• Title/Summary/Keyword: Epidemic outbreak

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Epidemiologic Investigation of an Outbreak of Shigellosis in Kyongju, Korea (1998년 경주시 한 초등학교 학생과 인근 주민에서 발생한 세균성이질)

  • Jung, Cheol;Bae, Geun-Ryang;Hur, Yeong-Joo;Lee, Sang-Won;Jeong, Eun-Kyeong;Lim, Hyun-Sul
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.33 no.1
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    • pp.1-9
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    • 2000
  • Objectives : This study was carried out to investigate the sources of infection and modes of transmission of an outbreak of shigellosis that occurred among pupils of 'M' primary school and residents near the school in Kyongju from Sept. 24 to Oct. 24, 1998. Methods : The subjects who completed a questionnaire and a rectal swab for microbiologic examinations were 1,534 persons (781 males, 753 females), including 469 pupils of 'M' primary school (268 males, 201 females). Bacteriological examinations of underground water and simple piped water were done. Results : The attack rate of diarrhea was 28.7% in the subjects from Sept.24 to Oct. 24, 1958. There was no difference in attack rate of diarrhea by gender, but it was significantly higher in the pupils of 'M' primary school than others (p<0.01). The attack rate of diarrhea by resident areas was no different to the pupils of 'M' primary school, but was significantly higher in the residents of Mohwa 2 Ri except pupils that 'M' primary school is located in (p<0.01). The distribution of date of onset revealed the exposure date to be Sept, 22 and 23 in consideration of incubation periods and common source outbreak followed propagative spread in the epidemic curve. The major characteristics of diarrhea were watery (89.1%) in nature, $1\sim3$ days (72.5%) in duration, $2\sim3$ times (63.9%) in frequency. The clinical symptoms among the diarrheal cases included abdominal pain (74.1%), fever (56.4%), headache (55.9%), chill (40.4%) and tenesmus (31.4%). Conclusions : The source of infection was estimated to be contaminated underground water and simple piped water caused by leakage from the cess pool. It is highly necessary that the management of drinking water and cess fools should be done thoroughly.

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Epidemiology and Control of Rice Blast in Korea (한국(韓國)에서의 도열병(病) 발생(發生), 만연(蔓延)과 그 방제(防除))

  • Park, Jong Seong
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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    • v.12 no.2
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    • pp.356-369
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    • 1985
  • In Korea, inevitable researches for the blast control exactly started from 1927 by the organization of Office of Rural Development with the local extensive outbreak of panicle blast at Jeonlla Buk-Do Province in 1926. At present, the rice blast is still one of the most destructive and widespread diseases in spite of considerable contributions by rice scientists, particularly plant pathologists during last 55 years in Korea. Rice blast control and management are very difficult because of the marked variability in pathogenicity of the blast fungus. From the results obtained through the disease surveys during last 70 years, different 3 prevalence type of blast such as bimodal leaf-blast type, bimodal panicle-blast type and bimodal continual blast type were recognized. In generally speaking, pattern of blast outbreak is said to be characterized by severe outbreak of panicle blast after slight outbreak of leaf blast with discontinuity between leaf and panicle blast. So we have to pay much attention for successful management of panicle blast giving direct influence to rice yield. Main factors induce blast epidemic were pointed out to be breakdown of the disease resistance, nutritional unbalance such as excess application of nitrogen, delay of transplantation and longspell of rain fall by extensive surveys and researches on blast during last 70 years in Korea. The fact some of Japonica varieties such as Kokuryomiyako, Tamanishiki, Ginbozu and Pungok belong to varietal group A had been cultivated with extensive acrage over 30 years in this country should be mentioned by Korean rice scientists. Differences in field resistance between varieties in the same group are detectable and apparently small but sometimes epidemiologically significant differential effects may be found out in case of blast. Much more attention should be payed to accumulate the knowledges on field resistance for successful management of blast. Excess application of nitrogen is more effective to outbreak of panicle blast than that of leaf blast of IR varieties. In comparatively low level application of nitrogen infection rate of panicle blast of IR varieties is considerably high. Low temperature effects on outbreak of blast is very great. It results in remarkable increase of the inoculum potential on the leaf lesions and infection of panicle blast in leaf sheathes of IR varieties during the booting stage. In economic point of view, it is concluded that 5 times sprays of effective fungicides including 3 times before and 2 times after heading is good enough to control blast. We have experienced no one of control measures for blast is superior to all others. The integrated control measures was established as guideline of blast control around 1950 in Korea. This guideline must be helpful for rice growers as long as rice growing continue.

