• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.100-108
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• 2015

Purpose: Conventional methods for the prenatal detection of fetal RhD status involve invasive procedures such as fetal blood sampling and amniocentesis. The identification of cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in maternal plasma creates the possibility of determining fetal RhD status by analyzing maternal plasma DNA. However, some technical problems still exist, especially the lack of a positive control marker for the presence of fetal DNA. Therefore, we assessed the feasibility and accuracy of fetal RHD genotyping incorporating the RASSF1A epigenetic fetal DNA marker from cffDNA in the maternal plasma of RhD-negative pregnant women in Korea. Materials and Methods: We analyzed maternal plasma from 41 pregnant women identified as RhD-negative by serological testing. Multiplex real-time PCR was performed by amplifying RHD exons 5 and 7 and the SRY gene, with RASSF1A being used as a gender-independent fetal epigenetic marker. The results were compared with those obtained by postnatal serological analysis of cord blood and gender identification. Results: Among the 41 fetuses, 37 were RhD-positive and 4 were RhD-negative according to the serological analysis of cord blood. There was 100% concordance between fetal RHD genotyping and serological cord blood results. Detection of the RASSF1A gene verified the presence of cffDNA, and the fetal SRY status was correctly detected in all 41 cases. Conclusion: Noninvasive fetal RHD genotyping with cffDNA incorporating RASSF1A is a feasible, reliable, and accurate method of determining fetal RhD status. It is an alternative to amniocentesis for the management of RhD-negative women and reduces the need for unnecessary RhIG prophylaxis.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.168-174
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• 2015

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease, which is mainly characterized by disease of joints affected with synovial hyperplasia, pathological immune response, and progressive destruction; all of which represent an important social health problem. These provide new insights in its pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis and disease progression in molecular changes. This review focuses on new serological and immunological markers which seem to be useful in early diagnosis and prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, such tests are widely conducted for serological biomarkers and the developments with such immunological factors to identify patients who are at risk for disease progression. This evidence of the disease based on laboratory medicine could provide the best outcome for patients. Finally, data from recent studies will help to refine the ultimate usefulness of this novel approach for early diagnosis, treatment, and helping clinicians to optimize therapy by using this approach.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.312-320
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• 2022

Purpose: Screening serologic tests are important tools for the diagnosis of celiac disease (CD). Immunoglobulin (Ig)G anti-deamidated gliadin peptide (anti-DGP) is a relatively new autoantibody thought to have good diagnostic accuracy, comparable to that of anti-tissue transglutaminase (anti-tTG) antibody. Methods: Pediatric patients (n=86) with a clinical suspicion of CD were included. Duodenal biopsy, anti-tTG, and IgG anti-DGP antibody tests were performed. The patients were divided into CD and control groups based on the pathological evaluation of duodenal biopsies. The diagnostic accuracy of serological tests was determined. Results: IgA anti-tTG and IgG anti-DGP antibodies were positive in 86.3% and 95.4% of patients, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of the IgA anti-tTG test were 86.3%, 50.0%, and 68.6%, respectively, and those of the IgG anti-DGP test were 95.4%, 85.7%, and 90.7%, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74-0.91) for IgA anti-tTG test and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.86-0.97) for IgG anti-DGP test. The comparison of IgA anti-tTG and IgG anti-DGP ROC curves showed a higher sensitivity and specificity of the IgG anti-DGP test. Conclusion: IgG anti-DGP is a reliable serological test for CD diagnosis in children. High tTG and DGP titers in the serum are suggestive of severe duodenal atrophy. The combined use of IgA anti-tTG and IgG anti-DGP tests for the initial screening of CD can improve diagnostic sensitivity.

• Journal of the korean veterinary medical association
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.51-63
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• 1982

A serological diagnosis for swine anisakiasis was trid out. An antigen (hemoglobin) of Anisakis larvae from Scomber japonicus was extracted and purified by means of DEAE cellulose and Sephadex G-200 column chromatography. The antigen was tested its specif

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.219-222
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• 2010

In this study, we evaluated Vi-passive hemagglutination (Vi-PHA), SD Salmonella Typhi IgG/IgM ($SD^{(R)}$ kit) and Widal test for the rapid laboratory diagnosis of typhoid fever patients. A total of 36 serum samples from febrile patients in Korea from 2005 to 2006 were used. Among 36 patients, 27 were fever patients without typhoid, 9 were typhoid fever. Vi-PHA showed 8 positive results out of 9 typhoid fever patients (sensitivity 88.9%) and 1 positive and 26 negative results out of 27 febrile patients without typhoid (specificity 96.3%). The sensitivity and the specificity of $SD^{(R)}$ kit were 100% and 92.6%, respectively. However, the sensitivity and the specificity of Widal O & H tests were 88.9%, 100%, and 77.8%, 70.4%, respectively. Consequently, Widal H and $SD^{(R)}$ kit showed higher sensitivity and Vi-PHA showed higher specificity. To efficient diagnosis, Vi-PHA may be sufficient diagnosis method in acute cases and $SD^{(R)}$ kit and Widal test may be sufficient in sporadic area and high risk group.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 1985

Seventy-one strains collected from Korea were classified into three serovars (designated A, B-I and B-II) by using agar gel diffusion test with the antisera produced against Xanthomonas campestris pv. oryzae isolates Q7472 and Q7502. Of 71 isolates tested, 65 isolates belonged to serovar A, 5 isolates were serovar B-I, and one isolate was serovar B-II. The isolates of serovar B-I and B-II could be distinguished clearly from those of serovar A showing marked autoagglutination. Xanthomonas campestris pv. oryzae was serologically diagnosed in rice leaves by agar gel diffusion tests, possibly being distinguished from Xanthomonas campestris pv. olyzicola and E. herbicola. The pathogen could be also serologically detected from the extracts of diseased leaves, squeezed immediately, heated at $100^{\circ}C$ or incubated in PSA. Serological detection of Xanthomonas campestris pv. oryzae is a more reliable and less time-comsuming method.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.150-154
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• 1977

