• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.1-4
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• 2008

Immunizations are among the most cost-effective and widely used public health interventions. This is a report a revision of recommendation of immunization for children by Korean Pediatric Society. Immunization. Vaccines were divided into 4 groups. 1) Vaccines that are recommended to all infants and children (BCG, hepatitis B vaccine, DTaP, Td, Polio vaccine, Japanese encephalitis vaccine, MMR, varicella vaccine, influenza vaccine [6-23 months of age], H. influenzae type b vaccine), 2) those that can be administered to all infants and children, but decision of administration is made by parents (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, hepatitis A vaccine, influenza vaccine [healthy children ${\geq}24$ months of age], rotavirus vaccine, human papilloma virus vaccine), 3) those that should be given to high risk group (pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine [high risk patients ${\geq}24$ months of age], influenza vaccine [high risk patients ${\geq}24$ months of age], typhoid vaccine), and 4) those administered for control of outbreaks or prevention of emerging infectious diseases. Immunization schedule recommended by Korean Pediatric Society in 2008 is presented.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.136-138
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• 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is a newly emerging infectious disease worldwide, can be categorized as an occupational disease, because employees, particularly in the healthcare system, can be infected at the workplace. As of December 15, 2020, we summarized the occupational safety and health practices in selected countries on the recognition of COVID-19 as one of the occupational risks. The situation has differed among countries, including the recognition status and whether a specific regulation existed. International organizations, namely the International Labour Organization, World Health Organization, and European Union, should plan and conduct studies on the work-relatedness of COVID-19, propose criteria for recognition, and add the infection to the occupational disease list to provide a basis for specific country regulations. Stakeholders should also act to adjust country-level legislation.

• Journal of Preventive Veterinary Medicine
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• 제43권4호
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• pp.214-220
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• 2019

Although canine brucellosis has been known to be an important re-emerging zoonosis, the pathophysiological mechanisms of Brucella canis infection remains clues to be solved. Different culture models, single and co-culture models, were constructed with canine epithelial cells, D17 and macrophage, DH82 to investigate the induction of immune responses in in vivo B. canis infection. Expression of genes related with induction of immune responses, Th1, Th2 and Th17, was compared in the two different models after the bacterial infection. In this study, expression of cytokine genes, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-23, and TNF-α was quantified in the DH82 at different time points using RT-qPCR in the two different culture systems after the infection. Cytokine genes related with Th1, IL-1β and TNF-α and Th17, IL-6 and IL-23 were expressed with time-dependent manners in the both systems (p<0.05). However, increase of Th2-related cytokine genes expression was not detectable in the both systems by comparison with control. The expression of Th1 and Th17 related cytokine genes was earlier in single cell culture than those in co-culture model (p<0.05). In general, amounts of the expressed genes were shown higher in single cell model than those in co-culture models. This study indicate that Th1 and Th17-associated immune responses are central to B. canis infection in dogs. In addition, it suggests a specific role of epithelial cells in the B. canis infection in vivo, which should resolved in the further study.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.265-269
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• 2020

Korea has failed to respond to the Middle East respiratory syndrome of 2015 and the early phase of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) of 2020. This is due to the structural problems of the Ministry of Health and Welfare that has been more increased manpower and budgets of the welfare part relative to those of the health part, and the ministers were appointed welfare experts, not health experts. In 21 (56.8%) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries, the Ministry of Health operates independently, and these countries have been relatively well coping with COVID-19. The importance of the Korean health sector is increasing even further. Korea faces on the emerging infectious diseases, chronic infectious diseases such as tuberculosis that has been being a huge burden, and rapidly increasing non-communicable diseases, suicide and mental disorders, and some diseases due to fine dust and climate change. In addition, the rapid advancement of the aging society, the entry of an era of ultra-low fertility and low-economic growth, and the unification of the Korean peninsula are calling for a health policy reform. Therefore, the Ministry of Health should be established and systematically responsible for health policy, disease policy, medical policy, and medical security policy. Ministry of Health will be the control tower for K-Disease Control, K-Bio, and K-Health.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제23권6호
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• pp.43.1-43.10
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• 2023

The continuous emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants has provided insights for updating current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. We examined the neutralizing activity of Abs induced by a BA.4/5-containing bivalent mRNA vaccine against Omicron subvariants BN.1 and XBB.1.5. We recruited 40 individuals who had received a monovalent COVID-19 booster dose after a primary series of COVID-19 vaccinations and will be vaccinated with a BA.4/5-containing bivalent vaccine. Sera were collected before vaccination, one month after, and three months after a bivalent booster. Neutralizing Ab (nAb) titers were measured against ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron subvariants BA.5, BN.1, and XBB.1.5. BA.4/5-containing bivalent vaccination significantly boosted nAb levels against both ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron subvariants. Participants with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection had higher nAb titers against all examined strains than the infection-naïve group. NAb titers against BN.1 and XBB.1.5 were lower than those against the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and BA.5 strains. These results suggest that COVID-19 vaccinations specifically targeting emerging Omicron subvariants, such as XBB.1.5, may be required to ensure better protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially in high-risk groups.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.90-95
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• 2019

