• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제43권6호
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• pp.833-841
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• 1996

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제21권6호
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• pp.40.1-40.20
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• 2021

Mycobacteroides abscessus (previously Mycobacterium abscessus; Mabc), one of rapidly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), is an important pathogen of NTM pulmonary diseases (NTM-PDs) in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. Mabc infection is chronic and often challenging to treat due to drug resistance, motivating the development of new therapeutics. Despite this, there is a lack of understanding of the relationship between Mabc and the immune system. This review highlights recent progress in the molecular architecture of Mabc and host interactions. We discuss several microbial components that take advantage of host immune defenses, host defense pathways that can overcome Mabc pathogenesis, and how host-pathogen interactions determine the outcomes of Mabc infection. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying host-pathogen interactions during Mabc infection will enable the identification of biomarkers and/or drugs to control immune pathogenesis and protect against NTM infection.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제34권7호
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• pp.539-546
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• 2001

배경: 면역저하 환자에게 발생하는 폐 합병증은 흔히 치명적이다. 폐생검술과 같은 침습적인 진단 술기의 위험도 때문에 일반적으로 임상 양상과 방사선 영상 소견에 근거하여 경험적인 치료가 적용된다. 그러나 최근 수술 술기와 수술 전후의 환자 관리의 발전으로 인해 술기와 연관된 위험도는 줄어든 실정이다. 이에 폐합병증을 동반한 심한 면역저하 환자에서 시행된 폐생검술의 위험성 및 유효성에 대하여 전향적으로 분석하였다. 대상 및 방법: 1996년 6월부터 1999년 12월까지 폐합병증을 동반한 면역저하 환자 42명에서 43례의 폐생검술을 실시하였다. 면역저하는 다음과 같이 정의하였고(1, 혈액학적인 질환으로 인해 화학요법이나 다른 치료를 동반하여 받은 경우, 2. 이식 수술 후 면역 억제제를 복용하는 경우, 3. 1 개월 이상의 스테로이드 복용, 4. 원발성 면역결핍 질환), 이상의 면역저하 환자에서 새로운 폐합병증을 동반하고 1 주간의 경험적 치료에 호전이 없거나 급속하게 진행되는 경우를 대상으로 하였다 기저 질환은 혈액학적 질환(31명), 이식 수술 환자(3명), 고형암으로 인한 화학요법(2명)등이었으며 수술은 개흉술이나 video-aided thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)를 통하여 이루어 졌다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제83권2호
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• pp.132-140
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• 2020

In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is a well-known opportunistic infection and its management has been established. However, PCP is an emerging threat to immunocompromised patients without HIV infection, such as those receiving novel immunosuppressive therapeutics for malignancy, organ transplantation, or connective tissue diseases. Clinical manifestations of PCP are quite different between patients with and without HIV infections. In patients without HIV infection, PCP rapidly progresses, is difficult to diagnose correctly, and causes severe respiratory failure with a poor prognosis. High-resolution computed tomography findings are different between PCP patients with HIV infection and those without. These differences in clinical and radiological features are due to severe or dysregulated inflammatory responses that are evoked by a relatively small number of Pneumocystis organisms in patients without HIV infection. In recent years, the usefulness of polymerase chain reaction and serum β-D-glucan assay for rapid and non-invasive diagnosis of PCP has been revealed. Although corticosteroid adjunctive to anti-Pneumocystis agents has been shown to be beneficial in some populations, the optimal dose and duration remain to be determined. Recent investigations revealed that Pneumocystis colonization is prevalent and that asymptomatic carriers are at risk for developing PCP and can serve as the reservoir for the spread of Pneumocystis by airborne transmission. These findings suggest the need for chemoprophylaxis in immunocompromised patients as well as infection control measures, although the indications remain controversial. Because a variety of novel immunosuppressive therapeutics have been emerging in medical practice, further innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of PCP are needed.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.190-197
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• 2020

소아에서 후두기관지염이 진균에 의해 발생하는 경우는 매우 드물고 주로 선행 요인이 있는 환자에 보고된다. 또한, Aspergillus 감염에 의한 후두기관지염은 초기에 무증상이거나 가슴 X선 사진에서 특이점이 없는 경우가 많아 조기 진단이 어렵다. 저자는 피부증상과 비감염성 발열을 조절하기 위해 장기간 저용량 스테로이드를 사용했던 복용력이 있는 일차성 면역 결핍 질환이 의심되는 환자에서 점진적인 호흡 부전을 보였고 가막성 아르페르길루스증(Pseudomembranous aspergillosis)에 의한 후두기관지염으로 밝혀진 사례를 보고하여 Aspergillus 후두기관지염의 고위험 환자군에서 조기 진단을 통한 치료의 중요성을 알리고자 한다.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제25권5호
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• pp.481-492
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• 2024

