• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.247-259
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• 1999

Small round structured viruses (SRSV) are the major ethological agents which can cause outbreaks of non-bacterial gastroenteritis or food poisoning both in children and adults. The classification of family Caliciviridae to which SRSV belong, is based on the genome encoding three open reading frames. The rotavirus is another major pathogen which causes diarrhea in young children. We examined stool specimens obtained from diarrheal patients in Wonju from which bacterial pathogens were not found. To detect causative viruses from stool specimens of patients, reverse transcription (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or nested PCR using rotavirus or SRSV specific primers was performed. In this study, RT-nested PCR procedure which can amplify a 330 bp fragment derived from RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP) region within ORF1 was applied for the detection of SRSV. For the detection of rotaviruses, a 877 bp fragment from the VP4 region of rotavirus genome was amplified. As a result, rotavirus was not detected while SRSV sequences were detected from one out of five specimens. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the Wonju isolate were compared with other 6 Korean isolates which have been isolated and sequenced in our laboratory. Sequence analysis revealed that the Wonju isolate was rather distinct from other Korean isolates: the Wonju isolate was closer to genogroup I of SRSV while other 6 Korean isolates belonged to genogroup II.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.49-52
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• 1994

Nine cases of human infection with Strongyloines stercornlis are reported among patients admitted to the Seoul Paik and Sang-Kye Paik Hospitals, Inje University, from April 1990 to Junuary 1992. The Patients, 7 males and 2 females acted between 50 and 70, either had the history of long term use of steroids for management of arthritis, or were complicated with other chronic diseases such as hypertension, liver diseases, psychotic disorders, and gastrointestinal problems. All of the nine patients revealed rhabditoid larvae of S. stercorolis in fecal examination. A 57-year-old woman who complained of arthritis and abdominal discomfort, was treated with albendazole and mebendazole, and on the 4th and 5th treatment day 220 parasitic adult females were collected from the diarrheal stool. The patient had a long history of administration of steroids for treatment of arthritis, and seems to have suffered from hyperinfection syndrome due to autoinfection with S. stercordis. This is the 3rd report on the recovery of parasitic adult females of S. stercoraLis in Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.479-485
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• 2014

Cryptosporidium diarrhea represents a relevant clinical problem in developing countries. In Al-Taif, a city of Saudi Arabia that lies at an altitude of an around 2 km above the sea level, Cryptosporidium infection seems to be undiagnosed in nearly all clinical laboratories. Furthermore, nothing was published regarding Cryptosporidium-associated diarrhea in this area. The objectives of this research were to (1) determine the Cryptosporidium prevalence among patients with diarrhea and (2) to estimate the performances of 3 different diagnostic methods. Total 180 diarrheal fecal samples, 1 sample per patient, were collected between January and August 2013. Samples were screened for Cryptosporidium with modified Zeihl Neelsen (ZN) microscopy, $RIDA^{(R)}$ Quick lateral flow (LF) immunotest, and a previously published PCR. The Cryptosporidium prevalence rate was 9.4% (17/180), 10% (18/180), and 11.6% (21/180) by microscopy, LF, and PCR test, respectively. Infection was significantly (P=0.004) predominant among children <5 years (22%) followed by children 5-9 years (11.1%). Although infection was higher in males than in females (16.2% males and 8.5% females), the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.11). Compared to PCR, the sensitivity of microscopy and the LF test were 80.9%, 85.7%, respectively. To conclude, high Cryptosporidium-associated diarrhea was found in this area especially in children ${\leq}9$ years. The PCR test showed the best performance followed by the LF test and ZN staining microscopy. The primary health care providers in Al-Taif need to be aware of and do testing for this protozoon, particularly for children seen with diarrhea.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.73-78
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• 1997

Purpose : Escherichia coli O157 can produce diarrhea as well as hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. In many parts of North America, E. coli O157 often is the second or third most commonly isolated enteric bacterial pathogens. Recently, intakes of fast food, including hamburgers have increased in Korea. Therefore, E. coli O157 infection in Korea are likely to be increased. Methods : Stool samples from 317 pediatric diarrheal patients were analyzed by culture on sorbitol-MacConkey agar. Sorbitol-negative colonies were teated by E. coli O157 latex agglutination test. Results : Of the 317 specimens, one (0.3%) were E. coli O157:NM that not produced Shiga toxin. The 7 year old male patient who had complained of abdominal pain, vomiting and non-bloody diarrhea for 2 days. The patient was improved for 2 days after admission. Conclusions 1 Only one (0.3%) of all fecal samples were isolated E. coli O157 that not produced Shiga toxin. Therefore, routine stool culture for the isolation of E. coli O157 was not likely to be neccessary so far.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.109-116
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• 1976

