• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.8-16
• /
• 2018

Purpose: In this study, the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients admitted for viral croup were analyzed to evaluate disease severity based on the organism that caused the infection. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 302 patients who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics at the Wonju Severance Hospital between May 2013 and December 2016 for viral croup. Patients who showed positive results on multiplex polymerase chain reaction were subsequently diagnosed with respiratory virus infection. The Westley scoring system was used to evaluate the severity of viral croup. Results: Of the 302 patients, 149 were admitted due to severe viral croup, including 88 boys and 61 girls, with a boy-to-girl ratio of 1.44:1. About 110 cases of parainfluenza virus infection have been reported, which accounted for almost half of the total cases. The other identified viruses included influenza virus, human rhinovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus. Analysis of the association between severe viral croup and causative pathogen revealed that only parainfluenza type 2 virus showed a significantly high risk. Parainfluenza type 2 virus did not show an age-based difference in frequency but showed relatively a higher frequency of infections during the summer and fall. Conclusions: In this study, parainfluenza virus type 2 was the only virus associated with severe viral croup. To facilitate proper preventive management, treatment, and prognosis evaluation of viral croup, prospective and multicenter studies should assess the additional variables and the severity of the virus. Additionally, further studies should be conducted to assess age-dependent influences, as well as the regional and seasonal incidence of viral infection.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.87-94
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The inappropriate prescription of antibiotics in children with upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is common. This study evaluated the factors that influence antibiotics use in hospitalized children with viral URTI confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) assay. Methods: The medical records of admitted patients who performed RT-PCR assay for respiratory virus pathogens from January 2013 to November 2014 were examined. The demographic and clinical features were compared between patients who were administered antibiotics at admission and those who were not. We also investigated differences between children who continued antibiotics and those who stopped antibiotics after a viral pathogen was identified. Results: In the total 393 inpatients, the median age was 23 months (interquartile range, 13 to 41.3 months). Antimicrobial agents were prescribed in 79 patients (20.1%) at admission. Patients with acute otitis media (AOM) had higher rates of antibiotics prescription than those without AOM (48.1% vs. 2.2%, P<0.001), with an adjusted odds ratio of 91.1 (95% confidence interval, 30.5 to 271.7). Level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and the proportion of acute rhinosinusitis were also significantly associated with antibiotics use (P<0.001). Among the 44 patients with viruses identified using the RT-PCR method during hospitalization, antibiotic use was continued in 28 patients (63.6%). AOM was statistically associated with continued antibiotic use in the patients (P=0.002). Conclusions: Although the respiratory virus responsible for URTI etiology is identified, clinicians might not discontinue antibiotics if AOM is accompanying. Therefore, careful diagnosis and management of AOM could be a strategy to reduce unjustified antibiotic prescriptions for children with URTI.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.267-272
• /
• 2013

This study was conducted to eliminate viruses from citrus-infected plants using micrografting and thermotherapy. Six citrus cultivars including a 'Setoka' hybrid were used as plant sources. The TAS-ELISA technique demonstrated that several plants were CTV positive. However, no CTV symptoms were detected in plants obtained from shoots and treated at a high temperature of $40^{\circ}C$ during the day and night and micrografted for two weeks with old trifoliate orange rootstock in vitro. Indexing of CTV, SDV, and CTLV for RT-PCR analysis of the eleven citrus seedlings, including 'Setoka', 'Samdajosang', 'Pungkwang', 'Shiranuhi', and 'Ehimekashi dai28go' was virus free following the micrografting and thermal therapy.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.369-377
• /
• 2010

The epidemiological study was performed to survey the prevalence of fish pathogens of cultured olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus collected in Pohang, Ulsan.Gijang, Keoje and Wando area of Korea from 2005 to 2007. In this study, the fish pathogens were detected from 1,528 among 2,238 fish samples and annual incidences were 60.6% in 2005, 66.7% in 2006 and 72.3% in 2007, respectively. Seasonal prevalence was 63.5% in February, 67.3% in May, 75.1% in August and 64.2% in November for three years. The detection rates of parasites, bacteria or viruses were 36.7%, 32.8% and 31.4%, respectively. 775 cases (34.6%) among 2,238 fish samples showed mixed infection with a different pathogens. The distribution of specific diseases showed that detection rates of diseases occurring the most frequently during the study period were Trichodina spp., (28.2%), viral nervous necrosis virus (24.3%), Vibrio (11.6%), viral hemorrhagic septicaemia virus (10.5%).

