• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.53 no.3
• /
• pp.259-263
• /
• 2015

The increasing prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the human population in the Republic of Korea (= Korea) is due to various reasons such as an increase in meat consumption. However, the importance of cats in transmitting T. gondii infection through oocysts to humans has seldom been assessed. A total of 300 fecal samples of stray cats captured around Seoul from June to August 2013 were examined for T. gondii B1 gene (indicating the presence of oocysts) using nested-PCR. Fourteen (4.7%) of 300 cats examined were positive for B1 gene. Female cats (7.5%) showed a higher prevalence than male cats (1.4%). Cats younger than 3 months (5.5%) showed a higher prevalence than cats (1.5%) older than 3 months. For laboratory passage of the positive samples, the fecal suspension (0.2 ml) of B1 gene positive cats was orally inoculated into experimental mice. Brain tissues of the mice were obtained after 40 days and examined for the presence of tissue cysts. Two isolates were successfully passaged (designated KNIH-1 and KNIH-2) and were molecularly analyzed using the SAG5D and SAG5E gene sequences. The SAG5D and SAG5E gene sequences showed high homologies with the ME49 strain (less virulent strain). The results indicated the importance of stray cats in transmitting T. gondii to humans in Korea, as revealed by detection of B1 gene in fecal samples. T. gondii isolates from cats were successfully passaged in the laboratory for the first time in Korea.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.250-256
• /
• 2000

The incidence of tuberculosis has been decreased, and especially the incidence of severe complicated tuberculosis has been markedly decreased as the result of widely used BCG vaccines. But tuberculosis is still an important community accquired infectiouse disease in the world despite continued worldwide efforts to control the disease. Miliary tuberculosis, the most serious complicated tuberculosis, can be occurred by lymphohematogenous dissemination of tuberculosis, and intracranial tuberculoma with or without tuberculosis meningitis can be developed in case of miliary tuberculosis. In general, serious tuberculosis infections such as miliary tuberculosis and CNS tuberculosis are developed especially in young infants and children in cases of delayed diagnosis and treatment despite receiving BCG vaccination, and usually those patients have contact sources. Intrcranial tuberculoma in children are usually found near infratentorial site at the base of cerebellum, and clinically symptoms and signs of increased intracranial pressure developed before treatment. Serial brain CT or MRI is a good non-invasive diagnostic modality of intracranial tuberculoma. Although surgical intervention was initially advocated as the mainstay of intracranial tuberculoma therapy, but many recent clinical studies indicate that intracranial tuberculoma can be cured with medical treatment alone. We experienced a case of 3 months old male patient, who was diagnosed as having miliary tuberculosis associated with multiple intracranial tuberculoma. He received BCG vaccination at 4 weeks after birth, and his father was confirmed as active pulmonary tuberculosis patient after this patient's admission. We report this case with a review of related literatures.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.183-192
• /
• 2000

Purpose : Adverse events(AE) associated with vaccination have not been systematically monitored in Korea. But since 1994, several deaths after inactivated mouse brain derived Japanese encephalitis vaccine injection arouse the safety problem of immunization in the public, and a evaluation of vaccination program including the effectiveness and safety problem had been started. We have been using MMR vaccine containing Japanese mumps vaccine strains, which are known to be associated with the high rate of adverse events including aseptic meningitis, for the last decade. Methods : We conducted a prospective study of vaccine adverse events associated with MMR vaccine through a tracking system using telephone calls. We followed up 7,594 cases of MMR vaccinees. Results : Reported adverse events included fever, couvulsion, parotitis, and aseptic meningitis. Nine cases of parotitis and seven cases of aseptic meningitis were recognized during follow up period. The incidence of both parotitis and aeptic meningitis was $85.1/10^5$, for Urabe mumps strain. For Hoshino strain, the incidence of parotitis and aseptic meningitis was $158.0/10^5$ and $94.8/10^5$, respectively. Conclusions : The incidence of adverse events was to be a higher than that of natural infection in Korea and was comparable to the results of studies done in other countries.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.294-298
• /
• 2007

Moyamoya disease is a progressive cerebrovascular disorder with stenosis or occlusion of the bilateral internal carotid arteries with abnormal vascular networks at the base of the brain. Previous reports have shown that there are extracranial vascular involvements in Moyamoya disease, especially in the renal artery. We report a 7-year-old patient with Moyamoya disease associated with renovascular hyper tension, who presented in infancy with seizures and hemiparesis. Renal angiography showed multiple stenoses of the right renal artery. Although renal artery stenosis in Moyamoya disease has been effectively treated with balloon angioplasty, stent implantation, or surgery, bat-loon angioplasty could not be done in this patient due to multiple stenoses. His blood pressure was successfully controlled with medical treatment, and remained normotensive during the follow up period of 6 months.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.229-246
• /
• 2008

