• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.345-350
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• 2019

Liver biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing liver fibrosis, but it is invasive and has a risk for complications. For this reason, recently, study has been actively conducted on non-invasive liver fibrosis evaluation method. But, there is no established standard for the type of diffuse liver disease. Therefore, this study was suggest the usefulness and cut-off values of Fibroscan, FIB-4, APRI and AAR of patients with hepatitis C in Korea. According to the diagnosis, 240 people in hepatitis C are classified into fatty liver, chronic hepatitis, and liver cirrhosis. The statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA to verify difference between groups. The ROC curve was analyzed to determine the usefulness and practical cut-off value. As a result, for all diseases, the AUC value for Fibroscan was 0.8 over and the APRI was 0.7 over. Cut-off value of serum based liver fibrosis markers was increased in order of fatty liver, chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. If Fibroscan and serological liver fibrosis markers are applied to predict liver fibrosis, it is expected that excessive liver biopsy can be reduced.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.13.1-13.6
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• 2024

Avian influenza A viruses (IAVs) present significant threats to both animal and human health through their potential for cross-species transmission and global spread. Clade 2.3.4.4 H5Nx highly pathogenic avian IAVs initially emerged in East Asia between 2013 and 2014. Since then, they have spread to Europe, Africa, and America via migratory bird flyways. However, beyond viral transmission primarily facilitated by migratory birds, the potential involvement of other intermediate factors for virus transmission remains poorly investigated. This study aimed to investigate the role of wild rodents as intermediary hosts in the ecology of avian IAVs in Gyeonggi province, South Korea. By capturing and analyzing 189 wild rodents near poultry farms and migratory bird habitats in 2013 and 2014 and employing serological assays and virus isolation techniques, we found no evidence of IAV infection among these populations. Our results suggest that wild rodents may not significantly contribute to the transmission dynamics of IAVs within these regions.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.620-631
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• 2016

Viroids are about 250-400 base pair of short single strand RNA fragments have been associated with economically important plant diseases. Due to the lack of protein expression capacity associated with replication, it is very difficult to diagnosis viroid diseases in serological methods. For detecting viroid at plants, molecular-based techniques such as agarose gel electrophoresis, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), DNA-hybridization, blotting analysis and conventional RT-PCR are reliable. Real-time RT-PCR methods that grafted on RT-PCR methods with improved confirmation methods have been also utilized. However, they are still labor-intensive, time-consuming, and require personnel with expertise. Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) method is a nucleic acid amplification method under the isothermal condition. The LAMP methodology has been reported to be simple, rapid, sensitive and field applicable in detecting a variety of pathogens. The results of LAMP method can be colorized by adding a visible material such as SYBR green I, Evagreen, Calcein, Berberine and Hydroxy naphthol blue (HNB) with simple equipment or naked eyes. The combination of LAMP method and nucleic pathogens, viroids, can be used to realize simple diagnosis platform for the genetic point-of care testing system. The aim at this review is to summary viroid-caused diseases and the simple visible approach for diagnosing viroids using Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) method.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.57-62
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• 2009

Genetic diagnosis method of Virion Captured (VC)/RT-PCR for Rice stripe virus (RSV) and Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV), Korean major rice viruses transmitted by small brown plant hopper, Laodelphax striatellus, was developed. Virion extraction buffer for rice plant was 0.01M potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, containing 0.5% sodium sulfite. However, the extraction buffer for L. striatellus was 0.01M potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, containing 0.5% sodium sulfite and 2% polyvinylpyrrolidone wt 40,000 (PVP-40). Specific primers for detection of RSV and RBSDV were selected for VC/RT-PCR method. The specific primers were used as a duplex primer to detect viruliferous small brown plant hopper collected from Gimpo, Pyeongtaek and Siheung areas in Gyeonggi province. The genetic diagnosis methods of single and duplex VC/RT-PCR for RSV and RBSDV could be used easily and economically, especially on the diagnosis of L. striatellus. The rate of viruliferous insect (RVI) for RSV was compared with ELISA and VC/RT-PCR for L. striatellus collected from fields. RVI by ELISA was same as 9.2% with RVI by VC/RT-PCR. However, there were some different detection results between the methods. It could be suggested that there is a possibility of serological and/or genomic differences among RSV isolates. The portion of RVI detected simultaneously by ELISA and VC/RT-PCR was 71.0%, and the detection rate from VC/RT-PCR was higher as 3.2% than that from ELISA, which had a reason of simultaneous detection ability both RSV and RBSDV of VC/RT-PCR.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.403-415
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• 1974