Reorganization of myun health care service is one of the main issues in health care delivery in rural Korea. The fundamenta, concept of the role and function of the myun health subcenter is that it is the basic unit of rural health care service and is to provide comprehensive health care service through the integration of curative and preventive services. The aim of this study is to analyze the patterns of curative activities in the myun health subcenter in terms of the most prevalent types of diseases, necessary diagnostic methods and required equipment, types of treatment, necessary drugs and materials, and finally the cost of curative services. The population on which this study was done was the 1596 patients who visited the two myun health subcenters (Sunwon Myun and Naega Myun) in Kang Wha County, the area of the Yonsei University Community Health Teaching Project, during period from May 1, 1975 to June 10, 1976. For the patient's record in the clinic, problem oriented medical records were used. Decisions regarding the disease classification, the diagnostic methods used and selection of the most appropriate and adequate medical treatment were made by a group of three experienced physicians after reviewing the medical records which had been written by public physicians who were treating patients in the study area. The records were reviewed by resident staff members of the Department of Preventive Medicine, of Yonsei University College of Medicine. A brief summary of results of the study is as follow: 1. 29.9% of the patients who visited the clinics were ages between 0-4. No sex difference was observed among patients less than 20 years of age. However, among patients over 20 years old, females predominated. Thus it is evident that the majority of patients were either children or mothers and grandmothers. 2. The distance from the individual villages to the myun health subcenter was one of important factors in determining the ratio of clinic visits. However, other factors such as the activities of the health workers also affected the rates substantially. 3. The most common 25 diseases comprised 90.2% of all the diseases recorded. Acute respiratory infection (25.5%), Skin (12.7%) , diarrheal diseases (6.8%), neuralgia and back pain (4.9%) and. all other injuries (3.9%) were the five most common diseases. 4. Of all the diseases diagnosed and treated, 9.2% required simple laboratory tests for diagnosis, 6.5% required X-ray examination, and altogether 13.6% required either laboratory test or X-ray examination. 5. Treatment and management of 42.0% of the cases could be accomplished with simple, inexpensive drugs, 12.8% required the use of more expensive drugs (mostly antibiotics) and injections were required in 19.7% of the cases. Minor surgery and referral were necessary in 5% of the cases. 6. The cost for diagnosis and treatment was estimated with a standard which was set by general concensus. The average cost of diagnosis was 144 per case and the cost of treatment was 726 per case, The Total average cost per visit was 870.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.134-151
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• 2024

Salmonella spp. is among the most important water-borne and food-borne pathogens and is one of the most common causes of human gastroenteritis and diarrheal diseases globally. In this study, Salmonella spp. isolated from food, environmental samples, and patients with food poisoning or diarrhea were investigated Salmonella serovars, antibiotic resistance using Vitek2, and genetic characteristics through pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Salmonella spp. of 339 strains, including 26 strains from food or environmental samples and 313 strains from patients, were isolated from Jeju Island of South Korea between 2020 and 2023. The monthly number of isolated Salmonella spp. gradually increased from March, with the highest number being in August. No significant differences in Salmonella spp. isolated from patients according to gender was observed. However, Salmonella spp. was most frequently isolated from people aged 70 years or older and least frequently isolated from those between ages 10 and 19 years. Salmonella spp. isolated from food or environmental samples were distributed among eight different serovars and the main serovars were identified in the order of S. Bareilly (26.9%), S. Rissen (23.1%), and S. Thompson (19.3%). Salmonella spp. isolated from patients were distributed among 27 different serovars and the main serovars were identified in the order of S. Bareilly (31.0%), S. Typhimurium (24.6%), and S. Enteritidis (11.5%). The main cause serovars of Salmonella spp. outbreaks are S. Bareilly, S. Enteritidis, S. Thompson. Antibiotic resistance tests indicated resistance to various antibiotics and some Salmonella spp. exhibited multidrug resistance. Salmonella spp. showed various genetic correlations among the 17 serovars. These results indicate that they can be used as basic data for epidemiological investigations by predicting the appearance of Salmonella spp. and providing a scientific basis.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.79-93
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• 1987

