• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.174-180
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• 2012

Objectives: An ambulance can be a potential source of contagious or droplet infection of a community. We estimated the prevalence of positive carriage of tuberculosis (TB), methicillin-resistant $Staphylococcus$ $aureus$ (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant $Enterococci$ (VRE) in patients transported by ambulance. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study. We enrolled all patients who visited a tertiary teaching hospital emergency department (ED). Blood, sputum, urine, body fluid, and rectal swab samples were taken from patients when they were suspected of TB, MRSA, or VRE in the ED. The patients were categorized into three groups: pre-hospital ambulance (PA) group; inter-facility ambulance (IA) group; and non-ambulance (NA) group. Adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a multivariable logistic regression model for the prevalence of each infection. Results: The total number of patients was 89206. Of these, 9378 (10.5%) and 4799 (5.4%) were in the PA and IA group, respectively. The prevalence of TB, MRSA, and VRE infection were 0.3%, 1.1%, and 0.3%, respectively. In the PA group, the prevalence of TB, MRSA, and VRE were 0.3%, 1.8%, and 0.4%. In the IA group, the prevalence of TB, MRSA, and VRE were 0.7%, 4.6%, and 1.5%, respectively. The adjusted ORs (95% CI) of the PA and IA compared to the NA group were 1.02 (0.69 to 1.53) and 1.83 (1.24 to 2.71) for TB, 2.24 (1.87 to 2.69) and 5.47 (4.63 to 6.46) for MRSA, 2.59 (1.78 to 3.77) and 8.90 (6.52 to 12.14) for VRE, respectively. Conclusions: A high prevalence of positive carriage of TB, MRSA, and VRE in patients transported by metropolitan ambulances was found.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.102-104
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• 2011

Purpose: The standard treatments of hand fractures today are fixations by K -wires, metal plates, wires and lag screws. But it is very difficult to reconstruct fractures by placing implants into small bony fragments especially in the comminuted fractures and intra-articular fractures. This paper describes a simple method of reconstruction with Histoacryl$^{(R)}$ for comminuted and intra-articular fractures in hands. Methods: 2 cases with comminuted and intra-articular fractures by crushing injury were reconstructed with Histoacryl$^{(R)}$. We performed applying Histoacryl$^{(R)}$ with swab on the bone cortex carefully to avoid Histoacryl$^{(R)}$ infiltrating into the medulla. We could rearrange and fixate bony fragments using only Histoacryl$^{(R)}$, in addition, metal plates, K-wires, wires, and lag screws could be used for secondary fixation if needed. Results: Post-operative X-ray finding of 2 patients assured that the bony fragments of the hand fractures maintained their original positions. Significant displacement and deviation, infection, nonunion, and malunion during the follow-up period were not observed. Conclusion: This study showed the possibility of using Histoacryl$^{(R)}$ in addition as a simple method of fixation in the comminuted and intra-articular hand fractures.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.205-208
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• 1986

A total of 860 cellotape anal swab specimens from 326 school children of urban area, 243 of rural farm village and 291 of rural fishing village was submitted for Enterobius vermicularis egg detection from September through November, 1985. Each specimen was collected in the morning. Among the total 860 children's submitting specimens, 316 (36.7%) were positive for E. vermicularis eggs. Of the 326 children in the urban area, E. vermicularis eggs were detected in the 45 (13.8%). This detection rate was lower significantly as compared with 143 (55.6%) of 243 children in the farm village or 136 (46.7%) of 291 children in the fishing village. The egg detection rate in the male children was lower remarkably than that in the female children.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.579-582
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• 2017