Objective: To evaluate the clinical and imaging characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection in hospitalized immunocompromised patients in comparison with immunocompetent patients. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed consecutive adult patients hospitalized for COVID-19 who received at least one dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine at two academic medical centers between June 2021 and December 2022. Immunocompromised patients (with active solid organ cancer, active hematologic cancer, active immune-mediated inflammatory disease, status post solid organ transplantation, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome) were compared with immunocompetent patients. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of immune status on severe clinical outcomes (in-hospital death, mechanical ventilation, or intensive care unit admission), severe radiologic pneumonia (≥ 25% of lung involvement), and typical CT pneumonia. Results: Of 2218 patients (mean age, 69.5 ± 16.1 years), 274 (12.4%), and 1944 (87.6%) were immunocompromised an immunocompetent, respectively. Patients with active solid organ cancer and patients status post solid organ transplantation had significantly higher risks for severe clinical outcomes (adjusted odds ratio = 1.58 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.01-2.47], P = 0.042; and 3.12 [95% CI, 1.47-6.60], P = 0.003, respectively). Patient status post solid organ transplantation and patients with active hematologic cancer were associated with increased risks for severe pneumonia based on chest radiographs (2.96 [95% CI, 1.54-5.67], P = 0.001; and 2.87 [95% CI, 1.50-5.49], P = 0.001, respectively) and for typical CT pneumonia (9.03 [95% CI, 2.49-32.66], P < 0.001; and 4.18 [95% CI, 1.70-10.25], P = 0.002, respectively). Conclusion: Immunocompromised patients with COVID-19 breakthrough infection showed an increased risk of severe clinical outcome, severe pneumonia based on chest radiographs, and typical CT pneumonia. In particular, patients status post solid organ transplantation was specifically found to be associated with a higher risk of all three outcomes than hospitalized immunocompetent patients.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.63-66
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• 2020

Purulent pericarditis is defined as a localized pericardial infection with gross pus formation in the pericardial space. Although purulent pericarditis is now rare in the antibiotic era, it may be life-threatening. We describe a rare case of purulent pericarditis that originated from a subdiaphragmatic suppurative focus in an immunocompromised host.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제77권5호
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• pp.223-226
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• 2014

Aspergillus tracheobronchitis is a form of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in which the Aspergillus infection is limited predominantly to the tracheobronchial tree. It occurs primarily in severely immunocompromised patients such as lung transplant recipients. Here, we report a case of Aspergillus tracheobronchitis in a 42-year-old man with diabetes mellitus, who presented with intractable cough, lack of expectoration of sputum, and chest discomfort. The patient did not respond to conventional treatment with antibiotics and antitussive agents, and he underwent bronchoscopy that showed multiple, discrete, gelatinous whitish plaques mainly involving the trachea and the left bronchus. On the basis of the bronchoscopic and microbiologic findings, we made the diagnosis of Aspergillus tracheobronchitis and initiated antifungal therapy. He showed gradual improvement in his symptoms and continued taking oral itraconazole for 6 months. Physicians should consider Aspergillus tracheobronchitis as a probable diagnosis in immunocompromised patients presenting with atypical respiratory symptoms and should try to establish a prompt diagnosis.

• BMB Reports
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.184-191
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• 2014

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of respiratory infection in infants and young children. Severe clinical manifestation of RSV infection is a bronchiolitis, which is common in infants under six months of age. Recently, RSV has been recognized as an important cause of respiratory infection in older populations with cardiovascular morbidity or immunocompromised patients. However, neither a vaccine nor an effective antiviral therapy is currently available. Moreover, the interaction between the host immune system and the RSV pathogen during an infection is not well understood. The innate immune system recognizes RSV through multiple mechanisms. The first innate immune RSV detectors are the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), including toll-like receptors (TLRs), retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I)-like receptors (RLRs), and nucleotide-biding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs). The following is a review of studies associated with various PRRs that are responsible for RSV virion recognition and subsequent induction of the antiviral immune response during RSV infection.

• 생약학회지
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.35-40
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• 2009

The immunomodulatory activities of the ethanol extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum, termed hereafter as GPE, were examined in immunosuppressed mice as well as in normal mice in the present study. Oral administration of GPE into mice prevented dexamethasone (DEX)-induced immunosuppression as determined by the mitogen-induced proliferation of the splenocytes and the the cytokine production (TNF-$\alpha$, IL-$1{\beta}$) in the whole blood culture. In addition, oral administration of GPE increased antitumor host defense in mice implanted with sarcoma-180 tumor cells. The immunoaugmenting activity of orally administered GPE was also confirmed in mice immunized with ovalbumin (OVA). Mice that were orally administered with GPE generated much more potent OVA-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses upon intravenous OVA injection compared to the untreated controls. These results demonstrate that oral administration of the ethanol extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum could be useful to increase host defense in immunocompromised situations such as stress- or tumor-induced immunosuppression.