The author has investigated epidemiological features of human cases of epidemic encephalitis (E. E.) in the Republic of Korea and the status of antibody requisition in pre-and post-epidemic time. And virological and serological studies with regarding the relationship of E. E. infection between human and piglet, and field survey against its vector by means of virus isolation from mosquitoes were carried out. Finally, vaccine field trial against human population has also been evaluated in order to confirm its effectiveness. The results of the studies are summarized as follows : 1. The annual incidence of reported cases during the past 25 years (1949-1973) in the Republic of Korea has shown two patterns, one was typical cyclic incidence and the other one was irregular. Annual average morbidity and mortality rate per 100,000 population were 5.7 and 2.1 and fatality rate was 34.6% in typical cyclic years. 2. With regard to the geographical distribution of E. E., the province of Jeolla-Bug-Do illustrated the highest incidence regardless of the epidemic size. 3. The main epidemic period was between mid-August and mid-September (above 90% of the total number of cases). The first case was reported in middle of July and the epidemic ceased in late of October. 4. An analysis of the age distribution of cases of E. E., has shown that above 90% of the total cases occurred in the age groups under 14 years and it was noted that about its 54% were occurred in the age groups between 5-9 years group. 5. Through the Haemagglutination Inhibition (H-I) test for the laboratory diagnosis of E. E., it was found that higher H-I antibody titer was usually detected in the convalescent phase, 15 days after onset. 6. The H-I antibody survey against 563 healthy population by age groups during the pre-epidemic season showed that 422(75%) were less than H-I titer, 1:20 and 122(21.7%) were positive H-I titer, 1:20. Among the 94 American in Seoul who had not been in E. E. endemic area previously only one person had appeared sero-conversion as a H-I titer of 1:80 after post-epidemic season. 7. The E. E. virus could be isolated from the mosquitos pools-C, tritaeniorhyncus which were caught between late July and middle August. 8. E.E. Virus was also isolated from piglet blood on early August and H-I antibody conversion was occurred mostly on middle of August. 9. H-I antibody sero-conversion rate reached to high level when vaccine purified by mouse brain tissue inoculated, showing 98.9%. Higher antibody titer was acquired when booster inoculation was performed, Four fold rise of H-I add N-T antibodies was confirmed with 93.2% and 82.1% respectively.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.311-320
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• 1999

Background: In recent years, tuberculosis has re-emerged as a major health problem in both industrialized & developing countries. Recent advances in identifying & purifying antigens secreted in active tuberculosis infection have lead to the development of serological assays based on a number of immunodominant antigens. To date, the most sensitive and specific of these antigens has been the 38-kDa antigen. Method: Two rapid membrane-based serologic assays using antigen(38-kDa) from mycobacterium tuberculosis for the diagnosis of tuberculosis were evaluated in 22 patients with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis, 14 patients with inactive pulmonary tuberculosis, and 9 patients with non-tuberculous lung disease. Result: The evaluation of validity(sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, false positivity and false negativity) of STAT-PAK ULTRA FAST$^{(R)}$ were 77.3%, 28.6%, 63.0%, 44.4%, 71.4 %, and 22.7% for differential diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis and inactive pulmonary tuberculosis, respectively. The evaluation of validity of STAT-PAK ULTRA FAST$^{(R)}$ were 77.3%, 33.3%, 73.9%, 37.5%, 66.7%, and 22.7% for differential diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis and non-tuberculosis. The evaluation of validity of ICT Tuberculosis$^{(R)}$ were 54.5%, 57%, 66.7%, 44.4%, 42.9%, and 45.5% for differential diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis and inactive pulmonary tuberculosis. The evaluation of validity of ICT Tuberculosis$^{(R)}$ were 54.5%, 100%, 100%, 47.4%, 0%, and 45.4% for differential diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis and non-tuberculosis. Conclusion: We concluded no effectiveness of STAT-PAK ULTRA FAST$^{(R)}$ & ICT tuberculosis$^{(R)}$on serologic diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. In the future, further large-scale study should be needed for serologic diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.223-228
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• 1984

Seven cases of surgically proven sparganosis were serologically tested by means of microELISA for their specific IgG antibody levels. For that purpose, crude saline extract of spargana from snake, Natrix tigrina lateralis was prepared and used as antigen. The sparganosis sera were also tested with Paragonimus and Cysticercus antigens to observe the cross reactivity. A total of 71 sera from normal control, ectopic and pulmonary paragonimiasis, clonorchiasis, cysticerCOSIS and Taenia saginata cases were also included. Except for one case of old calcified infection, all of 6 human sparganosis showed higher serum levels of specific IgG antibody when the differential point of positive reaction was set at the absorbance value of 0.25 (the sensitivity being 85.7%). In control and other helminthic infections, all except 3 cases of T. saginata infection showed negative reaction to sparganum antigen (the specificity being 90.7%). None of sparganosis cases showed cress reactivity to Paragonimus and Cysticercus antigens. Undiluted cerebrospinal l1uid also showed high levels of antibody when central nervous system was invaded. The serologic diagnosis by means of micro ELISA could be a useful tool in epidemiological study of human sparganosis in susceptible population, as well as in individual diagnosis.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 1968

