• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.233-242
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• 2019

Detailed description of malaria in low transmission areas is crucial for elimination. The current study aimed to provide a comprehensive description for malaria transmission in Jazan, a low transmission district, southwestern Saudi Arabia. Patients at a tertiary care hospital were recruited in our study between August 2016 and September 2018. Malaria diagnosis was performed through a species-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR), microscopy and Paramax-$3^{TM}$ rapid detection test (RDT). Malaria was detected in 30 patients by the PCR, with point prevalence of 10.9%. Of these malaria infections, 80% was imported, 26.6% was asymptomatic and 23.3% was sub-microscopic. Malaria was reported throughout the year, with February/March and September/October peaks. Infection was significantly more in males than in females (P=0.01). Likewise, infections were detected more in febrile than in non-febrile patients (P=0.01). Adult aged 15-24 years, fever and travel were identified as high-risk factors. Malaria was primarily attributed to Plasmodium falciparum mono-infections, followed by P. vivax mono-infections and lastly to falciparum/vivax mixed infections accounting 76.6%, 16.6%, and 6.6% of PCR-confirmed malaria cases, respectively. The nested PCR was superior to the smear microscopy (sensitivity 76.6%; specificity 100%) and the RDT (sensitivity 83.3%, specificity 94.2%). The overall percent agreement between microscopy and the RDT was 92.7% (kappa=0.63). High proportion of imported malaria including sub-microscopic and sub-patent cases were described. We suggest that incorporation of molecular tool into the conventional malaria diagnosis is beneficial in Jazan district.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 1995

Two-day-old chickens{\;}and{\;}mallards were orally inoculated with one of % doses varying from $2{\;}{\times}{\;}10^2{\;}to{\;}2{\;}{\times}{\;}10^6$ of C. bailevi oocysts per individual. Generally, the more oocysts Inoculated were, the longer the patent periods were, and the more oocysts shedding were. Meanwhile increasing the inoculative dose, the prepatent periods were shortened except that mallards inoculated with $2{\;}{\times}{\;}10^2and{\;}2{\;}{\times}{\;}10^3$ oocysts foiled to produce the oocysts. The more parasites involving oocysts appeared from the chicken in comparison to the mallard. In the chickens challenged with a single dose of $2{\;}{\times}{\;}10^6$ oocysts, a small number of oocysts were detected from feces on days 4-14 after challenge infection (ACI) in all of carrageenan administered groups and in the control groups inoculated with $2{\;}{\times}{\;}10^2{\;}and{\;}2{\;}{\times}{\;}10^3$ oocysts. In the mallards, a few oocysts were also recognized on days 5-15 ACI in all of carrageenan treated groups and in the control groups inoculated with $2{\;}{\times}{\;}10^2,{\;}2{\;}{\times}{\;}10^3{\;}and{\;}2{\;}{\times}{\;}10^4$ oocysts. Just prior to challenge infection, phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages (Me) and the number of peripheral Mc in both birds were significantly decreased in the carrageenan treated groups as compared to the control groups. Mild challenge inection in both birds denoted that the immunogenicity of C. bailelli to the birds was very strong, despite MB blocker carrageenan administration.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.271-277
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• 1996

In selected cases, early corrective surgery is indicated in the management of infants having large ventricular septal defects. The risk of any surgical procedure in infancy is acknowledged to be great and should be avoided whenever possible. However this greater surgical risk is justified when the patient presents with intractable congestive heart failure, severe pulmonary hypertension, marked growth retardation, and recurrent prolonged lower respiratory infections. We analyzed 31 patients with ventricular septal defect in infancy who underwent surgical correction from January 1991 through December 1994. Age ranged from 6 months to 12 months with mean age of 9.2 months. Of the thirty-one patients, 23 patients were male and 8 patients were female. Mean body weight was 7. 4kg. The most common type of ventricular septal defect was perimembraneo s (64.5%). Associated cardiac anomalies were found in 17 patients (55.8%). Mitral regurgitation was the most commonly associated cardiac anomaly (16.1 %) and followed by patent ductus arteriosus (12.9%). When cardiac catheterization data were analysed, the most common range of Qp/qs, RpiRs, Pp/ps were 2.1∼ 3.0, 1-0.25, above 0.70 respectively. Among the indications of surgical correction, there were pulmonary hypertension in 20 patients, congestive heart failure in 3 patients, intractable respiratory infection in 10 patients and growth retardation in 14 patients. The most common surgical approach and method for closure of ventricular septal defect .were right atriotomy (58%) and Dacron patch closure (94%). Postoperative complications occurred in 10 cases (32%) and overall mortality was 12.9% (4 cases). All operative deaths in this series occurred in infants under the age of 8 months and weight of 8 kilograms.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.142-149
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• 2003