To investigate the prevalence of intestinal parasite infections in Yanbian Prefecture, Jilin Province, China, epidemiological surveys were conducted on a collaboration basis between the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Yanbian Center for Disease Control and Prevention. A total of 8,396 (males 3,737 and females 4,659) stool samples were collected from 8 localities and examined with the formalin-ether sedimentation technique, and additionally examined with the cellotape anal swab to detect Enterobius vermicularis eggs. The overall rate of intestinal parasites was 1.57%. The prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides was the highest (0.80%), followed by Entamoeba spp. (0.23%), heterophyid flukes (0.15%), Clonorchis sinensis (0.08%), Enterobius vermicularis (0.07%), hookworms (0.06%), Trichostrongylus spp. (0.06%), Giardia lamblia (0.04%), Paragonimus spp. (0.02%), Diphyllobothrium spp. (0.02%), Trichuris trichiura (0.02%). The prevalence by sex was similar, 1.58% (n=59) in males and 1.57% (n=73) in females. By the present study, it is partly revealed that the prevalences of intestinal parasite infections are relatively low among the inhabitants of Yanbian Prefecture, Jilin Province, China.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.315-321
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• 1996

Various antimicrobial drug screen tests have been used in order to ensure food safety. However, the conventional screen tests, the Swab Test on Premises(STOP, USA), the Calf Antibiotic and Sulfa Test(CAST, USA) and the European Economic Community 4-plate Test(FPT, EU) are not sufficiently rapid or sensitive enough to detect low levels of sulfa drugs in meat. We developed a new screen test kit for the determination of the antimicrobial residues in meat called the Bacillus megaterium Disk Assay(BmDA). A comparison of BmDA with the older screen tests showed BmDA was as good as the older ones with several advantages. The new test kit is faster-it can be read in 4∼6 hours instead of 16∼18 hours. Moreover, BmDA can discriminate sulfa drugs from other antimicrobial drugs because p-aminobenzoic acid countacts the inhibiting action of sulfa drugs. Minimum detectable levels of sulfa drugs were significantly improved at the lever of 0.025*0.1 pp, compared with the level of 1.0 ppm in FPT. A comparison of BmDA with the older screen tests in HPLC confirmed meat samples exceeded the Korean tolerance value of 0.1 ppm showed BmDA was the most sensitive in the microbiological screen tests. As the microbiological screen tests have already known, a person familiar with simple laboratory techniques should have no difficulty in using it to detect antimicrobial residues in meat. This would be a simple, economic method of antimicrobial residues detection which might be succesfully used by many laboratories.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.182-190
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• 2017

Background: Respiratory viruses play a significant role in the etiology of acute respiratory infections and exacerbation of chronic respiratory illnesses. This study was conducted to identify the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of children with acute viral lower respiratory infections. Methods: This study investigated 1,168 children diagnosed with acute viral lower respiratory tract infections (RTIs) between January 2012 and December 2014. Specimens of respiratory viruses were collected using a nasopharyngeal swab and analyzed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and analyzed the clinical features of children hospitalized for acute lower respiratory infections. Results: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the main cause of infection in children aged <5 years, was the most commonly detected pathogen in children with bronchiolitis and pneumonia, and resulted in high proportions of children requiring oxygen treatment and intensive care unit admission. Rhinovirus was preceded by RSV as the second most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia, and was detected most frequently in the children aged ${\geq}6$ years. In addition, asthma was predominantly caused by rhinovirus in children aged ${\geq}6$ years, whereas croup was mostly caused by parainfluenza virus in those aged <5 years. Rhinovirus infection (p<0.001) and history of asthma (p=0.049) were identified as significant risk factors for readmission within a month. Conclusion: We identified the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of respiratory viruses in children with acute lower respiratory infections during the last 3 years. Our findings may provide useful clinical insight to comprehend the acute viral lower RTIs in children.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.112-115
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• 2015

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is an acute, mostly self-limiting infection. Patients usually recover without any sequelae. However, a few cases are life threatening, especially those caused by enterovirus 71 (EV71). A 12-month-old boy was admitted to a primary hospital with high fever and vesicular lesions of the mouth, hands, and feet. After 3 days, he experienced 3 seizure episodes and was referred to our hospital. On admission, he was conscious and his chest radiograph was normal. However, 6 hours later, he suddenly lost consciousness and had developed a massive pulmonary hemorrhage that continued until his death. He experienced several more intermittent seizures, and diffuse infiltration of both lung fields was observed on chest radiography. Intravenous immunoglobulin, dexamethasone, cefotaxime, leukocyte-depleted red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, inotropics, vitamin K, and endotracheal epinephrine were administered. The patient died 9 hours after intubation, within 3 days from fever onset. EV71 subgenotype C4a was isolated retrospectively from serum and nasopharyngeal swab by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Here, we report a fatal case of EV71-associated HFMD with sudden-onset massive pulmonary hemorrhage and suspected encephalitis.

