• The Korean journal of internal medicine
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.513-523
• /
• 2024

Background/Aims: Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, hospitals have implemented infection control measures to minimize the spread of the virus within facilities. This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the incidence of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) and common respiratory virus (cRV) infections in hematology units. Methods: This retrospective study included all patients hospitalized in Catholic Hematology Hospital between 2019 and 2020. Patients infected with vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE), carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), and cRV were analyzed. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) methods and interrupted time series analyses were performed to compare the incidence rates before and after the pandemic. Results: The incidence rates of CPE and VRE did not differ between the two periods. However, the incidence of CDI increased significantly (IRR: 1.41 [p = 0.002]) after the COVID-19 pandemic. The incidence of cRV infection decreased by 76% after the COVID-19 outbreak (IRR: 0.240 [p < 0.001]). The incidence of adenovirus, parainfluenza virus, and rhinovirus infection significantly decreased in the COVID-19 period (IRRs: 0.087 [p = 0.003], 0.031 [p < 0.001], and 0.149 [p < 0.001], respectively). Conclusions: The implementation of COVID-19 infection control measures reduced the incidence of cRV infection. However, CDI increased significantly and incidence rates of CPE and VRE remained unchanged in hematological patients after the pandemic. Infection control measures suitable for each type of HCAI, such as stringent hand washing for CDI and enough isolation capacities, should be implemented and maintained in future pandemics, especially in immunocompromised patients.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.286-295
• /
• 2020

Respiratory infections are very common and highly contagious. Respiratory infectious diseases affect not only the person infected but also the family members and the society. As medical sciences advance, several diseases have been conquered; however, the impact of novel infectious diseases on the society is enormous. As the clinical presentation of respiratory infections is similar regardless of the pathogen, the causative agent is not distinguishable by symptoms alone. Moreover, it is difficult to develop a cure because of the various viral mutations. Various respiratory infectious diseases ranging from influenza, which threaten the health of mankind globally, to the coronavirus disease 2019, which resulted in a pandemic, exist. Contrary to human expectations that development in health care and improvement in hygiene will conquer infectious diseases, humankind's health and social systems are threatened by novel infectious diseases. Owing to the development of transport and trading activity, the rate of spread of new infectious diseases is increasing. As respiratory infections can threaten the members of the global community at any time, investigations on preventing the transmission of these diseases as well as development of effective antivirals and vaccines are of utmost importance and require a worldwide effort.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.286-291
• /
• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of OraQuick tests in previously reported articles. Methods: The literature was searched using Pubmed Medline with keywords, such as "OraQuick" or "rapid HIV test". Articles that included the specificity and sensitivity of this device were reviewed. Results: A total of 11 journal articles including 3 domestic articles were reviewed. The sensitivity of the OraQuick Test was reported to be 97.8 to 100% and its specificity was 98.8 to 100%. Conclusion: The results indicated that the simple OraQuick assay has proven to be accurate and it can be used to detect patients with HIV and to prevent the spread of HIV on test screens.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
• /
• v.22 no.12
• /
• pp.881-890
• /
• 2010

As Influenza A virus(H1N1) has been spreading more rapidly around globe, the study on the airborne disease which is transimitted through the respiratory system is on the rise. In this study, the multizone simulation of the public building against bioviolence is performed in the case of unexpected spread of microbial contaminants, such as bioviolence agent, Influenza A, Smallpox, B. anthrax and transport and control characteristics of above three kinds of bioviolence agents are evaluted. Results suggest that Influenza A and Smallpox which has small mean diameter can be more removable than B. anthrax by using high UVGI grade condition and B. anthrax which has large mean diameter can be more removable than Influenza A and Smallpox by using high filter grade condition. Results also suggest that installing a combined air treatment system is more effective to reduce the damage and engineers will use immune building technology for removing the bioviolence agents effectively.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.52 no.8
• /
• pp.862-868
• /
• 2009

Since its identification in April 2009, a swine-origin H1N1 influenza A virus (S-OIV) which is a reassortment of gene segments from both North American triple-reassortant and Eurasian swine influenza has been widely spread among humans in unexpected rapidity. To date, each gene segment of the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) outbreak viruses have shown high (99.9%) neucleotide sequence identity. As of July 6, 94,512 people have been infected in 122 countries, of whom 429 have died with an overall case-fatality rate of <0.5%. Most confirmed cases of S-OIV infection have been characterized by self-limited, uncomplicated febrile respiratory illness and 38% of cases have also included vomiting or diarrhea. Standard plus droplet precautions should be adhered to at all times. Tests on S-OIV have indicated that current new H1N1 viruses are sensitive to neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir). However, current less virulent S-OIV may evolve into a pathogenic strain or acquire antiviral resistance, potentially with more severe clinical consequences. Efforts to control these outbreaks would be based on our understanding of novel S-OIV and previous influenza pandemics.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.57 no.1
• /
• pp.2.1-2.5
• /
• 2015