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Bacteriological Identification of Strains Isolated from Diarrheal Patients at Ham Yang Gun, Kyeongsang-Namdo in July 1971 (1971년(年) 경남(慶南) 함양군(咸陽郡)에서 유행(流行)한 설사환자(患者)에서 분리(分離)한 Salmonella.Shigella 균(菌)의 세균학적(細菌學的) 연구(硏究))

  • Kim, Je-Soo;Ju, Byung-Chil;Park, Soo-Yeon;Ju, Jin-Woo;Yang, Hak-Do
    • The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.1-8
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    • 1972
  • The authors made a study on the bacteriological identification about unidentified strains which were roughly screened by local health center, which an epidemic diarrhea was outbreak at Ham Yang Gun, Kyeongsang-Namdo in July 1971. And the authors made an attempt to bacteriological Identification, serotyping with slide agglutination, and determination of the susceptibility of identified strains to various chemotherapeutic agents. The results Were obtained as follows: 1. The isolated strains identified Shigella flexneri type 2b(2 strains) and Salmonella paratyphi B(4 strains). 2. Sensitivity test using with three concentrations chemotherapeutic agents(Paper disk used; Eiken chemical Co., Tokyo, Japan): (1) Shigella flexneri type 2b isolated strains were sensitive to kanamycin, colistin(100%) and penicllin(50%) respectively, but resistant to erythromycin, oleandomycin, leucomycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, dihydrostreptomycin and sulfadimethoxin(100%) respectively. (2) Salmonella paratyphi B isolated strains were sensitive to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, dihydrostreptomycin, kanamycin, sulfadimethoxine(100%) and colistin(50%) respectively, but resistant to penicillin, erythromycin, oleandomycin and leucomycin(100%) respectively. 3. Sensitivity test using with multodisk urinary code(Paper disk used; Oxoid, London): (1) Shigella flexneri type 2b isolated strains were sensitive to Bactrim, ampicillin, nitrofurantoin, nalidixic add and gentamicin(100%) respectively, but resistant to chloramhpenicol, tetracycline, sulfadiazine and Fanasil(100%) respectively. (2) Salmonell paratyphi B isolated strains were sensitive to Bactrim, chloramphenicol, ampicillin, nitrofurantoin, tetracycline, nalidixic acid, gentamicin(100%) and sulfadiazine(50%) respectively, but resistant to Fanasil(100%) and sulfadiazine(50%) respectively.

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Novel Phage Display-Derived H5N1-Specific scFvs with Potential Use in Rapid Avian Flu Diagnosis

  • Wu, Jie;Zeng, Xian-Qiao;Zhang, Hong-Bin;Ni, Han-Zhong;Pei, Lei;Zou, Li-Rong;Liang, Li-Jun;Zhang, Xin;Lin, Jin-Yan;Ke, Chang-Wen
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.24 no.5
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    • pp.704-713
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    • 2014
  • The highly pathogenic avian influenza A (HPAI) viruses of the H5N1 subtype infect poultry and have also been spreading to humans. Although new antiviral drugs and vaccinations can be effective, rapid detection would be more efficient to control the outbreak of infections. In this study, a phage-display library was applied to select antibody fragments for HPAI strain A/Hubei/1/2010. As a result, three clones were selected and sequenced. A hemagglutinin inhibition assay of the three scFvs revealed that none exhibited hemagglutination inhibition activity towards the H5N1 virus, yet they showed a higher binding affinity for several HPAI H5N1 strains compared with other influenza viruses. An ELISA confirmed that the HA protein was the target of the scFvs, and the results of a protein structure simulation showed that all the selected scFvs bound to the HA2 subunit of the HA protein. In conclusion, the three selected scFVs could be useful for developing a specific detection tool for the surveillance of HPAI epidemic strains.

