• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.366-374
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• 2012

Recently pathogenic E. coli is one of the main foodborne pathogens resulting in many patients in Korea. To understand the characteristics of pathogenic E. coli outbreaks in Korea, the epidemiological investigation reports of pathogenic E. coli outbreak in 2009 (41 reports) and in 2010 (27 reports) were collected in the web site of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reviewed and analysed in this study. The main places of the pathogenic E. coli outbreaks were food catering service area (64.8%) and restaurants (25.0%). The main type of the pathogens were EPEC (44.7%) and ETEC (34.2%). EAEC and EHEC was responsible for 10.5 and 9.2%, respectively. Eight of 68 outbreak cases were caused by more than 2 types of pathogenic E. coli which implicates the complicated contamination pathways of pathogenic E. coli. The incidence rate of pathogenic E. coli was $33.6{\pm}30.5%$ and the main symptoms were diarrhea, stomach ache, nausea, vomiting, and fever etc. The two identified food sources were identified as frozen hamburger pattie and squid-vegetable mixture. To improve the food source identification by epidemiological investigation, food poisoning notification to the agency should not be delayed, whole food items attributed the outbreak should be collected and detection method of the various pathogenic E. coli in food has to be improved. In conclusion, the characteristics between the EHEC outbreaks in the western countries and the EPEC or ETEC outbreaks in Korea needs to be distinguished to prepare food safety management plan. In addition, the development of the trace back system to find the contamination pathway with the improved detection method in food and systemic and cooperative support by the related agencies are necessary.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.4265-4269
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• 2014

Purpose: This study aimed at summarizing epidemiological evidence of the association between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and subsequent risk of cancer. Materials and Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, Cancer Lit and CINAHL for epidemiological studies published by February 1, 2014 examining the risk of cancer in patients with history of GDM using highly inclusive algorithms. Information about first author, year of publication, country of study, study design, cancer sites, sample sizes, attained age of subjects and methods used for determining GDM status were extracted by two researchers and Stata version 11.0 was used to perform the meta-analysis and estimate the pooled effects. Results: A total of 9 articles documented 5 cohort and 4 case-control studies containing 10,630 cancer cases and 14,608 women with a history of GDM were included in this review. Taken together, the pooled odds ratio (OR) between GDM and breast cancer risk was 1.01 (0.87-1.17); yet the same pooled ORs of case-control and cohort studies were 0.87 (0.71-1.06) and 1.25 (1.00-1.56) respectively. There are indications that GDM is strongly associated with higher risk of pancreatic cancer (HR=8.68) and hematologic malignancies (HR=4.53), but no relationships were detected between GDM and other types of cancer. Conclusions: Although GDM increases the risk of certain types of cancer, these results should be interpreted with caution becuase of some methodological flaws. The issue merits added investigation and coordinated efforts between researchers, antenatal clinics and cancer treatment and registration agencies to help attain better understanding.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.361-369
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• 2010

Objectives: An outbreak of norovirus occurred at a high school in Gyeongju city in 2009. An epidemiological investigation was carried out to examine the infection source and the transmission route of norovirus, and to prevent a recurrence. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted for 520 male students and 8 food handlers. Rectal swabs were examined in 21 symptomatic students and the 8 food handlers by Gyeongsangbukdo Government Public Institute of Health & Environment, and an environmental investigation was performed. A case-control study was used to evaluate the association between risk factors and disease. Results: The attack rate was 21.3% (111/520) between January 29 and February 10, and norovirus GII was isolated from 12 of 21 students. Food handlers had no symptoms and their stool samples were negative. The case-control study revealed that seasoned soy bean sprouts {odds ratio (OR): 2.542, 95% CI=1.315-4.915} and drinking water from the purifiers in the cafeteria (OR: 2.854, 95% CI=1.107-7.358) supplied on February 3 were significant risk factors for the outbreak. Water pipes and waste pipes were located in the same place where was filled with some water and trace of high water level was detected. Conclusions: The major risk factors for this norovirus outbreak were presumed to be the contaminated seasoned soy bean sprouts and drinking water from the purifiers in the cafeteria. More strict personal and environmental hygiene need to be enforced to prevent such outbreaks.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.525-531
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• 2020

Objectives: This study was performed to identify the epidemiological features of a food poisoning outbreak in a company cafeteria located in Chungcheongnam-do Province, Korea in June of 2020 and to suggest preventive measures for a similar incidence. Methods: A total of 84 patients with acute gastroenteritis were examined. Environmental samples were obtained from 16 food handlers, six food utensils, 135 preserved foods served over three days and nine menus, and six drinking water samples. These are analyzed to detect viruses and bacteria. Results: Ninety-four out of the 402 people who were served meals (23.4%) predominantly showed symptoms of diarrhea, and the number was over 3 times. Among the 84 patients under investigation, 17 cases (20.2%) were positive for Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and 18 cases were positive for Clostridium (C.) perfringens (21.4%). Based on the investigation, it was concluded that the main pathogens were EPEC and C. perfringens. For EPEC, it was detected in three of the food service employees and in the preserved food and curry rice. The results of pulsed field gel electrophoresis indicate that all EPEC cases are closely related except for one food service employee. Assuming that isolated EPEC originated from the preserved food, the incubation period is about 25 hours. The origin of the C. perfringens was not determined as it was not detected in the food service employees or environmental samples. Conclusions: This case suggests that food provided in group food service centers must be thoroughly managed. In addition, identifying the pathogens in preserved food is very important for tracing the causes of food poisoning, so food must be preserved in an appropriate condition. To prevent similar food poisoning cases, analyzing cases based on epidemiological investigation and sharing the results is needed.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.53-61
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• 2015

