• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제33권9호
• /
• pp.746-753
• /
• 2023

바이러스성 전염병은 전 세계 공중 보건에 가장 큰 위협 중 하나로 간주된다. 최근 중증급성호흡기증후군 코로나바이러스-2(SARS-CoV-2)로 인한 COVID-19 대유행은 신종 바이러스 감염의 위협을 극명하게 상기시켜 주었다. 효율적인 백신과 치료제 개발 및 생산은 팬데믹을 퇴치할 수 있는 유일한 대안일 것이며 COVID-19 대유행은 새로운 바이러스성 질병을 통제하고 예방하기 위한 새로운 백신 플랫폼의 필요성을 보여주었다. 기존의 백신 플랫폼인 약독화 생백신, 불활성화 백신은 백신 개발 속도, 제조 등이 광범위한 백신 적용을 위한 긴급 사용에 한계가 있다. 흥미롭게도, COVID-19 예방을 위한 SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-지질나노입자(LNP) 플랫폼은 기존 백신 플랫폼 한계에 대한 효과적인 대안임이 확인되었다. 또한 COVID-19 mRNA 핵산 백신과 나노입자 기반 플랫폼은 SARS-CoV-2 및 변종 SARS-CoV-2 모두에 효과적인 백신임이 확인되었다. 이 논문에서는 mRNA 백신, 디지털 백신 및 나노입자백신 등의 차세대 백신 플랫폼을 중점으로 백신 기술 및 플랫폼의 장단점에 대해 기술하였다.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
• /
• 제12권2호
• /
• pp.116-120
• /
• 2023

Purpose: In Japan, the data on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody titers after the booster dose of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine are insufficient. The aim of this study is to evaluate changes in SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers before, 1, 3, and 6 months after the booster dose of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine among health care workers. Materials and Methods: A total of 268 participants who received the booster dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine were analyzed. SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers were measured before (baseline) and at 1, 3, and 6 months after the booster dose. Factors associated with changes in SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers at 1, 3, and 6 months were analyzed. Cutoff values at baseline were calculated to prevent infection of the omicron variant of COVID-19. Results: The SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers at baseline, and 1, 3, and 6 months were 1,018.3 AU/mL, 21,396.5 AU/mL, 13,704.6 AU/mL, and 8,155.6 AU/mL, respectively. Factors associated with changes in SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers at 1 month were age and SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers at baseline, whereas changes in SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers at 3 and 6 months were associated with the SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers at 1 month. The cutoff values of the SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers at baseline were 515.4 AU/mL and 13,602.7 AU/mL at baseline and 1 month after the booster dose, respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers increase rapidly at 1 month after the booster dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine and begin to decrease from 1 to 6 months. Hence, another booster may be needed as soon as possible to prevent infection.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
• /
• 제54권2호
• /
• pp.79-94
• /
• 2022

COVID-19로 인한 높은 전염성과 호흡기 질환의 심각성 때문에, 전염의 확산을 더 잘 모니터링하고 예방하기 위해 경제적이고 정확한 검사가 필요하다. COVID-19 대유행의 초기 단계에서 SARS-CoV-2의 구조적 및 분자적 특성이 밝혀짐에 따라, 많은 COVID-19 진단 키트 제조업체들은 진단 테스트의 설계, 개발, 검증 및 구현에 적극적으로 투자했다. 현재, SARS-CoV-2에 대한 진단검사로써 신속한 항원, 특정 IgG 및 IgM 항체검사를 위한 면역 혈청학적 검사 그리고 분자 진단 검사가 가장 널리 사용되고 검증된 기술이다. 분자 진단 분석법은 SARS-CoV-2에 감염된 것으로 의심되는 개인에서 바이러스 RNA를 직접 검출하기 위한 gold standard이다. 항체 기반 혈청 검사는 지역사회에서 COVID-19 유병률을 결정하고 면역력을 획득한 개인을 식별하는 데 사용되는 간접 검사이다. 본 논문에서는 시판되고 FDA가 승인한 분자 및 면역학적 진단 측정을 평가하여 성능 특성을 분석하였다.

• 수면정신생리
• /
• 제29권2호
• /
• pp.29-34
• /
• 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was a global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is still a serious public health problem. COVID-19 causes various symptoms not only in the respiratory system but also in various parts of the body and has a significant effect on sleep. Insomnia and poor sleep quality were observed at high rates in patients with COVID-19 as well as in the uninfected general population. Obstructive sleep apnea is also considered a risk factor in patients with severe COVID-19. Virus-induced central nervous system damage is likely to be the cause of many sleep disorders in COVID-19, but psychosocial influences also seem to have played a significant role. Sleep problems persisted at high rates for a considerable period after the infection phase was over. More attention and research on the effect of COVID-19 on sleep is needed in the future.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제30권8호
• /
• pp.1109-1115
• /
• 2020

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is spreading globally, and the WHO has declared this outbreak a pandemic. Vaccines are an effective way to prevent the rapid spread of COVID-19. Furthermore, the immune response against SARS-CoV-2 infection needs to be understood for the development of an efficient and safe vaccine. Here, we review the current understanding of vaccine targets and the status of vaccine development for COVID-19. We also describe host immune responses to highly pathogenic human coronaviruses in terms of innate and adaptive immunities.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• 제39권4호
• /
• pp.344-346
• /
• 2022

