• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2008

This study attempted to develop the technology by gaseous ozone for decontaminating building affected by a model of biological weapon agent(Bacillus subtilis spores) instead of Bacillus anthracis spore. The use of ozone is attractive method from a practical point of view of decontamination procedure since it has strong oxidation power but no residue after application. We examined the disinfection efficiency of gaseous ozone to Bacillus subtilis spores which suspension was sprayed on different material surfaces and dried. Three different types of gaseous ozone was applied : dry ozone, dry ozone with humidified air, and water bubbled wet ozone. Dry ozone(1500ppm) failed to achieve any significant inactivation for 2hrs. However, six log reduction of B. subtilis spore was achieved within 30min by 1500ppm of water bubbled wet ozone. This result shows the noticeable inactivation efficiency by gaseous ozone compared with previous studies. Good performance by wet ozone was also found for military material surface.(i.e. : gas mask hood, protective garments, army peinted metal surface).

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.309-309
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• 2005

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2011

Recently, with the advent of high risk infectious agent such as the Ebola virus, SARS, special research facilities dealing with such dangerous pathogenic are drawing attention gradually. Especially, this kind of facilities can be called BL4(Biosafety Level 4) facility. At the moment, Korean government is going to construct BL4 institute in order to handle efficiently such kind of pathogen. However, there are no proper design guidelines for BL4 facility. This paper proposes circulation system of BL4 facility on the basis of analysis of existing BL4 guidelines of Canada, and Korean BL3 facilities. The outcomes of this study are as follows. At first, functional areas of BL4 facilities have been divided into three categories according to the hazard level ; dangerous area, transitional area, and ordinary area. Secondly, circulation system of BL4 facility has been explored as a form of diagram according to the circulating subjects. These include human, laboratory animals, hazardous pathogen, equipments and cloth. This study has some limitations in that it lacks empirical evidences and concrete SOPs(Standard Operating Procedure). Despite of some weaknesses, it is expected to give some preliminary guidelines for the design of circulation system in BL4 facilities.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.2-6
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• 2006

Ever since the foundation of the Korean Society for Preventive Medicine in 1947, members of the Society had made remarkable contributions to the public health development and national health promotion. They had played key roles in establishing national health system, improving environmental hygiene, controlling infectious and chronic diseases, promoting family planning, improving industrial and environmental health, and developing health service management. However, the Society had less actively responded to the changes in health service needs of the population that were caused by a rapid epidemiologic transition in last a few decades. Early detection and treatment of chronic diseases including cancer and cardiovascular diseases and risk reduction by the life style modification are major approaches to the contemporary national health problems and they are the core contents of preventive medicine. The author proposed to develop the clinical preventive medicine specialist who will have additional training in clinical medicine for health screening and life style modification to the current preventive medicine training program and thus will be able to provide comprehensive preventive medical services. Another area that the Society may take the initiative is training preventive medicine specialist in the disaster, including bioterrorism, preparedness and management. The Society should be more active in proposing health policy and health service program and also participate collectively in a large scale health research project of the government. These approaches may not only contribute more effectively to the national health promotion but also improve the identity of the Society.

• Proceedings of the KAIS Fall Conference
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• 2009.12a
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• pp.774-777
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• 2009