Objectives : Acupoints of LR1(Dadun)${\cdot}$HT9(Shaochong), KI10(Yingu)${\cdot}$HT3(Shaohai) are used as controlling the diseases from heart problems. Especially, when they are used, tonification or sedation techniques method is taken as a controlling the medication for an early stroke in the Korean medicine. So the aim of this study is to investigate the anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective effects of Acupuncture techniques of tonification or sedation at LR1${\cdot}$HT9, KI10${\cdot}$HT3 on the focal ischemia induced by intraluminal filament insertion in rats. Materials and Methods : The focal ischemia was induced by intraluminal filament insertion into middle cerebral artery. The animals were divided into five groups (n=7 in each group) : Control group, no therapy group after ischemia induced; AT-1; acupuncture therapy group at LR1${\cdot}$HT9, KI10${\cdot}$HT3 after ischemia-induced. AT-2; acupuncture therapy at right LR1, HT9(forward direction), KI10${\cdot}$HT3(opposite direction) inserting to the direction of route of the each meridian. AT3; acupuncture therapy at right LR1, HT9(twirling forward with the thumb of right hand 9 times), KI10${\cdot}$HT3(twirling forward with the forefinger of right hand 6 times) AT-4; acupuncture therapy at right LR1, HT9(forward direction, twirling forward with the thumb of right hand 9 times), KI10${\cdot}$HT3(opposite direction, twirling forward with the forefinger of right hand 6 times) inserting to the direction of route of the each meridian. The anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective effects of Acupuncture techniques of tonification or sedation at LR1, HT9, KI10${\cdot}$HT3 were observed by Bax, Bcl-2, mGluR5, Cytochrome c, Cresyl violet and ChAT-stain. Results : The intensity of Bax and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio were increased in ACU-2 and ACU-4 group but decreased in ACU-3 group. The intensity of mGluR5 was increased in ACU-1, ACU-2, ACU-3 and ACU-4 group. The intensity of cytochrome c was decreased in ACU-3 and ACU-4 group. The density of neurons stained by Cresyl violet and ChAT were increased in ACU-1, ACU-3 and ACU-4 group. Conclusions : Our study suggests that acupuncture therapy of tonification at LR1, HT9 by twirling forward with the thumb of right hand 9times, sedation at KI10${\cdot}$HT3 by twirling forward with the forefinger of right hand 6 times after perpendicularly inserting needle shows anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective effects on cholinergic neuron in focal cerebral ischemia of the stroke in rats.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.59-76
• /
• 2004

Objectives : The usage of acupuncture has gained popularity for certain chronic pain conditions. However, the efficacy of acupuncture in various diseases has not been fully established and the underlying mechanism is not clearly understood. In the present study, the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) applied to yangno$(SI_6)$ on the neuropathic pain was examined. Methods : A common source of persistent pain in human is a neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain was induced by tight ligation of L5 spinal nerve. When rats developed pain behaviors, EA was applied for 30 min. under enflurane anesthesia with repeated train stimuli at the intensity of 10X of muscle twitch threshold. The foot withdraw latency of the hind limb was measured for an indicator of pain level after each manipulation. Results : EA increased the mechanical threshold of the foot in the rat model of neuropathic pain significantly for the duration of 1 hr. suggesting a partial alleviation of pain. EA applied to SI6 point produced a significant improvement of mechanical sensitivity of the foot lasting for at least 1 h. However, $ST_{36}$ point did not produce any significant increase of mechanical sensitivity. The improvement of mechanical threshold was interpreted as an analgesic effect. The analgesic effort was specific to the acupuncture point since the analgesic effect on the neuropathic pain model could not be mimicked by EA applied to a point, $ST_{36}$. In addition, this analgesic effect of EA is mediated by a adrenergic mechanism of descending control of spinal cord from the brain. Conclusions : The data suggest that EA produces a potent analgesic effect on the neuropathic pain model in the rat; and 2) that EA-induced analgesia is mediated by a adrenergic mechanism of descending control in a point specific manner.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.6.1-6.10
• /
• 2018