In the diagnosis of parasitic helminthic diseases, the value of examining and identifying the parasitic eggs and/or adult parasites from patient's urine or stool are well appreciated. However, these methods have a limited value in the diagnosis of tissue or intracellular parasitism, and we have to rely on supplementary methods such as immune-serological test. The author tested the value of gel precipitation reactions as a diagnostic method of clonorchiasis by observing the appearance of bands in rats experimentally infected with Clonorchis sinensis, And the therapeutic effect of CIBA 35'058-Ba was evaluated by this serological method. The antigen was prepared from the adult worms infected in rabbits by Tsuji method. Rats infected with 40 metacercariae each were bled on 7,14,21,26,28,39,42(43),49(53) days after infection to observe the appearance of precipitin bands by both Oucterlony method and immunoelectrophoresis. Fifteen rats were separately infected and treated with CIBA 35'058-Ba in dose of 15mg/kg of body weight. The following results were obtained: 1. It was observed that there exist individual variations in the appearance of the first precipitin band with the range of 2-4 weeks after infection. 2. The number of precipitin bands was increased until 6-7 weeks after infection. In all cases, 3 precipitin bands were appeared by Oucterlony method and 6-7 bands were appeared by immunoelectrophoresis after 6-7 weeks of infecion. 3. It was hardly possible to notice any change in the number of bands after the administration of CIBA 35'058-Ba. This result suggested that the drug has no effect on clonorchiasis which was confirmed by the autopsy of the experimental rats.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.7.1-7.10
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• 2019

Cysticercosis, a parasitic disease caused by Taenia solium metacestode (TsM), has a major global public health impact in terms of disability-adjusted life years. The parasite preferentially infects subcutaneous tissue, but may invade the central nervous system, resulting in neurocysticercosis (NC). NC is an important neglected tropical disease and an emerging disease in industrialized countries due to immigration from endemic areas. The prevalence of taeniasis in Korea declined from 0.3%-12.7% during the 1970s to below 0.02% since the 2000s. A survey conducted from 1993 to 2006 revealed that the percentage of tested samples with high levels of specific anti-TsM antibody declined from 8.3% to 2.2%, suggesting the continuing occurrence of NC in Korea. Modern imaging modalities have substantially improved the diagnostic accuracy of NC, and recent advances in the molecular biochemical characterization of the TsM cyst fluid proteome also significantly strengthened NC serodiagnosis. Two glycoproteins of 150 and 120 kDa that induce strong antibody responses against sera from patients with active-stage NC have been elucidated. The 150 kDa protein showed hydrophobic-ligand binding activities and might be critically involved in the acquisition of host-derived lipid molecules. Fasciclin and endophilin B1, both of which play roles in the homeostatic functions of TsM, showed fairly high antibody responses against calcified NC cases. NC is now controllable and manageable. Further studies should focus on controlling late-onset intractable seizures and serological diagnosis of NC patients infected with few worms. This article briefly overviews diagnostic approaches and discusses current issues relating to NC serodiagnosis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2022

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) caused by infection with E. multilocularis metacestode, represents one of the most fatal helminthic diseases. AE is principally manifested with infiltrative, proliferating hepatic mass, resembling primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Sometimes metastatic lesions are found in nearby or remote tissue. AE diagnosis largely depends on imaging studies, but atypical findings of imaging features frequently require differential diagnosis from other hepatic lesions. Serological tests may provide further evidence, while obtaining reliable AE materials is not easy. In this study, alternative antigens, specific to AE were identified by analyzing E. granulosus protoscolex proteins. An immunoblot analysis of E. granulosus protoscolex showed that a group of low-molecular-weight proteins in the range from 14 kDa to 16 kDa exhibited a sensitive and specific immune response to AE patient sera. Partial purification and proteomic analysis indicated that this protein group contained myosin, tubulin polymerization promoting protein, fatty-acid binding protein, uncharacterized DM9, heat shock protein 90 cochaperone tebp P-23, and antigen S. When the serological applicability of recombinant forms of these proteins was assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, DM9 protein (rEgDM9) showed 90.1% sensitivity (73/81 sera tested) and 94.5% specificity (172/181 sera tested), respectively. rEgDM9 showed weak cross-reactions with patient sera from the transitional and chronic stages of cystic echinococcosis (3 to 5 stages). rEgDM9 would serve as a useful alternative antigen for serodiagnosis of both early- and advanced-stage AE cases.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.273-280
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• 2004

The studies were performed for the PRRS antigen and antibody detection from breeding farms, artificial insemination(AI) center and growing farms in Jeonbuk province. 1. Specific PRRS primers were successfully amplified ORF6 617bp and ORF7 448 bp on agarose gel. 2. RT-PCR method has been establish by commercial kit and the thermal cycler program consisted of 30 cycles: $95^{\circ}C$ for 30 sec, $45^{\circ}C$ for 30 sec, and $72^{\circ}C$ for 45 sec. 3. The results of PRRS antibody test by ELISA method in AI centers were $6.6\%,\;53.3\%$ and breeding farms $65\%,\;65\%\;and\;38.7\%$, respectively. The serological positive of the antibody in gilt higher than sow. 4. The sero-positive of the PRRS antibody showed average $21\%$ in domestic farms, $56.2\%$ in breeding farms, and $29.9\%$ in AI center.