니라 다른 다양한 호흡기 바이러스 감염으로 입원하게 된다. RSV 감염은 다른 감염에 비해 중증도가 높으므로 건강한 신생아에 대해서도 주의를 요하며 특히 조리원 등 밀집도가 높은 곳에서는 철저한 감염예방 관리가 필요하다.

• 한국임상약학회지
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.186-194
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• 2017

Objectives: A significant concern has been raised about the emerging resistance that is largely caused by the excessive or inappropriate use of antibacterial agents for viral respiratory infections. This study investigated the trend of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) and the use of antibiotics. Methods: Utilizing the national level health insurance claims data from 2005 to 2008, we examined encounter days, antibiotic use, and the prescription rate for respiratory tract infections including upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs), and otitis media in outpatient settings. The antibiotic use was measured as defined daily dose per 1,000 patients per day (DDD/1,000 patients/day). Results: The visit for URTI increased from 141,693,465 in 2005 to 120,717,966 in 2008 and the visit for LRTI decreased from 61,778,718 to 66,930,122. For RTIs, prescription rates of antibiotics decreased from 65.2% to 58.5% for URTIs and 76.9% to 68.3% for LRTIs from 2005 to 2008. The antibiotic use decreased to 20.85 DDD/1,000 patients/day after a significant increase of 22.01 DDD/1,000 patients/day in 2006. Among antibiotics, J01CR had the highest use- 7.93 DDD/1,000 patients/day followed by J01DC of 3.71 DDD/1,000 patients/day and J01FA of 3.2 DDD/1,000 patients/day. One notable trend is that J01FA presented a continuous increase in antibiotic use from 2.3 in 2005 to 3.26 DDD/1,000 patients/day in 2008. Conclusion: The use of antibiotics had poor compliance to guidelines for RTIs. Despite decrease in the use of antibiotics, prescription rates for URTIs were still about 50% indicating that the delayed prescribing antibiotics (or wait-and-see) were not observed.