Objectives: An outbreak of food poisoning occurred among the baseball club students at a high school in Ulsan city in 2014. An epidemiological investigation was carried out to examine the infection source and the transmission route of pathogen, and to prevent a recurrence. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted for 26 male students and 2 food handlers. Rectal swabs were examined in 7 students and the 2 food handlers, and an environmental investigation was performed. A retrospective cohort study was used to evaluate the association between risk factors and disease. Results: The attack rate was 35.7% (10 persons/28 persons) from June 9 to 14, and Enterotoxigenic E. coli ST/LT was isolated from 7 among 28 persons. The study revealed that no food was a significant risk factor for the outbreak. There were no connection between environmental factors and the outbreak. Conclusions: The major risk factors for this outbreak were presumed to be the contaminated ice cube and ice making machines and eating ice cube from the machines. More strict personal and environmental hygiene need to be enforced to prevent such outbreaks.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.167-171
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• 2020

The epidemiological investigation of outbreak in korea confirmed that the inflow of avian influenza (AI) is related to the migration of migratory birds. In this study, avian repellents instrument were implemented and developed using the visual effects of lasers in accordance with the situation of small domestic fowl farms, and monitoring cameras were installed around each instrument to investigate the frequency of wild birds appearing and evaluate the performance of the instrument. Observation showed that the appreance ratio was reduced by 95%, and no significant reduction in the intrusion prevention effect by adaptation was observed on all fowl farms. In conclusion, it is expected that the outbreak of wild bird-borne infectious diseases such as avian influenza will be decreased if the device is installed on domestic fowl farms.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.274-277
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• 2017

Objectives: Legionnaires' disease (LD) is a severe type of pneumonia caused by inhalation of aerosols contaminated with Legionella. On September 22, 2016, a single case of LD was reported from a newly built apartment building in Gyeonggi province. This article describes an epidemiologic investigation of LD and identification of the possible source of infection. Methods: To identify the source of LD, we interviewed the patient's husband using a questionnaire based on the Legionella management guidelines from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Water samples from the site were collected and analyzed. An epidemiological investigation of the residents and visitors in the apartment building was conducted for 14 days before the index patient's symptoms first appeared to 14 days after the implementation of environmental control measures. Results: Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 was isolated from the heated-water samples from the patient's residence and the basement of the apartment complex. Thirty-two suspected cases were reported from the apartment building during the surveillance period, yet all were confirmed negative based on urinary antigen tests. Conclusions: The likely source of infection was the building's potable water, particularly heated water. Further study of effective monitoring systems in heated potable water should be considered.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2012

Methylphenidate is a widely used stimulant for treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition to core symptoms of attention and behavioral symptoms, methylphenidate is even effective for executive functions. However, abuse and misuse of stimulants, including methylphenidate, for the purpose of cognitive enhancement is an issue of concern worldwide. Some prejudices and misunderstandings against methylphenidate are popular ; however, little attention has been given to the neuropsychiatric evidence of methylphenidate for enhancement of cognitive function among healthy populations. In this article, our aim was to conduct a review of previous studies investigating the effect of methylphenidate in healthy populations. Findings from several recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of methylphenidate for enhancement of cognitive function in healthy populations. The mechanisms of cognitive enhancement are thought to be associated with motivation and the reward circuit in the brain. However, when considering the risk to benefit, an official discussion of the use of methylphenidate among healthy members of the population would be premature. Instead, investigation of epidemiological studies of the prevalence of misuse of stimulants among healthy members of the population, particularly adolescents and college students, is needed. In addition, based on achievements reported in previous studies, investigation of the effect of an approach using non-pharmacological enhancing motivation, which will in turn result in increased cognitive function would be helpful.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.38-52
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• 1994

This study examines three different relation effects of air pollution on health in Seoul city during 1988-90 : an effect on respiratory disease mortality, the frequency of hospital in- patients for asthma, and jogging in the morning. The results seemed likely to show positive association between respiratory mortality and asthma in- patients and ozone concentration. It also suggested that jogging as morning exercise was not recommended in the morning because of the highest concentration of major pollutants in the morning 7 : 00-8'00 a.m ). The epidemiological and statistical investigation of air pollution on health effects to be studied in further detail since these findings have provided some limited conclusions.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.363-367
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• 2008

This study was carried out to investigate an epidemiological state of neosporosis in Korean indigenous cattle in Uljin. Bloody samples were collected from 552 female cattle (337 farms), more than 5 years old, in 10 districts of Uljin, Antibody to N caninum were examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Seroprevalence of individual and farm were 7.6% (42/552) and 8.6% (29/337), respectively. Positive rates by districts was variable $(0%{\sim}14,9%)$, and it was seemed to be a tendency that positive farms gathered with in a small zone. In seroprevalence by herd size farms having between 5-9 heads was top (37%), but there was no significant difference among herd size.