For the effective control of Syphilis, many investigators have developed a more rapid, simple and economical screening serological test which is adequately sensitive and specific. To fulfill the requirements of a more rapid serologic test for syphlis, a substitute for the conventional serum specimen was needed since considerable time and labor are involved in the processing of blood to serum. Burdon suggested the use of plasma in the serologic tests for syphilis as a substitute for serum. He noticed that plasma was more sensitive than serum in the Kline and Kahn tests, and attributed this to the presence of more antibody-like substance, "reagin" in plasma than in serum. However, to make plasma sufficiently sensitive, it was necessary to inactivate plasma by heating at a temperature of $56^{\circ}C$ for about 30 minutes. Heating of plasma resulted in the precipitation of fibrinogen which made centrifugation necessary to obtain dear plasma. Since the chief disadvantage to the use of unheated plasma(or serum) was a reduction in sensitivity of results-which probably was due to a labile factor such as complement-Portnoy et al began to consider rapid chemical methods of inactivation of plasma(or serum). They experienced that choline chloirde was shown to be anticomplementary which suggested its use as an inactivating agent for unheated plasma(or serum). In 1959 Portnoy et al reported the Rapid Plasma Reagin(RPR) Test for syphilis which is a more rapid, economical and simple. But still this test has many disadvantages as a rapid performing, field and office procedure, because it requires the usual laboratory equipments such as centrifuge, rotating machine, microscope etc. To substitute these disadvantages of the RPR test, in 1962, Portnoy et al developed the Rapid Plasma Reagin(RPR) card test for syphilis, which has the following advantages: a) Simplicity and rapidity of performance, b) Requires no laboratory equipments, c) Stable antigen suspension, d) Adequate sensitivity and specificity. This RPR card test can be used as a rapidly performing and screening test in field investigation, outpatient clinics, small laboratories and hospitals doing limited syphilis serology, and predonor in blood bank. Private clinic which has limited laboratory equipment and technic for syphilis serology can also use this RPR card test as a tool in the rapid diagnosis of syphilis. It was thought that this RPR card test is a useful tool in Korea for private physician and mass survey for syphilis diagnosis. But Portnoy patented the reagents needed for the performing the RPR card test. Therefore authors developed newly the reagents and according to Portnoy's method evaluated the newly developed. RPR card test compared with the VDRL, Kolmer CF, and RPCF tests. The RPR card and VDRL tests were performed plasma and serum from the total 1,132 cases. Among these 1,131 cases, 521 were syphilis suspected laboratory specimens, and 611 were syphilis unsuspected healthy young men. After screening with these two tests, the RPR card and VDRL tests, reactive specimens to the above one or both tests were retested by the Kolmer CF and RPCF tests.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.135-141
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• 2010

Bovine brucellosis, an important zoonosis, is diagnosed with serological tests such as the RBT, TAT using inactivated whole bacterial cells or bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antigen in Korea. However, a strong cross-reaction between Brucella spp. and Yersinia enterocolitica O9 in these tests has seriously complicated the diagnosis of animal brucellosis because Brucella spp. shares common antigenic determinants with Y. enterocolitica O9 in the smooth LPS region. In this study, Brucella-field strains were isolated from Brucellapositive Hanwoo in Kimhae, Korea and outer membrane protein (omp) which has low cross-reaction with Y. enterocolitica O9 and high immunogenicity was extracted from the field strains Then we compared ELISA using the extract with RBT-TAT. Fifteen field strains were isolated from 47 supra-mammary-lymph nodes, which were collected from 18 farms. Isolation rate was 32%. Brucella-specific antigen was identified by performing SDS-PAGE or Western blotting on extracted omp with at 0.5% n-lauroylsarcosine One hundred and ninety-two serum-samples were used in the experiment: 142 negative and 50 positive samples verified by RBT-TAT. According to ELISA results, 127 samples were negative and 15 appeared positive among 142 negatives by RBT-TAT, while 42 samples were positive and 8 were negative among 50 positives by RBT-TAT. Therefore, it showed 89.4% of specificity and 84% of sensi-tivity. Through the current experiments, we could set up an ELISA based on the omp which has low cross-reaction and high immunogenicity and concluded that the omp could be a good material for accurate diagnosis of bovine brucellosis.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.1
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• pp.195-199
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• 1983

A microplate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting antibodies to bovine leukemia virus(BLV) is described and compared its sensitivity with that of the agar gel immunodiffusion test (ID) with BLV glycoprotein (gp) antigen using 263 sera collected in Korea and Japan. There was 98.5 per cent agreement between ELISA and ID when ELISA value, the value of tested serum(T) was devided with that of standard negative seurm(N) after the value of control was eliminated from T and N (T-C/N-C), of 1.5 or greater was considered positive. One hundred and forty four (99.6%) of 145 sera which were positive by ID were greater than 1.5 by ELISA, and 115 (97.5%) of 118 sera which were negative by ID were less than 1.5 by ELISA. As a result, it suggest that the ELISA test using BLV-gp antigen provides a useful serological tool for the diagnosis of BLV infection.