• Journal of Radiation Industry
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.279-283
• /
• 2011

This study was compared microbiological safety with gamma-irradiated porcine tendon and skin, as materials for the development of xenografts to regenerate damaged tissues and protect secondary contamination. The porcine tendon and skin were gamma-irradiated after inoculation of bacteria and virus to evaluate irradiation sensitivity of microorganisms. The result showed that the porcine tendon and skin were not different on the sensitivity of microorganisms by gamma irradiation. Bacteria inoculated in the porcine tendon and skin were confirmed that E. coli was the $D_{10}$ values of $0.32{\pm}0.082$ and $0.25{\pm}0.1kGy$ on tendon and skin, and B. subtilis was $4.00{\pm}0.312$ and $3.88{\pm}0.3kGy$ on gamma irradiation, respectively. Moreover, Virus inoculated in the porcine tendon and skin was observed that poliovirus (PV) was $6.26{\pm}0.332$ and $6.88{\pm}0.3kGy$, and porcine parvovirus (PPV) was $1.75{\pm}0.131$ and $1.73{\pm}0.2kGy$ and bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) was $3.70{\pm}0.212$ and $3.81{\pm}0.2kGy$ on gamma irradiation, respectively. Virus showed higher resistance compared to bacteria on gamma irradiation, but was not detected CPE (cytopathic effect) by virus both tendon and skin at 25 kGy, a standard dose recommended from IAEA for sterilization of medical products. Therefore, These results were considered that gamma irradiation could control effectively bacteria and virus to develop safe porcine xenograft, and apply same irradiation doses to all tissues including tendon and skin of porcine.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.45 no.5
• /
• pp.434-442
• /
• 2019

Objectives: This study was performed in order to report the epidemiological features of a food poisoning outbreak caused by multiple pathogens in a high school in Chungcheongnam-do Province, Korea in April 2019 and to suggest measures to prevent a similar incidence. Methods: A total of 39 patients with diarrhea were examined. Environmental samples were obtained from 6 food handlers, 4 food utensils, 72 preserved foods served during the food poisoning outbreak, 9 door handles, 10 drinking water samples from water dispensers, and 6 ground water samples from water taps. These analyzed to detect viruses and bacteria. Results: Among the 39 patients, 21 cases (53.8%) of enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), 7 cases of Staphylococcus aureus (17.9%), and 17 cases of norovirus (43.6%) were positive, and in 16 of the cases a co-infection with at least one other pathogen were observed. EAEC was assumed to be transmitted from contaminated drinking water because it was also detected in the water sample from a water dispenser in the dormitory. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated only in the fecal samples of patients, meaning it was not possible to trace its origin. The genotype of norovirus detected in the drinking water and ground water was consistent with that isolated from patients, and it was determined that the norovirus infection originated from the school's water environment. Conclusions: These findings indicate that a lack of environmental hygiene management related to school meals caused the food poisoning incident. In particular, a lack of management of drinking water, water supply, and personal hygiene should be pointed out. This should be urgently addressed and continuous monitoring should be carried out in the future. In addition, students and staff should be educated and trained to improve their personal hygiene.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.233-239
• /
• 1997

Embryos of most mammalian species grown in vitro would undergo developmental arrest at the approximate time of genomic activation. Stage-specific cell block and the resulting rapid loss of embryo viability in conventional culture media have limited the duration for which embryos may be cultured prior to transfer. As a result, embryos are usually transferred to the uterus at the 4-to 8-cell stage to avoid the loss of viability associated with long-term in vitro culture. Early transfer has led to asynchrony of the endometrium-trophectoderm interaction at the time of implantation and a resultant reduction in the rate of implantation. To overcome these problems, a variety of co-culture systems has been devised in which embryos can develop for a longer period prior to embryo transfer. Vero cells, derived from African green monkey kidney, share a common embryologic origin with cells from the genital tract. In addition, they are potentially safe to use, since they are highly controlled for viruses and other contaminants. Therefore, co-culture using Vero cells has been widely utilized to enhance embryo viability and development, although not without controversies. We thus designed a series of experiments to demonstrate whether Vero cells do indeed enhance mouse embryo development as well as to compare the efficacy of co-culturing mouse 1-cell embryos on Vero cell monolayer in both Ham's F-10 and human tubal fluid (HTF) culture media. 1-cell stage ICR mouse embryos were cultured either in the presence of Vero cells (Group A) or in conventional culture medium alone (Group B). In Ham's F-10 significantly more 3-to-8cell embryos developed in group A than group B (59.8 versus 10.0%; p<0.01). In contrast, there was no significant difference in embryonic development both group A and group B in HTF. However, significant differences were noted only in later embryonic stage (13 and 0%; p<0.05 of group A and B respectively, hatching or hatched). In Ham's F-10, we also could observe the beneficial effect of Vero cell on hatching process (70.7 and 42.1%; p<0.05 of group A and group B respectively).

