• The Korean Journal of Medicine
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• v.93 no.6
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• pp.556-559
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• 2018

Intestinal tuberculosis is an infection of the gastrointestinal tract by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. To the best of our knowledge, solitary intestinal tuberculosis accompanied by intestinal obstruction, particularly in the middle of the small intestine, is extremely rare. We report a case of solitary jejunal tuberculosis in a 49-year-old man with no underlying disease. He was admitted a few days after the onset of diffuse abdominal discomfort. Upon evaluation, we initially considered a malignancy of the distal jejunum with ileus due to the presence of a mass. Therefore, he underwent laparoscopic resection of the small bowel. Unexpectedly, the histologic specimen showed a chronic caseating granulomatous lesion with acid-fast bacilli. Ultimately, he was diagnosed with solitary jejunal tuberculosis. He was successfully treated with anti-tuberculosis drugs without any complications.

• Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.204-207
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• 2018

Mycobacterium abscessus comprises rapidly growing mycobacteria, and the clinical manifestations of M. abscessus skin infection include papule, nodule, ulcer, scar and mixed form. The cutaneous infections have been reported due to minor trauma, cosmetic therapy, acupuncture and disseminated infection. A 75-year-old man presented with pruritic diffuse various sized erythematous papuloplaques and pustules on the neck and chest for 2 months. The cutaneous lesions were spread around the wound of the shaving on the neck. The histopathologic findings were consistent with abscess showing infiltrations of neutrophils and lymphocytes in the dermis and negative findings were observed on immunohistochemical stain including acid-fast bacilli stain. One month later, mycobacterial culture result showed positive findings, and the pathogen was identified by reversetranscriptase polymerase chain reaction with hybridization. The patient was treated with combination of clarithromycin and ethambutol for 5 months and there is no evidence of recurrence after 6 months of follow-up. Herein, we report a case of M. abscessus cutaneous infection through minor trauma caused by shaving in the elderly.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.82 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2019

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is the most important disease screened for upon patient history review during preimmigration medical examinations as performed in South Korea in prospective immigrants to certain Western countries. In 2007, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed the TB screening protocol from a smear-based test to the complete Culture and Directly Observed Therapy Tuberculosis Technical Instructions (CDOT TB TI) for reducing the incidence of TB in foreign-born immigrants. Methods: This study evaluated the effect of the revised (as compared with the old) protocol in South Korea. Results: Of the 40,558 visa applicants, 365 exhibited chest radiographic results suggestive of active or inactive TB, and 351 underwent sputum tests (acid-fast bacilli smear and Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture). To this end, using the CDOT TB TI, 36 subjects (88.8 per $10^5$ of the population) were found to have TB, compared with only seven using the older U.S. CDC technical instruction (TI) (p<0.001). In addition, there were six drug-resistant cases which were identified (16.7 per $10^5$ of the population), two of whom had multidrug-resistance (5.6 per $10^5$ of the population). Conclusion: The culture-based 2007 TI identified a great deal of TB cases current to the individuals tested, as compared to older U.S. CDC TI.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.119-124
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• 2021

The report describes an avian mycobacteriosis in a captive wild bird. A 7-year-old female Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) maintained in a zoo of Korea presented a gradual cachexia and eventually was found dead. At necropsy, severely atrophied pectoral muscles exposing the keel bone were noticed. Yellowish thick nodules in varying sizes were scattered in all lobes of lungs, liver and spleen, suggesting mycobacteriosis. Histopathologically, multifocal to coalescing granulomas surrounded by multinucleated giant cells were observed. Numbers of acid-fast bacilli were revealed in granulomas. Then, a series of molecular diagnostic techniques were followed: a nested PCR, DNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. It resulted as Mycobacterium genavense. The identification of M. genavense as an etiological agent suggested that it might serve as a risk factor for other captive wild animals, and for a potential zoonotic risk since M. genavense have been a definite cause of disseminated mycobacterial infection in immunocompromised people. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of avian mycobacteriosis with M. genavense in a captive Indian peafowl.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.401-408
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• 2002