• Journal of Korea Association of Health Promotion
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.62-71
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• 2005

In order to investigate the epidemiological situation of intestinal parasite infections in Lao PDR, parasitological surveys were carried out on a national scale including 17 Provinces and the Vientiane Municipality. A total of 29,846 stool specimens were collected from primary schoolchildren in May 2000 June 2002 and examined once with the cellophane thick smear technique. The cumulative egg Positive rate For intestinal helminthes was 61.9%, BV species, the rate for As caris lumbricoides was 34.9%, hookworm 19.1%, Trichuris trichiura 25.8%,Opisthorchis viverrini 10.9%, Taenia spp. 0.6% and Hymenolepis spp. 0.2%. The northern mountainous regions suck as Phongsaly, Huaphan or Saysomboune Province showed higher prevalence(over 70%) of soil- transmitted helminthes. The regions along the Mekong River such as Khammuane, Saravaue or Savannakhet Province showed higher prevalence(over 20%)of fish-borne parasites. On the other hand, Schistosoma mekongi eggs were detected from1.7% of schoolchildren only in Champassak Province, a previously known endemic area. The highest prevalence was noted in Phongsaly Province(96.0%) and the lowest in Bolikhamxay Province(27.5%). An additional smal1-scale survey by cellophane anal swab detected Enterobius vermicularis eggs in 35.7% of 451 schoolchildren aged 6-8 in Khammuane, Vientiane, Champassak Province and the Vientiane Municipality. Meanwhile, the mean blood hemoglobin level of hootrworm-infected children was not lower than that of hookworm-uninfected children, suggesting that nutritional factors are more important than parasite infection per se. Nevertheless, the above results indicate that a nationwide parasite control project is necessary to reduce possible morbidity of parasitic diseases in the country.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2018

We investigated the levels of microbial contaminants and microbial hazards during dried-laver processing. We analyzed 321 samples obtained from 18 dried-laver Pyropia spp. manufacturing facilities, including water, swab-, and processing samples as well as final products. The levels of microbial contaminants, including viable cell counts (VCC) and coliform bacteria, increased as processing progressed. The sanitary indicator bacterium, Escherichia coli, was not detected in the final products although VCC levels were high, generally exceeding 5 log CFU/g. We also investigated changes in microbial contaminants at each processing step. Both VCC and total coliform dramatically increased after 4 days of continuous processing, indicating that microbial contaminants originated, mainly, from cross contamination during processing.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.314-318
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• 2007

Purpose: Pressure sore wound develops inevitably in long-term, immobilized and hospitalized patients. Sore wound infection is common problem and makes healing process difficult. We aimed to identify the pathogens of the purulent discharge in sore wound and to obtain information for appropriate antibiotics through a sensitivity test Methods: The bacteriologic study was made on 120 cases of patients who admitted or visited our hospital from 2004 January to 2005 December for sore wound treatment. Culture material was collected in BBL transport media with cotton swab and cultured by MacConkey agar plate. The method of MIC by VITEK and Microscan was used for sensitivity test. Results: Among 120 specimens, organisms were isolated from 77(64.2%) cases. Gram positive organisms were cultured in 73 specimens, Gram negative organisms in 46 specemens, and fungi in 2 specimens. Mixed infection by Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria were observed in 34 specimens. Among them, S. aureus was the most common isolate in 24(31.2%) patients and 10 (13.0%) S. Aureus isolates were MRSA. The most prevalent Gram-negative organism was Escherichia coli in 20 patients(25.9%). Vancomycin and teicoplanin showed highest sensitivity to Gram-positive organisms and imipenem and amikacin to Gram-negative organisms. Conclusion: Pressure sore wound demands consideration of multimodal therapeutic aspects and these findings would be useful informations to physicians, nurses and clinical assistants in understanding the nature of sore wound and selecting appropriate antibiotics.