Among the main intimidation to the sheep and goat population, PPR outbreaks are causing huge losses especially in endemic areas. During recent times, six outbreaks of PPR were confirmed at semi-organized goat farms/herds in various regions of Punjab province and Islamabad capital territory (ICT), Pakistan. The disease started after introduction of new animals at these farms with no history of previous PPR vaccination. The clinical signs appeared affecting respiratory and enteric systems and spread quickly. Disease caused mortality of 10-20% and morbidity of 20-40% within a time period of four weeks. Morbidity and mortality rates were 30.38% (86/283) and 15.55% (44/283), respectively. Three treatment regimes were executed to demonstrate the role of vaccination during outbreak at these farms. First was to use only the broad spectrum antibiotics (Penicillin & Streptomycin and/or Trimethoprim and Sulfadiazine) at two farms (Texilla and Attock). Second treatment regime was to use the same broad spectrum antibiotic along with extensive fluid therapy (Farms at ICT-1 and ICT-2). The third regime was to use of broad spectrum antibiotic plus fluid therapy along with vaccinating the herd against PPR during first week of outbreak (ICT-3 and ICT-4). The third scheme of treatment gave the better results as there was no mortality in third week post-outbreak. Therefore, it is suggested to give proper importance to PPR vaccination along with conventional symptomatic treatment when dealing the PPR outbreaks in endemic disease conditions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.24 no.10
• /
• pp.1445-1454
• /
• 2014

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a disease that spread widely in the world during late 2002 to 2004, severely threatened public health. Although there have been no reported infections since 2004, the extremely pathogenic SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), as the causative agent of SARS, has recently been identified in animals, showing the potential for the re-emergence of this disease. Previous studies showed that 27 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mutations among the spike (S) gene of this virus are correlated closely with the SARS pathogenicity and epidemicity. We have developed a SNP DNA microarray in order to detect and genotype these SNPs, and to obtain related information on the pathogenicity and epidemicity of a given strain. The microarray was hybridized with PCR products amplified from cDNAs obtained from different SARS-CoV strains. We were able to detect 24 SNPs and determine the type of a given strain. The hybridization profile showed that 19 samples were detected and genotyped correctly by using our microarray, with 100% accuracy. Our microarray provides a novel method for the detection and epidemiological surveillance of SARS-CoV.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.1432-1440
• /
• 2013

In spite of advantages to using internet, but there are many adverse effects. The most well-known negative effects include internet addiction, personal information infringement, copyright violation, spread of harmful information, cyber bullying, online fraud, hacking and virus distribution, and online prostitution. Until now, the government and public organization strived to prevent and reduce the negative effects but have faced limitations. In accordance with, one of the measures the solve the problems caused by internet is to strengthen the internet ethics education. This study aims to consider and analyze the negative effects of internet and provide measures to promote internet ethics education to prevent and reduce such effects.

• Convergence Security Journal
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.15-22
• /
• 2005

The spread of Internet and the appear of Downsizing, SI(System Integration) is chaning centralized computing to distributed computing. Also distributed computing is rapidly changing to Ubiquitous computing escape from hard wire connected network. CORBA(Common Object Request Broker Architecture) is a middleware that used for smoothness communication between application program and operation system in a different environment. However distributed computing environment is not safe from the danger, the attack like virus, worm is too intellectual and variety. In this paper, we design a new DB security model and suggest efficiency of it in Ubiquitous environment base on CSS(CORBA Security Service) that present ed from OMG(Object Management Group).

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.34 no.8
• /
• pp.1477-1482
• /
• 2004

Purpose. With the continuous spread of the AIDS virus and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) throughout Asia, it has become imperative for HIV/AIDS prevention outreach programs to stress the need for using prophylactics as one form of protection. This is particularly true for commercial sex workers. This pilot study was conducted to investigate the rate of condom use among the commercial sex workers in Korea and reasons why they frequently do not wear condoms during sexual intercourse. Methods. Fifty female commercial sex workers who worked in the Yong San area were recruited while outreach was performed and forty eight responses were analyzed due to two incomplete questionnaires. The data were collected on June 28, 2004 as part of an outreach program for condom use promotion. Results. The subjects ranged in age from 21 to 45 years. Nearly half of the subjects ($47.9\%$) did not consistently use condoms. The major reason for not using protection was clients' reluctances for using condoms. When condoms were used, the subjects preferred lubricant-rich and less painful condom during intercourse. Conclusion. Due to the inconsistent use of condoms, it is clear that many commercial sex workers and clients are susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore, it is important to not only educate commercial sex workers, but also to educate their pimps and clientele about the importance of condom use. In general, it is recommended that practical strategies and a policy for condom use promotion be developed.