To know the feasibility of the coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) for multivessel coronary artery disease with purely bilateral internal thoracic arteries (ITAs), we analyzed the short-term clinical results and the coronary angiography of the patients. Material and Method: From March 2001 to June 2002, four hundred and five patients underwent CABG. Purely bilateral ITAs were used in 159 patients (39.3%). We analyzed these patients retrospectively The mean age of these patients was $61.2{\pm}8.5$ (range: 30 ~80) years and there were 123 male patients. The preoperative risk factors were as follows: diabetes in 54 patients (34.0%), history of acute myocardiac infarction within 4 weeks in 29 (18.2%), and emergency operation in 6 (3.8%). Off-pump CABG was carried out in 128 patients (80.5%). Associated procedures were mitral valvuloplasty (5), aortic valve replacement (3), Dor procedure (1), and so on. Result: The mean number of distal anastomoses was $3.1{\pm}0.9$ (range: 2~6), the mean duration of hospital stay was $8.4{\pm}4.5$ days. There was one (0.6%) operative death. Except for one early death, no other patients suffered from low cardiac output. The other postoperative complications were occurred as follows: reoperation due to bleeding in 3 patients, perioperative myocardiac infarction in 1, transient cardiac arrest in 2, transient cognitive dysfunction in 7, and transient ischemic attack in 1, and deep sternal wound infection in 1 patient. Recently, early postoperative angiography was performed in 19 patients who had triple vessel disease. The total number of distal anastomosis was 78 (mean $4.1{\pm}0.8$/patient). All distal anastomosis sites were patent, but competition flow was observed at the bypass sites where the native coronary artery stenosis was not significant. Conclusion: The CABG with purely bilateral ITAs for triple vessel disease was performed safely. The early patency rate was relatively good in small number of patients. However the long-term patency rate and the functional study to evaluate the sites where competition flow was observed should be followed.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.151-159
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• 2008

Purpose : This study determined the prenatal and postnatal factors associated with complications and prognosis in premature infants with leukemoid reaction. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of premature infants with gestational ages <37 weeks and low birth weights (<2,500 g) who were admitted immediately after birth to the neonatal intensive care unit at the Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital between June 2005 and July 2006. A leukemoid reaction was defined as an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >30,000/$mm^3$. The infants who had leukemoid reaction comprised the study group, while the remainder of infants made up the control group. The relationships between maternal and neonatal variables and ANC were studied. Results : Leukemoid reaction was detected in 3.1% of the study infants (8 of 252). Factors more frequently associated with infants with leukemoid reaction were as follows: maternal chorioamnionitis, high levels of maternal and infant C-reactive protein, gestational age <37 weeks, birth weight <2,500 g, low Apgar score, prolonged ventilator support, and a high incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). However, there were no significant differences with respect to the antenatal usage of steroids, the incidences of patent ductus arteriosus, necrotizing enterocolitis, intraventricular hemorrhage, retinopathy of prematurity, and mortality between the two groups. Conclusion : Leukemoid reaction in premature infants was associated with chorioamnionitis and high levels of serum C-reactive protein in mothers and infants, and BPD in infants. These findings suggest that leukemoid reaction is secondary to inflammation caused by infection.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 2005

Purpose : The incidence of mortality associated with respiratory difficulties is decreasing nowadays contributed to the development of neonatology. However, complications associated with mechanical ventilator are increasing. This study is to determine clinical manifestations, diagnositc availability of the endotracheal tip culture in patients with Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia(VAP) in neonatal intensive care unit(NICU). Methods : A retrospective analysis of 50 neonates who were admitted to the NICU of Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital and had given mechanical ventilator from 1 January 2000 to 30 June 2003. VAP group defined as neonates who had pneumonia with mechanical ventilation longer than 48 hours. They were classified into VAP group(n=13) and control group (n=37) and the prevalence, microorganisms cultured from the endotracheal tube tip and risk factors were investigated. Results : The prevalence of VAP was 26.0%(n=13) and the most dominant microorganism cultured in our NICU was methicillin-resistant coagulase negative staphylococcus(MR-CNS) in 4 cases. Other microorganisms were Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) and Klebsiella. Gestational age, birth weight, Apgar score, respiratory distress syndrome, retinopathy of prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, sepsis, renal failure, pulmonary hemorrhage, pneumothorax were not different significantly between two groups except intraventricular hemorrhage(P<0.001) and patent ductus arteriosus(P<0.05). Duration of hospital stay and mortality rate were also not different significantly. Conclusion : VAP occurred at a significant rate among mechanically ventilated NICU patients. Despite of limitation of encotracheal tip culture, the most common microorganism was MR-CNS. We should be aware of occurrence of VAP in NICU neonate who were with mechanical ventilator and should treat with great care.