• Journal of Veterinary Science
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.87.1-87.12
• /
• 2021

Background: African swine fever virus (ASFV), classical swine fever virus (CSFV), and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) are still prevalent in many regions of China. Co-infections make it difficult to distinguish their clinical symptoms and pathological changes. Therefore, a rapid and specific method is needed for the differential detection of these pathogens. Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop a multiplex real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (multiplex qRT-PCR) for the simultaneous differential detection of ASFV, CSFV, and PRRSV. Methods: Three pairs of primers and TaqMan probes targeting the ASFV p72 gene, CSFV 5' untranslated region, and PRRSV ORF7 gene were designed. After optimizing the reaction conditions, including the annealing temperature, primer concentration, and probe concentration, multiplex qRT-PCR for simultaneous and differential detection of ASFV, CSFV, and PRRSV was developed. Subsequently, 1,143 clinical samples were detected to verify the practicality of the assay. Results: The multiplex qRT-PCR assay could specifically and simultaneously detect the ASFV, CSFV, and PRRSV with a detection limit of 1.78 × 10⁰ copies for the ASFV, CSFV, and PRRSV, but could not amplify the other major porcine viruses, such as pseudorabies virus, porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV1), PCV2, PCV3, foot-and-mouth disease virus, porcine parvovirus, atypical porcine pestivirus, and Senecavirus A. The assay had good repeatability with coefficients of variation of intra- and inter-assay of less than 1.2%. Finally, the assay was used to detect 1,143 clinical samples to evaluate its practicality in the field. The positive rates of ASFV, CSFV, and PRRSV were 25.63%, 9.36%, and 17.50%, respectively. The co-infection rates of ASFV+CSFV, ASFV+PRRSV, CSFV+PRRSV, and ASFV+CSFV+PRRSV were 2.45%, 2.36%, 1.57%, and 0.17%, respectively. Conclusions: The multiplex qRT-PCR developed in this study could provide a rapid, sensitive, specific diagnostic tool for the simultaneous and differential detection of ASFV, CSFV, and PRRSV.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.60 no.4
• /
• pp.339-355
• /
• 2021

Aphids can damage plants directly by absorbing their phloem sap and indirectly by transferring plant viruses and causing sooty mold. We compared the thermal effect on the development, survivorship, and reproduction of four cereal crop-damaging aphid species, Rhopalosiphum padi, Aulacorthum solani, Aphis craccivora, and Acyrthosiphon pisum using a life table analysis method. We investigated the stage-specific development period, survivorship, adult longevity, and fecundity of the above mentioned four aphids at 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30℃, respectively, and analyzed their life table parameters using the age-stage, two-sex life table analysis. A. solani nymphs could not complete their development to adulthood at 30℃. The intrinsic increase rate of R. padi was the highest at all tested temperatures except for that at 15℃ (0.12, 0.34, 0.47, and 0.32 at 10, 20, 25, and 30℃, respectively), and that of A. pisum displayed negative values at 30℃ (-0.04). It is speculated that R. padi would be a dominant species under high temperature conditions and A. solani is a highly adaptive species at low temperatures through the comparative analysis of the life table parameters of four aphid species damaging to cereal crops.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.101-119
• /
• 2021

The demand for clean water is virtually present in all modern human societies even as our society has developed increasingly more advanced and sophisticated technologies to improve human life. However, as global climate change begins to show more dramatic effects in many regions in the world, the demand for a cheap, effective way to treat wastewater or to remove harmful bacteria, microbes, viruses, and other solvents detrimental to human health has continued to remain present and remains as important as ever. Well-established synthetic membranes composed of polyaniline (PANI), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and others have been extensively studied to gather information regarding the characteristics and performance of the membrane, but recent studies have shown that making these synthetic membranes conductive to electrical current by doping the membrane with another material or incorporating conductive materials onto the surface of the membrane, such as allotropes of carbon, have shown to increase the performance of these membranes by allowing the adjustability of pore size, improving antifouling and making the antibacterial property better. In this review, modern electrically conductive membranes are compared to conventional membranes and their performance improvements under electric fields are discussed, as well as their potential in water filtration and wastewater treatment applications.