Characteristics of Vibrio isolated from cultured file fish, Stephanolepis cirrhifer in Korea (우리나라 양식 쥐치, Stephanolepis cirrhifer에서 분리된 비브리오의 특성)

  • Lee, Bo-Young;Bang, Jong-Deuk;Cho, Mi-Young;Kim, Jin-Woo;Won, Kyoung-Mi;Cho, Young-Ah
    • Journal of fish pathology
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.103-112
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    • 2011
  • An epidemic was occurred in Stephanolepis cirrhifer during acclimation in laboratory tanks (water temperature was about $17^{\circ}C$). Diseased fish showed an unique external sign, large cloudy skin surface. We investigated the cause of the disease, and isolated one pure cultured bacterium, that was identified as Vibrio anguillarum by biochemical analysis and sequence analysis of the l6S rRNA and recA genes. During the outbreak, about 30% of S. cirrhifer showed the large cloudy skin surface, and approximately 10% of the stocked fish died. Fish were effectively cured by treatment with oxolinic acid.

Effect of Heat Treatment on Male specific Coliphage and Norovirus Concentrations in Norovirus Contaminated Oyster Crassostrea gigas (가열처리 조건에 따른 오염굴(Crassostrea gigas) 중의 Male Specific Coliphage와 노로바이러스 농도변화)

  • Park, Kunbawui;Park, Yong Su;Kwon, Ji Young;Yu, Hong Sik;Lee, Hee Jung;Kim, Ji Hoe;Lee, Tae Seek;Kim, Poong Ho
    • Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.48 no.6
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    • pp.898-903
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    • 2015
  • Noroviruses (NoV) are known to cause acute epidemic gastroenteritis worldwide. Outbreak strains are predominantly genogroup I (GI) and genogroup II (GII) in oysters Crassostrea gigas. We investigated the changes in concentration of male specific coliphage (MSC) and NoV under heat treatment of the naturally contaminated oyster, Crassostrea gigas. After heat treatment for 5 min in $85^{\circ}C$, no viable MSC was detected. The concentrations of GI and GII NoV decreased by 1.65 log and 2.25 log, respectively, following heat treatment for 5 min at $100^{\circ}C$. Moreover, both GI and GII NoV were completely deactivated by heat treatment for 10 min at $100^{\circ}C$. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of norovirus infection from contaminated oysters, immersion in boiling water for at least 10 min is recommended.

Reasonable Solutions for Legal Disputes and Regulations on Epidemics (감염병 관련 법적 분쟁과 규제에 관한 합리적 해결방안)

  • Lee, Kyunghwan;Kim, Taehwan;Kim, Mannoh;Han, Sunwoo
    • Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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    • v.12 no.2
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    • pp.150-166
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    • 2016
  • In the aftermath of a recent outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), legal matters on the spread of epidemics have emerged as major social issues in Korea, with the awareness that rampant contagious diseases are disasters in society. Problems arose over damages arising from patients who contract infectious diseases, compensation for people under quarantine and for a partial, or entire, shutdown of hospitals, and information disclosure on infectious diseases. As epidemic-linked problems have never been socially disputed in Korea, the relevant legal issues appear to be studied comparatively less than other areas. As interests are heightened over legal issues on infectious illnesses amid the MERS scare, in-depth, further research on such legal issues should be conducted in an utmost effort to prevent and make preparations for epidemics which potentially become a social disaster, such as new Hong Kong flu, Ebola virus and Zika virus.

Forecasting COVID-19 Transmission and Healthcare Capacity in Bali, Indonesia

  • Wirawan, I Md Ady;Januraga, Pande Putu
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.53 no.3
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    • pp.158-163
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    • 2020
  • Objectives: In the current early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, Bali needs to prepare to face the escalation of cases, with a particular focus on the readiness of healthcare services. We simulated the future trajectory of the epidemic under current conditions, projected the impact of policy interventions, and analyzed the implications for healthcare capacity. Methods: Our study was based on the first month of publicly accessible data on new confirmed daily cases. A susceptible, exposed, infected, recovered (SEIR) model for COVID-19 was employed to compare the current dynamics of the disease with those predicted under various scenarios. Results: The fitted model for the cumulative number of confirmed cases in Bali indicated an effective reproduction number of 1.4. Interventions have decreased the possible maximum number of cases from 71 125 on day 86 to 22 340 on day 119, and have prolonged the doubling time from about 9 days to 21 days. This corresponds to an approximately 30% reduction in transmissions from cases of mild infections. There will be 2780 available hospital beds, and at the peak (on day 132), the number of severe cases is estimated to be roughly 6105. Of these cases, 1831 will need intensive care unit (ICU) beds, whereas the number of currently available ICU beds is roughly 446. Conclusions: The healthcare system in Bali is in danger of collapse; thus, serious efforts are needed to improve COVID-19 interventions and to prepare the healthcare system in Bali to the greatest extent possible.