The intention of this study was to identify the bacterial pathogens infecting Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) and Clarias gariepinus (African catfish), and to establish the antibiotic susceptibility of fish bacteria in Uganda. A total of 288 fish samples from 40 fish farms (ponds, cages, and tanks) and 8 wild water sites were aseptically collected and bacteria isolated from the head kidney, liver, brain and spleen. The isolates were identified by their morphological characteristics, conventional biochemical tests and Analytical Profile Index test kits. Antibiotic susceptibility of selected bacteria was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. The following well-known fish pathogens were identified at a farm prevalence of; Aeromonas hydrophila (43.8%), Aeromonas sobria (20.8%), Edwardsiella tarda (8.3%), Flavobacterium spp. (4.2%) and Streptococcus spp. (6.3%). Other bacteria with varying significance as fish pathogens were also identified including Plesiomonas shigelloides (25.0%), Chryseobacterium indoligenes (12.5%), Pseudomonas fluorescens (10.4%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4.2%), Pseudomonas stutzeri (2.1%), Vibrio cholerae (10.4%), Proteus spp. (6.3%), Citrobacter spp. (4.2%), Klebsiella spp. (4.2%) Serratia marcescens (4.2%), Burkholderia cepacia (2.1%), Comamonas testosteroni (8.3%) and Ralstonia picketti (2.1%). Aeromonas spp., Edwardsiella tarda and Streptococcus spp. were commonly isolated from diseased fish. Aeromonas spp. (n = 82) and Plesiomonas shigelloides (n = 73) were evaluated for antibiotic susceptibility. All isolates tested were susceptible to at-least ten (10) of the fourteen antibiotics evaluated. High levels of resistance were however expressed by all isolates to penicillin, oxacillin and ampicillin. This observed resistance is most probably intrinsic to those bacteria, suggesting minimal levels of acquired antibiotic resistance in fish bacteria from the study area. To our knowledge, this is the first study to establish the occurrence of several bacteria species infecting fish; and to determine antibiotic susceptibility of fish bacteria in Uganda. The current study provides baseline information for future reference and fish disease management in the country.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.151-158
• /
• 2017

Background: Chong-Myung-Tang (CMT) extract is widely used in Korea as a traditional herbal tonic for increasing memory capacity in high-school students and also for numerous body ailments since centuries. The use of CMT to improve the learning capacity has been attributed to various plant constituents, especially black ginseng, in it. Therefore, in this study, we have first investigated whether black ginseng-enriched CMT extracts affected spatial learning using the Morris water maze (MWM) test. Their molecular mechanism of action underlying improvement of learning and memory was examined in vitro. Methods: We used two types of black ginseng-enriched CMT extracts, designated as CM-1 and CM-2, and evaluated their efficacy in the MWM test for spatial learning behavior and their anti-inflammatory effects in BV2 microglial cells. Results: Our results show that both black ginseng-enriched CMT extracts improved the learning behavior in scopolamine-induced impairment in the water maze test. Moreover, these extracts also inhibited nitric oxide production in BV2 cells, with significant suppression of expression of proinflammatory cytokines, especially inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and $interleukin-1{\beta}$. The protein expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ pathway factors was also diminished by black ginseng-enriched CMT extracts, indicating that it not only improves the memory impairment, but also acts a potent anti-inflammatory agent for neuroinflammatory diseases. Conclusion: Our research for the first time provides the scientific evidence that consumption of black ginseng-enriched CMT extract as a brain tonic improves memory impairment. Thus, our study results can be taken as a reference for future neurobehavioral studies.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.363-369
• /
• 2009

Erosive oral lichen planus (EOLP) and recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) are T-cell mediated inflammatory immune disorders. It was investigated mRNA expression pattern of several regulatory factors, such as, CD28, CD45, CD152, CD154, CD279, which influence T lymphocyte in unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) of EOLP and RAS patients. It was collected unstimulated whole saliva during 10 minute in EOLP 18 people, RAS patients 12 people, healthy control 8 people. We investigated mRNA expression of T lymphocyte regulatory factors, such as, CD28, CD45, CD152, CD154, CD279, with real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. In EOLP group, CD45, CD279 expressed higher and CD154 expressed lower than control. In RAS, CD45, CD270 expressed higher and CD28, CD154 expressed lower than control. In addition CD152 salivary mRNA expression of EOLP is higher than that of RAS. The above results were suggested that the mRNA expression of T lymphocyte regulatory factors in unstimulated whole saliva of EOLP and RAS contributes to diagnosis of diseases.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2008

Objectives : Cerebral ischemia resulting from transient or permanent occlusion of cerebral arteries leads to neuronal cell death and eventually causes neurological impairments. Scrophulariae radix is the roots of Scrophularia buergeria. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the aqueous extract of Scrophulariae radix on apoptotic cell death in the hippocampal dentate gyrus following transient global ischemia in gerbils. Methods : For this study, step-down avoidance task, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, and immunohistochemistry for caspase-3 were performed. Results : The present results showed that apoptotic cell death in the hippocampal dentate gyrus was significantly increased following transient global ischemia in gerbils. Treatment with the aqueous extract of Scrophulariae radix suppressed the ischemia-induced apoptosis in the dentate gyrus and thus facilitated the recovery of short-term memory impairment induced by ischemic cerebral injury. Conclusions : Here in this study, we have shown that Scrophulariae radix has a positive effect on-and possesses protective qualities against ischemia-induced apoptotic neuronal cell death, and it can be used for the treatment of ischemic brain diseases.