Background : Tuberculin skin test is a method to examine M. tuberculosis infection and has been used all over the world. But various factors make it difficult to understand testing results. In 2000, the American Thoracic Society recommended that skin test results should be decided by considering risk factors of the tested. In Korea, high tuberculosis infection rate and BCG vaccination rate make it difficult to differentiate current infection, past infection, and no infection by the skin test. This study was attempted to examine a negative predictive value of the skin test to understand how the skin test acts on deciding administration of anti-tuberculosis drug. Methods : From Mar. 1 to Jul. 31 in 2001, the test was performed for patients hospitalized in Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chunchon, Korea by administering Tuberculin PPD RT23 2 TU (0.1 ml)to them that has been currently used in Korea based on Mantoux method. They were decided to be infected with tuberculosis bacilli by following diagnostic standard: 1) tuberculosis bacilli was cultured in sputum by microbiological diagnostic standard or Acid-fast bacilli was proven on a microscopic examination or 2) tuberculosis bacilli was not proven in the aforesaid microbiological test by clinical diagnostic standard, while there was opinion or symptom suitable for tuberculosis by radiographic or histological standard so the doctor decided to apply the tuberculosis treatment. Results : In this study, total 210 patients except 20 patients (8.7%) among 230 hospitalized patients were evaluated. Their average age was 60±16.8 years, and male-female rate was 1.28 : 1 (male: 118, female: 92). Number of patient, who was diagnosed and decided as tuberculosis, was 53(25.2%). Pulmonary tuberculosis was found in 45 patients (84.9%); 22 patients were decided to be positive in the Acid-fast bacilli smear test by microbiological examination (culture positive: 13, culture negative: 9), and 23 patients were decided to be tuberculosis patients by clinical diagnosis standard. Tuberculosis pleuritis was found in 8 patients (15.1%); 4 patients were diagnosed and decided by histological standard, and 4 patients were decided and treated by clinical standard. In differentiating patients into 'Negative' and 'Positive' by the skin test standard of the American Thoracic Society, negative predictive value 92.3%, positive predictive value 47.3%, sensitivity and specificity were 83%, 68.8%, respectively. Conclusion : In hospitalized respiratory patients, there was high negative predictive vlaue 92.3% by tuberculin skin test, therefore skin test would be a important factor for deciding administration of anti-tuberculosis drug on negative skin test patient.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.24-28
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• 2016

Tuberculosis (TB) remains an unsolved community health problem since identification of its causing microorganism called Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) by Robert Koch in 1882. Annually, eight million TB cases are newly reported and 2~3 million patients die from TB. Pulmonary TB is highly infectious and untreated pulmonary TB patients are believed to infect >10 people in a year. The conventional methods for diagnosis of TB are chest X-ray and isolation of the causing microorganisms from patient specimens. Screening of TB is conducted with smeared sputum in slides, and TB is confirmed by identification of MTB in cultured specimens. One of the fatal pitfalls of screening detection for smeared sputum is that it is impossible to distinguish MTB and other acid-fast bacilli (AFB) because they are stained equally with Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) stain. Culture of MTB is the most reliable method for diagnosis of TB but it takes 4~8 weeks. In this report, we suggest a fast and highly-reliable MTB detection method that distinguishes AFB in sputum samples. Purified DNA from the AFB stained slide samples offered by The Korean Institute of Tuberculosis were used to detect infected MTB in patients. PCR, real-time PCR and reverse blot hybridization assay (REBA) methods were applied to purified DNA. Conclusively, the real-time PCR method was confirmed to produce high sensitivity and we were able to further detect drug-resistant MTB with REBA.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.238-242
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• 2005

We report the case of a girl with peritoneal tuberculosis (Tb) who presented with mimicking features of ovarian cancer including massive ascites, elevation of CA-125 and ovarian masses. These ovarian masses cannot be ruled out malingnacy with image study. Gram stain, acid-fast stain, bacteriological and mycological culture of centrifuged ascites cells were negative. Tumor markers revealed an elevated CA-125 level of 112 U/mL and adenosine deaminase level were significantly high with 118 U/L. Diagnostic laparoscopy was done. The histology of the peritoneum and the ovary showed multiple granulomatous nodules with epithelioid cells and multi-nucleated giant cells. And there were no evidence of malignancy. Furthermore acid-fast bacilli (AFB) was identified in this specimen. Peritoneal Tb was difficult to diagnosis in our patient because it mimicked ovarian cancer. And this is the first case of abdominal Tb mimicking ovarian cancer in children in Korea.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.231-236
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• 2015