Detection and Molecular Identification of Human Enteric Viruses in Urban Rivers in Korea

  • Lee, Cheong-Hoon;Kim, Sang-Jong
    • Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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    • 2008.05a
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    • pp.171-171
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    • 2008
  • We monitored the occurrence of human enteric viruses in urban rivers by cell culture-PCR and RT-nested PCR. Water samples were collected monthly or semimonthly between May 2002 and March 2003 in four urban tributaries. Enteric viruses were detected by RT-nested PCR and cell culture-PCR based on a combination of Buffalo Green monkey kidney (BGMK) and A549 cell lines, followed by phylogenetic analysis of amplicons. By RT-nested PCR analysis, 45 (77.6%), 32 (55.2%), 32 (55.2%), 26 (44.8%), 12 (20.7%), 2 (3.4%), 4 (6.9%), and 4 (6.9%) of 58 samples showed positive results with adenoviruses, enteroviruses, noroviruses (NV) genogroup I (GI) and II (GII), reoviruses, hepatitis A viruses, rotaviruses and sapoviruses, respectively. Adenoviruses were most often detected and only eight (13.8%) samples were negative for adenoviruses and positive for other enteric viruses in the studied sites. Thirty-one (77.5%) of the 40 samples were positive for infectious adenoviruses and/or enteroviruses based on cell culture-PCR, and the frequency of positive samples grown on A549 and BGMK (65.0%) was higher than that grown on BGMK alone (47.5%). The occurrence of each enteric virus, except reoviruses and hepatitis A viruses was not statistically correlated with the water temperature and levels of fecal coliforms according to Binary logistic regression model. By sequence analysis, most strains of adenoviruses and enteroviruses detected in this study are similar to the causative agent of viral diseases in Korea and most NV GI- and GII-grouped strains were closely related to the reference strains from China and Japan, and GII/4-related strains had similar sequences to strains recognized as a worldwide epidemic outbreak. Our results suggested that monitoring human enteric viruses is necessary to improve microbial quality and cell culture-PCR using the combination of A549 and BGMK cells and the adenovirus detection by PCR could be useful for monitoring viral contamination in the aquatic environment.

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Aerodynamic Approaches for the Predition of Spread the HPAI (High Pathogenic Avian Influenza) on Aerosol (고병원성 조류인플루엔자 (HPAI)의 에어로졸을 통한 공기 전파 예측을 위한 공기유동학적 확산 모델 연구)

  • Seo, Il-Hwan;Lee, In-Bok;Moon, Oun-Kyung;Hong, Se-Woon;Hwnag, Hyun-Seob;Bitog, J.P.;Kwon, Kyeong-Seok;Kim, Ki-Youn
    • Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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    • v.53 no.1
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    • pp.29-36
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    • 2011
  • HPAI (High pathogenic avian influenza) which is a disease legally designated as an epidemic generally shows rapid spread of disease resulting in high mortality rate as well as severe economic damages. Because Korea is contiguous with China and southeast Asia where HPAI have occurred frequently, there is a high risk for HPAI outbreak. A prompt treatment against epidemics is most important for prevention of disease spread. The spread of HPAI should be considered by both direct and indirect contact as well as various spread factors including airborne spread. There are high risk of rapid propagation of HPAI flowing through the air because of collective farms mostly in Korea. Field experiments for the mechanism of disease spread have limitations such as unstable weather condition and difficulties in maintaining experimental conditions. In this study, therefore, computational fluid dynamics which has been actively used for mass transfer modeling were adapted. Korea has complex terrains and many livestock farms are located in the mountain regions. GIS numerical map was used to estimate spreads of virus attached aerosol by means of designing three dimensional complicated geometry including farm location, road network, related facilities. This can be used as back data in order to take preventive measures against HPAI occurrence and spread.