2001년 9 11 테러 이후 미국에서 탄저균을 이용한 생물테러가 발생한 이래 미국을 비롯한 여러 나라에서는 생물무기 및 생물테러에 대한 대응방안들이 준비되고 있다. 따라서 이런 대응방안과 더불어 생물무기를 쓰는 테러리스트의 행동과 위협에 대비를 할 필요가 있다. 생물테러 전염병은 치명률이 높고, 인간 상호간에 전염이 용이하며 치료하기가 어려우므로, 인명의 손실을 최소화하기 위해서는 보건의료기관 등에서 근무하는 보건의료인이 생물테러로 의심되는 병원체 및 전염병을 조기에 인지하는 것이 가장 중요하다. 따라서 보건분야 전문가들은 환자나 일반 대중, 그리고 다른 보건전문가들에게 생물무기와 생물테러에 의해 퍼질 가능성이 있는 질병들에 대해 신중하게 대응할 수 있는 방법들을 교육해야 한다. 질병이 발생했을 때 보건전문가들은 조사에 착수할 역학자들과 협조를 해야 하고, 임상 또는 연구소에 일하는 보건전문가들은 생물무기로 사용될 수 있는 병원체나 생물무기를 생산하는데 사용되는 시설에 접근하는 것을 제한하도록 도울 수 있다. 2005년 질병관리본부 생물테러대응팀에서는 의료인, 다중시설이용 근무자, 보건요원을 대상으로 생물테러 인식도를 조사한 바 있다. 조사결과, 의료인에 대한 생물테러 교육 및 교육훈련의 필요성에 대해 94.2%가 필요하다고 응답하였다. 이런 자료를 바탕으로 하여 국내에서도 생물테러교육의 필요성이 대두되기 시작하였다. 본 연구는 미국, 영국에서 진행되고 있는 생물테러 관련 교육에 대한 관련 자료와 사례를 문헌 분석을 통해 우리나라에 맞는 생물테러 교육에 대한 방향을 제시하고 문제중심학습모듈을 개발하고자 하는데 그 목적이 있다.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.182-188
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• 2005

Objectives: This study was undertaken to investigate the source of infection and mode of transmission of shigellosis, which occurred sporadically among residents and students in a subcounty of Cheongwon county, Chungbuk province, Korea, from June 4 to July 3 2003. Methods: 692 subjects completed a questionnaire and provided a swab for microbiological examinations,and 7 environmental specimens were examined for bacterial organisms. PFGE (pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) and fingerprinting were performed to find the genetic relationship among the temporally associated sporadic isolates. Results: A total of 29 patients had symptoms consistent with the case definition, with 13 confirmed and 16 suspected cases. The frequency of diarrhea was 6 times or more a day (80.8%), with a duration of 1 to 4 days (88.5%) in most cases. The most common symptoms accompanying the diarrhea were fever (80.9%) followed by abdominal pain (76.9%), headache (65.4%), chill (61.5%), vomiting (46.2%) and tenesmus (15.4%). The epidemic curve was characteristic of a person-to-person transmission. The PFGE and fingerprinting demonstrated identical or similar DNA patterns among the 3 Shigella sonnei isolates (A51, A53 and A61 types) found in this outbreak. Conclusion: A genetically identical strain of S. sonnei was estimated to be the cause of this outbreak, and the mode of transmission was most likely person-to-person.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.719-727
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• 2011

Botulism is a neuroparalytic disease caused by Clostridium botulinum, which produces seven (A-G) antigenically diverse neurotoxins (BoNTs). BoNTs are the most poisonous substances known to humans, with a median lethal dose ($LD_{50}$) of approximately 1 ng/kg of body weight. Owing to their extreme potency and lethality, they have the potential to be used as a bioterrorism agent. The mouse bioassay is the gold standard for the detection of botulinum neurotoxins; however, it requires at least 3-4 days for completion. Attempts have been made to develop an ELISA-based detection system, which is potentially an easier and more rapid method of botulinum neurotoxin detection. The present study was designed using a synthetic gene approach. The synthetic gene encoding the catalytic domain of BoNT serotype B from amino acids 1-450 was constructed with PCR overlapping primers (BoNT/B LC), cloned in a pQE30 UA vector, and expressed in an E. coli M15 host system. Recombinant protein production was optimized at 0.5 mM IPTG final concentration, 4 h post induction, resulting in a maximum yield of recombinant proteins. The immunogenic nature of the recombinant BoNT/B LC protein was evaluated by ELISA. Antibodies were raised in BALB/c mice using various adjuvants. A significant rise in antibody titer (p<0.05) was observed in the Alum group, followed by the Titermax Classic group, Freund's adjuvant, and the Titermax Gold group. These developed high-titer antibodies may prove useful for the detection of botulinum neurotoxins in food and clinical samples.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.3-26
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• 2005