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly spread worldwide, leading the World Health Organization to declare coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic. To curb the unchecked spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection, most countries have enforced travel restrictions. However, it is debatable whether such restrictions are effective in containing infections and preventing pandemics. Rather, they may negatively impact economies and diplomatic relationships. Each government should conduct an extensive and appropriate analysis of its national economy, diplomatic status, and COVID-19 preparedness to decide whether it is best to restrict entering travelers. Even if travelers from other countries are allowed entry, extensive contact tracing is required to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In addition, governments can implement "travel bubbles," which allow the quarantine-free flow of people among countries with relatively low levels of community transmission. An accurate evaluation of the benefits and losses due to entry restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic would be helpful in determining whether entry restrictions are an effective measure to reduce the spread of infection in future pandemics.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제47권1호
• /
• pp.23-32
• /
• 2023

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly infectious respiratory disease caused by a severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 infection may cause clinical manifestations of multiple organ damage, including various neurological syndromes. There are currently two oral antiviral drugs-Paxlovid and molnupiravir-that are recognized to treat COVID-19, but there are still no drugs that can specifically fight the challenges of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor pyrin domain-containing-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a multimolecular complex that can sense heterogeneous pathogen-associated molecular patterns associated with neurological disorders. The NLRP3 activation stimulates the production of caspase-1-mediated interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18, and other cytokines in immune cells. Panax (P.) ginseng is a medicinal plant that has traditionally been widely used to boost immunity and treat various pathological conditions in the nervous system due to its safety and anti-inflammatory/oxidant/viral activities. Several recent reports have indicated that P. ginseng and its active ingredients may regulate NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the nervous system. Therefore, this review article discusses the current knowledge regarding the pathogenesis of neurological disorders related to COVID-19 and NLRP3 inflammasome activation and the possibility of using P. ginseng in a strategy targeting this pathway to treat neurological disorders.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• 제54권2호
• /
• pp.86-95
• /
• 2021

Objectives: This study investigated associations between perceptions of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in workers at hospitals designated to treat COVID-19, as well as the difference in the magnitude of these associations by occupational type and previous Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) experience. Methods: The participants were workers at hospitals designated to treat COVID-19 who completed a questionnaire about their perceptions related to COVID-19, work experience during the previous MERS-CoV outbreak, and symptoms of PTSD ascertained by the PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Participants' characteristics were compared using the chi-square test. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate the associations between perceptions and the prevalence of PTSD, stratified by occupational type and previous MERS-CoV experience. Results: Non-medical personnel showed stronger associations with PTSD than medical personnel according to general fear (odds ratio [OR], 6.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.92 to 23.20), shortages of supplies (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.56), and issue-specific fear (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.59). Those with prior MERS-CoV quarantine experience were more prone to PTSD than those without such experience in terms of general fear (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.22 to 2.37), shortages of supplies (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.40), and issue-specific fear (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.38). Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, non-medical personnel tended to have higher odds of being categorized as having PTSD. Workers with prior MERS-CoV experience were more susceptible than those without such experience. These findings suggest the need for timely interventions to manage human resources for a sustainable quarantine system.

• 적정기술학회지
• /
• 제6권2호
• /
• pp.211-218
• /
• 2020

세계보건기구(WHO)가 3월 11일 코로나19에 대해 팬데믹(Pandemic)을 선언한 이후 현재 ('20.05.29 기준) 214개 국가에서 580만명이 넘는 확진자가 발생했으며, 사망자는 약 36만명에 이른다. 코로나 19의 세계적 유행은 수 많은 국가와 도시의 봉쇄를 야기했고 강력한 사회적 거리 두기는 보건, 교육, 정치, 종교, 경제 등 거의 모든 분야에 많은 영향을 주고있다. 우리나라는 코로나19에 대응하기위하여 다양한 디지털 기술을 적극적으로 활용하고 있으며 이러한 대응은 국제적으로 성공적인 사례로 소개되고 있다. 본 논문에서는 이중에서 코로나19 역학조사지원시스템의 개발 배경 및 과정과 함께 시스템의 기능을 소개하고 이 시스템이 아주 짧은 기간에 개발 및 실제 적용 될 수 있도록 결정적인 역할을 한 스마트시티 데이터허브 기술에 대해서 소개하고자 한다. 또한, 본 사례를 기반으로 도시에서 데이터허브 등과 같은 수평적 공통 플랫폼의 미래의 도시에서 역할과 중요성에 대하여 논하고자 한다.

• 보건행정학회지
• /
• 제32권1호
• /
• pp.45-52
• /
• 2022

Background: There are regional variations in the incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which means that some regions are more exposed to the risk of COVID-19 than others. Therefore, this study aims to investigate regional variations in the incidence of COVID-19 in Korea and identify risk factors associated with the incidence of COVID-19 using community-level data. Methods: This study was conducted at the districts (si·gun·gu) level in Korea. Data of COVID-19 incidence by districts were collected from the official website of each province. Data was also obtained from the Korean Statistical Information Service and the Community Health Survey; socio-demographic factor, transmission pathway, healthcare resource, and factor in response to COVID-19. Community risk factors that drive the incidence of COVID-19 were selected using a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression. Results: As of June 2021, the incidence of COVID-19 differed by more than 80 times between districts. Among the candidate factors, sex ratio, population aged 20-29, local financial independence, population density, diabetes prevalence, and failure to comply with the quarantine rules were significantly associated with COVID-19 incidence. Conclusion: This study suggests setting COVID-19 quarantine policy and allocating resources, considering the community risk factors. Protecting vulnerable groups should be a high priority for these policies.