The Korea Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention interpreted that recent outbreaks of scarlet fever in Korea since 2011 was resulted from the expansion of scarlet fever notification criteria. To suggest a relevant hypothesis regarding this emerging outbreak, a time series analysis(TSA) of scarlet fever incidence between 2002 and 2016 was conducted. The raw data was the nationwide insurance claims database administered by the Korean National Health Insurance Service. The inclusion criteria were children aged ≤14 years residing in Jeju Province, Korea who received any form of healthcare for scarlet fever from 2002 to 2016. The season was defined as winter (December, January, February; Q1), spring (March, April, May; Q2), summer (June, July, August; Q3), and autumn (September, October, November; Q4). There were seasonal variations with showing peak season on Q1 and Q3. And three phases as 2002 Q2~2005 Q2, 2005 Q2~2009 Q4, and 2010 Q1~2016 Q4 were found between 2002 and 2016. The results from TSA suggested that the recent outbreak of scarlet fever among children in Jeju Province might be a phenomenon from 'unknown birth-related environmental factors' changed after 2010.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.140-148
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• 2015

Vaccination is the most powerful and useful preparation against infectious diseases. However, developing vaccines costs a lot and requires extensive long-term efforts. Therefore, the government should research and develop vaccines with a national-level policy. To greatly enhance the success rate of vaccine development, the policy should be set up considering priorities such as the current status of domestic research, the importance for public health, the urgency of research. The Delphi technique was utilized to draft this survey, through a brainstorming stage, then two inquiries, and finally the final panel meeting where unresolved items were discussed, to draw the conclusion. Among the results, firstly, the highest ranked item on centralized fields for vaccine development by the Ministry of Health was 'self-sufficiency of vaccines.' Secondly, 'emerging infectious disease' was most highly ranked in prioritized fields of vaccine development and research. Thirdly, for the vaccine that needs to be improved and developed further by the government to improve its efficacy and safety, BCG (Bacille de Calmette) for tuberculosis was ranked the highest on both types (intradermal and subcutaneous injection) from National Immunization Programme (NIP) and non-NIP. As for the high risk pathogens, 'anthrax' and 'smallpox' were first and second, consecutively. Lastly, 'development and control of vaccine candidates' was ranked the highest for the area in need for technique development in order to improve domestic vaccine's research level. The results of this study will be put to good use as basic data for the national vaccine research and development (R&D) policy of the country. This study was first step and more studies should be carried out for the final decision of the national vaccine R&D priority.

• 한국환경농학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경농학회 2009년도 정기총회 및 국제심포지엄
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• pp.228-239
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• 2009

The observations on climate change show a clear increase in the temperature of the Earth's surface and the oceans, a reduction in the land snow cover, and melting of the sea ice and glaciers. The effects of climate change are likely to include more variable weather, heat waves, increased mean temperature, rains, flooding and droughts. The threat of climate change and global warming on human and animal health is now recognized as a global issue. This presentation is described an overview of the latest scientific knowledge on the impact of climate change on zoonotic diseases. Climate strongly affects agriculture and livestock production and influences animal diseases, vectors and pathogens, and their habitat. Global warming are likely to change the temporal and geographical distribution of infectious diseases, including those that are vector-borne such as West Nile fever, Rift Valley fever, Japanese encephalitis, bluetongue, malaria and visceral leishmaniasis, and other diarrheal diseases. The distribution and prevalence of vector-borne diseases may be the most significant effect of climate change. The impact of climate change on the emergence and re-emergence of animal diseases has been confirmed by a majority of countries. Emerging zoonotic diseases are increasingly recognized as a global and regional issue with potential serious human health and economic impacts and their current upward trends are likely to continue. Coordinated international responses are therefore essential across veterinary and human health sectors, regions and countries to control and prevent emerging zoonoses. A new early warning and alert systems is developing and introducing for enhancing surveillance and response to zoonotic diseases. And international networks that include public health, research, medical and veterinary laboratories working with zoonotic pathogens should be established and strengthened. Facing this challenging future, the long-term strategies for zoonotic diseases that may be affected by climate change is need for better prevention and control measures in susceptible livestock, wildlife and vectors in Korea. In conclusion, strengthening global, regional and national early warning systems is extremely important, as are coordinated research programmes and subsequent prevention and control measures, and need for the global surveillance network essential for early detection of zoonotic diseases.

• 보건교육건강증진학회지
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.1-9
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this article was to assess epidemiological characteristics and recommendations for strengthening national response and preparedness after MERS-CoV outbreak in Korea, 2015. Methods: The author reviewed epidemiological reports and policy recommendations on MERS-CoV outbreak in Korea, 2015. Results: There was no evidence that genetical difference between the MERS viruses in the Republic of Korea and recent viruses in the Middle East. From the index case to last laboratory-confirmed case, there were 186 laboratory-confirmed cases that included 36 deaths(19.4%), all of whom appear epidemiologically linked to the index cases or subsequent secondary, tertiary, and quaternary cases. This outbreak spread to hospitals through nosocomial transmission. At least, three large clusters were investigated. However, there was at least one case of community transmission of MERS-CoV. Several factors had contributed to the MERS outbreak in Korea, 2015 that including epidemiological characteristics, and infrastructure of national healthcare system for preventing and controlling emerging infectious diseases. Conclusions: It is very important that to share experiences and identify underlying causes of this outbreak for prevention and control of emerging infectious disease in the future; including epidemiology, clinical features, and public health response and preparedness.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한예방의학회 1999년도 제51차 추계 학술대회 연제집
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• pp.351-352
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• 1999