In recent years, there is growing concern about the potential use of biological agents in war or acts of terrorism accompanied an increased realization that rapid preparedness and response are needed to prevent or treat the human damage that can be caused by these agents. The threat is indeed serious, and the potential for devastating numbers of casualties is high. The use of agents as weapons, even on a small scale, has the potential for huge social and economic disruption and massive diversion of regional and national resources to combat the threat, to treat primary disease, and to clean up environmental contamination. Biological weapons are one of weapons of mass destruction (or mass casualty weapons, to be precise. since they do not damage non-living entities) that are based on bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, fungi or toxins produced by these organisms. Biological weapons are known to be easy and cheap to produce and can be used to selectively target humans, animals, or plants. Theses agents can cause large numbers of casualties with minimal logistical requirements (in wide area). The spread of disease cannot be controlled until there is awareness of the signs of infection followed by identification of agents; and if the organism is easily spread from person to person, as in the case of smallpox, the number of casualties could run into the tens of thousands. Biological weapons could be used covertly, there can be a lot of different deployment scenarios. A lot of different agents could be used in biological weapons. And, there are a lot of different techniques to manufacture biological weapons. Terrorist acts that make use of Biological Agents differ in a number of ways from those involving chemicals. The distinction between terrorist and military use of Biological Weapon is increasingly problematic. The stealthy qualities of biological weapons further complicate the distinction between terrorism and war. In reality, all biological attacks are likely to require an integrated response involving both military and civilian communities. The basic considerations when public health agencies establish national defence plan against bioterrorism must be 1) arraying various laws and regulations to meet the realistic needs, 2)education for public health personnels and support of concerned academic society, 3)information collection and cooperative project with other countries, 4)Detection and surveillance(Early detection is essential for ensuring a prompt response to biological or chemical attack, including the provision of prophylactic medicines, chemical antidotes, or vaccines) and 5) Response(A comprehensive public health response to a biological or chemical terrorist event involves epidemiologic investigation, medical treatment and prophylaxis for affacted persons, and the initiation of disease prevention or environmental decontamination measures). The purpose of this paper is providing basic material of preparedness and response for biological terrorism in modern society.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.651-657
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• 2019

Although smallpox was eradicated in 1980, it is still considered a potential agent of biowarfare and bioterrorism. Smallpox has the potential for high mortality rates along with a major public health impact, eventually causing public panic and social disruption. Passive administration of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is an effective intervention for various adverse reactions caused by vaccination and the unpredictable nature of emerging and bioterrorist-related infections. Currently, vaccinia immune globulin (VIG) is manufactured from vaccinia vaccine-boosted plasma; however, this production method is not ideal because of its limited availability, low specific activity, and risk of contamination with blood-borne infectious agents. To overcome the limitations of VIG production from human plasma, we isolated two human single-chain variable fragments (scFvs), (SC34 and SC212), bound to vaccinia virus (VACV), from a scFv phage library constructed from the B cells of VACV vaccine-boosted volunteers. The scFvs were converted to human IgG1 (VC34 and VC212). These two anti-VACV mAbs were produced in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) DG44 cells. The binding affinities of VC34 and VC212 were estimated by competition ELISA to $IC_{50}$ values of $2{\mu}g/ml$ (13.33 nM) and $22{\mu}g/ml$ (146.67 nM), respectively. Only the VC212 mAb was proven to neutralize the VACV, as evidenced by the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) result with a $PRNT_{50}$ of ~0.16 mg/ml (${\sim}1.07{\mu}M$). This VC212 could serve as a valuable starting material for further development of VACV-neutralizing human immunoglobulin for a prophylactic measure against post-vaccination complications and for post-exposure treatment against smallpox.