The result of various researches mainly in search of 194 Shigella strains, isolated by the Health Research Centers(situated in Seoul city, Inchon city, Pusan city, Kyonggi-Do, Kangwon-Do, Chungchongnam and Buk-Do, Kyongsangnam and Buk-Do, Jollanam and Buk-Do, and Jaeju-Do) in addition to those clinical laboratories of all the general hospitals situated down twon Seoul, conducted during the month of Jan. through Dec. 85, through the reisolating-activity program following its transportation into the laboratory, particularly for a complete check on its correctiveness, are as follows: 1. Isolation processes were performed with the 194 strains obtained from each placeduring the period of investigation: 164 Strains(84.5%) of Sh. flexneri, B group; 6 Strains(3.1%) of Sh. boydii, C group; 24 Strains(12.3%) of Sh. sonnei, D group, which means there's quite a lot in B group while Sh. dysenteriae, A group was not isolated at all. 2. The isolation rate of the 164, B group for subserotype was 1b, 84(51.2%) the highest one, 2(1.2%) on 3a the lowest one, 4, on C group; In D group subserotype II showed 14(58.4%) more than subserotype I. 3. The biological data on sexuality regarding the isolation-strain showed traditional particularity. But the subserotype 1b in B group 2(2.4%) showed gas-growth from glucose. In subserotype 1a, the indole-growth was 88.9% on masculine which was considerably a good one. In the test of arginine dihydrolase subserotype I among D group showed 100% masculine rate. The subserotype 6 among B group showed 92.5% masculine. In the dissolution test of manitol, all subserotypes showed 100% maculine except subserotype 1b. In the dissolutioning test of rhamnose, the subserotype I among D group showed 100% masculine which is the unusual one. 4. Interms of the area among 13 districts examined, Kangwon-Do had 41(21.1%) which is the highest one on its ratio. 5. In terms of season on the strain isolation category, 44(22.7%) is the number isolated in April which is the highest one. 6. In terms of ages, the strain isolation ratio was notably high above the ages of 60 which was 34(17.5%). Next one was 29(14.9%) which was under the ages of 4. 7. In terms of sex, female was 113 or 58.2% while male was 74 or 38.2%, which means the female had more than the male. 8. The result of the resisting capability on the usage of 12 antibiotic medication was; 100% on chloramphenicol; 94.3% on tetracycline, 82.0% on streptomycin, 76.3% on carbenicillin, 74.7% on ampicillin, in regular order. The strain source bearing multimedication resisivity against the 5 antibiotic medication is as many as 117 or 60.3%. Of which 43.3% of 1b sub serotype, B group was the best one, and thus the resistivity against the antistrain medication seems the tendency is being changed. The summing up of the above result shows the total specific strains isolated in each branch in Korea is 194, of which the main type is Sh. flexneri 84.5%. The isolating rate is almost evenly spreading, although the Kangwon-Do showed the highest rate on the above data. It also shows female is higher than male on its statistics. The tendency on age category showed both on old and infancy generations high. However, the resistant capability against antibacteria medication or vaccine was still remaining on habitual one, particularly tending towards multimedication or vaccine trend.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.10
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• pp.1121-1125
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• 2005

Purpose : Rotavirus is the main cause of infantile diarrheal disease worldwide, especially in patients 3-24 months of age. Infants younger than 3 months of age are relatively protected by transplacental antibody. So the purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical features and severity of neonatal rotaviral gastroenteritis less than 1 month of age. Methods : A retrospective chart review was established of 62 neonates less than 1 month of age and with a diagnosis of rotaviral gastroenteritis who had been admitted to Pochon CHA University between June 2002 through July 2004. The rotavirus was examined by stool latex agglutination. Results : During 2 years, the total number of admitted patients for rotaviral gastroenteritis was 688 and among these, less than 1 month of age accounted for 9%(62). The occurrence was generally even distribution from January to July($7.14{\pm}1.0$) but since then decreased($2.4{\pm}1.8$). The most common chief complaint was mild fever(46%) when admitted which subsided within 1 hospital day in most patients. 4 patients had seizure and cyanosis with no typical symptoms of rotaviral gastroenteritis. During admission, all the patients had diarrhea. 17% of the patients had leukocytosis and positive C-reactive protein. In one patient, stool occult blood test was positive but there was no necrotizing gastroenteritis evidence. The mean period of hospital day was $5.8{\pm}2.5$ and breast-milk feeding was 62.9%. Conclusion : Neonatal rotaviral gastroenteritis is not a rare disease. Most patients have fever and diarrhea and improve through conservative therapy but a few patients may have severe complications so we must be more cautious about the hygiene for prevention.