A 17-year-old girl presented with complaints of headache and decreasing vision of one month's duration, without any history of fever, weight loss, or any evidence of an immuno-compromised state. Her neurological examination was normal, except for papilledema. Laboratory investigations were within normal limits, except for a slightly increased Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR). Non-contrast computerized tomography of her head revealed complex mass in left frontal lobe with a concentric, slightly hyperdense, thickened wall, and moderate perilesional edema with mass effect. Differential diagnoses considered in this case were pilocytic astrocytoma, metastasis and abscess. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) obtained in 3.0 Tesla (3.0T) scanner revealed a lobulated outline cystic mass in the left frontal lobe with two concentric layers of T2 hypointense wall, with T2 hyperintensity between the concentric ring. Moderate perilesional edema and mass effect were seen. Post gadolinium study showed a markedly enhancing irregular wall with some enhancing nodular solid component. No restricted diffusion was seen in this mass in diffusion weighted imaging (DWI). Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) showed increased lactate and lipid peaks in the central part of this mass, although some areas at the wall and perilesional T2 hyperintensity showed an increased choline peak without significant decrease in N-acetylaspartate (NAA) level. Arterial spin labelling (ASL) and dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) enhanced perfusion study showed decrease in relative cerebral blood volume at this region. These features in MRI were suggestive of brain abscess. The patient underwent craniotomy with excision of a grayish nodular lesion. Abundant acid fast bacilli (AFB) in acid fast staining, and epithelioid cell granulomas, caseation necrosis and Langhans giant cells in histopathology, were conclusive of tubercular abscess. Tubercular brain abscess is a rare manifestation that simulates malignancy and cause diagnostic dilemma. MRI along with MRS and magnetic resonance perfusion studies, are powerful tools to differentiate lesions in such equivocal cases.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.153-157
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• 2013

Although culture is the gold standard method to identify mycobacteria, its use in tuberculous lymphadenitis (TBL) is limited due to formalin fixation of the submitted specimens. We evaluated the performance of quantitative real-time PCR (q-PCR) for Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (MTB) in granulomatous lymphadenitis using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues. From 2000 to 2010, a total number of 117 cases of lymph node samples with granulomatous inflammation which were surgically removed and fixed in formalin were studied. Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) and Ziehl-Neelsen-stained (ZN) slides were reviewed. qPCR using Real TB-Taq$^{(R)}$ was performed for all cases to identify Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Thirteen non-tuberculous lymphadenopathy cases were used as negative control. Cervical lymph nodes were more frequently affected (60%, 70/117) than other sites. ZN stain for acid fast bacilli was positive in 19 (16.24%) cases. qPCR for tuberculosis was positive in 92 (78.63%) cases. Caseous necrosis was found in 103 (88.03%) cases. While the ZN stain and qPCR were both negative in all control cases, the qPCR showed a significantly higher positive rate (78.63% vs. 16.24%) compared to ZN stain in histologically diagnosed TBL. Quantitative real-time PCR proves to be more sensitive than ZN stain for diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2001

Tuberculous lymphadenitis is not uncommon in Korea. Therefore, an inexpensive, safe and rapid method is needed to diagnose the tuberculous lymphadenitis. Flne needle aspiration cytology Is a good method for this purpose, but has several limitations in the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis, especially when the presence of acid-fast bacilli is not proved. To evaluation the usefulness of the polymerase chain reaction with enzyme immunoassay technique in the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) In the cervical Iymph node asplrates, the authors performed fine needle aspiration cytology and M. tuberculosis PCR with enzyme immunoassay for mycobacterial DNA sequences from 15 cases of the fine needle aspirates. Cytomorphologically, the cases were categorized into three types: predominantly necrotic materials; typical epithelioid cell granulomas with or without slant cells and caseous necrosis; and non-tuberculous lesions, such as reactive lymphadenitis, abscess, metastatic carcinoma and malignant lymphoma. M. tuberculosis DNA was found in 8 of 15 cases by PCR with enzyme immunoassay. Negative findings on PCR were achieved in 7 cases, which revealed non-tuberculous tymphadenopathy. In conclusion, we suggest that M. tuberculosis PCR with enzyme immunoassay using the fine needle aspirates is a very useful tool for the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis.