• Title/Summary/Keyword: Infectious Diseases

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Detection of Infectious Fungal Diseases of Frogs Inhabiting in Korea

  • Kim, Suk;Eom, Ahn-Heum;Park, Dae-Sik;Ra, Nam-Yong
    • Mycobiology
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    • v.36 no.1
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    • pp.10-12
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    • 2008
  • In recent years, there has been a rapid decrease in amphibian populations worldwide, and infectious diseases have been associated with this decline. Diseased frogs inhabiting Korea were collected from fields, and the diseases were identified by morphological and molecular analyses. Two fungal diseases-saprolegniasis and chromomycosis-were detected in the frogs. Saprolegniasis caused by Saprolegnia spp. was found in Rana plancyi chosenica from Gangwon-do and Rana huanrenensis from Chungbuk. Chromomycosis, which is caused by infection with Cladosporium cladosporioides, was detected in Rana catesbeiana from Busan.

Factors related to COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality rate in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea (경상북도 지역의 코로나19 발생률 및 사망률 관련요인)

  • Kim, Dong-Hwi;Park, Sung-Jun;Kang, Hyun-Jun;Yeom, Eun-Jung;Yoo, Na-Eun;Lee, Jeong-Min;Nam, Eun-Ha;Park, Ji-Hyuk;Lee, Kwan
    • Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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    • v.45 no.4
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    • pp.235-244
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    • 2020
  • Objectives: Gyeongsangbuk-do has entered a super-aged society with 20.7% of the population aged 65 and older. As of April 30, 2020, the death rate of COVID-19(3.8 people) in Gyeongsangbuk-do is higher than the national mortality rate (2.3 people), and the fatality rate of COVID-19 by age accounts for more than half of the total of 58.6%, so it is time to propose to prevent infectious diseases in the event of additional infectious disease disasters COVID-19. Methods: We collected daily data on the number of confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 from 19 February to 30 April 2020. The data collected was evaluated using the SPSS 21.0 statistical package. Results: As a result of comparing the incidence and death-related factors of confirmed patients in Gyeongsangbuk-do, there were significant differences in age group (p<0.001), underlying disease (p<0.001), and residence type (p<0.033). Conclusion: Factors affecting the mortality rate of confirmed patients in Gyeongsangbuk-do have been combined with individual level factors(age, gender, underlying disease), which means individual characteristics that have existed since before the disease, and regional level factors(Type of Residence), which are external factors that enable the use of medical resources. Therefore, each local government is required to establish preventive measures considering individual and regional level factors.

Immune Responses against Marek's Disease Virus Infection (마렉병 바이러스 감염에 대한 면역 반응)

  • Jang, H.K.;Park, Y.M.;Cha, S.Y.;Park, J.B.
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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    • v.35 no.3
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    • pp.225-240
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    • 2008
  • Marek's disease virus(MDV) is a highly cell-associated, lymphotropic $\alpha$-herpesvirus that causes paralysis and neoplastic disease in chickens. The disease has been controlled by vaccination which was provided the first evidence for a malignant cancer being controlled by an antiviral vaccine. Marek's disease pathogenesis is complex, involving cytolytic and latent infection of lymphoid cells and oncogenic transformation of $CD4^+$ T cells in susceptible chickens. MDV targets a number of different cell types during its life cycle. Lymphocytes play an essential role, although within them virus production is restricted and only virion are produced. Innate and adaptive immune responses develop in response to infection, but infection of lymphocytes results in immunosuppressive effects. Hence in MDV-infected birds, MDV makes its host more vulnerable to tumour development as well as to other pathogens. All chickens are susceptible to MDV infection, and vaccination is essential to protect the susceptible host from developing clinical disease. Nevertheless, MDV infects and replicates in vaccinated chickens, with the challenge virus being shed from the feather-follicle epithelium. The outcome of infection with MDV depends on a complex interplay of factors involving the MDV pathotype and the host genotype. Host factors that influence the course of MD are predominantly the responses of the innate and adaptive immune systems, and these are modulated by: age at infection and maturity of the immune system; vaccination status; the sex of the host; and various physiological factors.

Antiviral Activity of Hederasaponin B from Hedera helix against Enterovirus 71 Subgenotypes C3 and C4a

  • Song, JaeHyoung;Yeo, Sang-Gu;Hong, Eun-Hye;Lee, Bo-Ra;Kim, Jin-Won;Kim, JeongHoon;Jeong, HyeonGun;Kwon, YongSoo;Kim, HyunPyo;Lee, SangWon;Park, Jae-Hak;Ko, Hyun-Jeong
    • Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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    • v.22 no.1
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    • pp.41-46
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    • 2014
  • Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the predominant cause of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). The antiviral activity of hederasaponin B from Hedera helix against EV71 subgenotypes C3 and C4a was evaluated in vero cells. In the current study, the antiviral activity of hederasaponin B against EV71 C3 and C4a was determined by cytopathic effect (CPE) reduction method and western blot assay. Our results demonstrated that hederasaponin B and 30% ethanol extract of Hedera helix containing hederasaponin B showed significant antiviral activity against EV71 subgenotypes C3 and C4a by reducing the formation of a visible CPE. Hederasaponin B also inhibited the viral VP2 protein expression, suggesting the inhibition of viral capsid protein synthesis.These results suggest that hederasaponin B and Hedera helix extract containing hederasaponin B can be novel drug candidates with broad-spectrum antiviral activity against various subgenotypes of EV71.

Evolving Problem Analyses of Recent Marek's Disease (최근 진화하는 마렉병의 원인 분석)

  • Jang, H.K.;Park, Y.M.;Cha, S.Y.;Park, J.B.
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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    • v.34 no.4
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    • pp.301-318
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    • 2007
  • Marek's disease (MD) is a highly contagious lymphoproliferative disease of poultry caused by the oncogenic herpesvirus designated Marek's disease virus (MDV). MD has a worldwide distribution and is thought to cause an annual loss over US$ one billion to the poultry industry. Originally described as a paralytic disease, today MD is mostly manifested as an acute disease with tumors in multiple visceral organs. MD is controlled essentially by the widespread use of live vaccines administered either in ovo into 18-day-old embryos or into chicks immediately after they hatch. In spite of the success of the vaccines in reducing the losses from the disease in the last 30 years, MDV strains have shown continuous evolution in virulence acquiring the ability to overcome the immune responses induced by the vaccines. During this period, different generations of MD vaccines have been introduced to protect birds from the increasingly virulent MDV strains. However, the virus will be countered each new vaccine strategy with ever more virulent strains. In spite of this concern, currently field problem from MD is likely to be controled by strategy of using bivalent vaccine. But, potential risk factors for outbreak of MD are still remained in this condition. The major factors can be thought that improper handling and incorrect administration of the vaccine, infection prior to establishment of immunity, suppression of immune system by environmental stress and outbreaks of more virulent MDV strain by using vaccine and genetic resistance of host.

Rapid Detection and Discrimination of the Three Salmonella Serotypes, S. Pullorum, S. Gallinarum and S. Enteritidis by PCR-RFLP of ITS and fliC Genes

  • Cha, Se-Yeoun;Jang, Du-Hee;Kim, Sang-Min;Park, Jong-Beom;Jang, Hyung-Kwan
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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    • v.35 no.1
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    • pp.9-13
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    • 2008
  • Salmonella enterica serotype gallinarum biovar Gallinarum or Pullorum and Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis are the most important diseases in poultry industry. Transitional diagnosis methods of these diseases such as direct isolation and identification by a biochemical test are time consuming with low specificity. In this study, we have focused on the suitable procedure for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of diseases derived from the three Salmonella strains. We initially confirmed Salmonella species by PCR using a specific ITSF/ITSR primer pair instead of biochemical test, and then the PCR-amplified phase 1 flagellin (fliC) using a specific fliCF/fliCR primer pair was digested with a restriction endonuclease, Bpm I and/or Bfa I, to discriminate among S. Pullorum, S. Gallinarum, and S. Enteritidis. We found that these methods could be applied to field isolates of the three Salmonella strains to detect and to discriminate rapidly for convenient diagnosis.

The effects of Germanium biotite on the adsorptive and inhibition of growth abilities against E. coli and Salmonella spp. in vitro (게르마늄 흑운모의 시험관 내에서의 E. coli와 Salmonella spp.에 대한 흡착력 및 성장 억제 효능 평가)

  • Jung, Myunghwan;Cha, Seung Bin;Shin, Seung Won;Lee, Won-Jung;Shin, Min-Kyoung;Yoo, Anna;Yoo, Han Sang
    • Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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    • v.52 no.1
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    • pp.33-38
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    • 2012
  • Germanium biotite, a natural mineral, has been used as a feed supplement to reinforce innate immune ability. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of germanium biotite on the adsorptive and inhibition of growth abilities against Escherichia (E.) coli and Salmonella spp. in vitro. Two strains of enterotoxigenic E. coli and four strains of two Salmonella serotypes (Salmonella Derby and Salmonella Typhimurium), major bacterial diarrheal pathogens, were used for this experiment. The absorptive ability of germanium biotite against most Salmonella used in present experiment was observed weakly. The germanium biotite, however, showed significant effect of bacterial growth inhibition in most experiment bacteria. These results suggest that the use of the germanium biotite as feed supplement could alleviate diarrhea following inhibition of bacteria growth. It is also presumed that antibiotics usage for farm animals, considered as causes of antibiotic residue in meat and emerging antibiotic resistance, could be reduced through the use of germanium biotite as a feed supplement, in place of antibiotics used for the prevention of diarrhea.

A study on dental hygiene department students' attitude toward infection in a dental hygiene workshop (치위생 실습실에서 치위생과 학생의 감염에 관한 태도 연구)

  • Kim, Eun-Hee;Kim, Seol-Ak
    • Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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    • v.9 no.4
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    • pp.849-863
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    • 2009
  • Objectives : This study was to study dental hygiene department students' management of infection and their attitude toward infection. Methods : This study was conducted from August 24, 2009 to September 20, 2009. 269 sophomore and junior college students enrolled in the department of dental hygiene from schools located in Gyeonggi-do and Gangwon-do participated in the study. A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted. Results : 1. As for dental hygiene department students' recognition of the causes of infectious diseases, 80.7% of the respondents said hepatitis B was the infectious disease highly likely to occur in laboratories. 35.3% was correct about the antecedent variables of infection in the workshop, 24.9% about the oral symptoms of HIV and 18.6% about the diseases induced by HBV. The recognition rates were generally low. 2. About whether the respondents ask patients questions about infectious diseases, 80.7% of them answered Yes, but only 56.2% of them said they do so every time, and 17.8% of them said they never do so. 3. As far as washing hands to prevent infectious diseases is concerned, 97.4% of the respondents said hand washing helps prevent infection. 72.5% of them said they wash their hands every time before they practice on a patient, while 84.0% of them said they washed their hands after the lab practice. 90.7% said they use liquid soap containing anti-microbial agents, and 81.8% of them said they use paper towels. 4. With regard to protective gear for prevention of infectious diseases, 98.9% of the respondents said it is desirable to use disposable protective gear for each patient. When it comes to what they actually used as protective gear, 91.1% said aprons, 89.2% gloves, and 87.7% masks. However, a low percentage of the respondents actually use goggles and replace masks when they got damp, 11.2% and 24.2% respectively. Conclusions : As for treating the surface of equipments to prevent infectious diseases, most of the respondents exhibited a high recognition rate. Relative fewer respondents actually treat the surface of equipments than those respondents who are aware of the need to do so. A high percentage of the respondents also said they use alcohol sponge to treat the surface of each equipment in order to prevent infectious diseases.

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Expression of Toll-like Receptor 9 Increases with Progression of Cervical Neoplasia in Tunisian Women - A Comparative Analysis of Condyloma, Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Invasive Carcinoma

  • Fehri, Emna;Ennaifer, Emna;Ardhaoui, Monia;Ouerhani, Kaouther;Laassili, Thalja;Rhouma, Rahima Bel Haj;Guizani, Ikram;Boubaker, Samir
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.15 no.15
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    • pp.6145-6150
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    • 2014
  • Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are expressed in immune and tumor cells and recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Cervical cancer (CC) is directly linked to a persistent infection with high risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs) and could be associated with alteration of TLRs expression. TLR9 plays a key role in the recognition of DNA viruses and better understanding of this signaling pathway in CC could lead to the development of novel immunotherapeutic approaches. The present study was undertaken to determine the level of TLR9 expression in cervical neoplasias from Tunisian women with 53 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens, including 22 samples of invasive cervical carcinoma (ICC), 18 of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), 7 of condyloma and 6 normal cervical tissues as control cases. Quantification of TLR9 expression was based on scoring four degrees of extent and intensity of immunostaining in squamous epithelial cells. TLR9 expression gradually increased from CIN1 (80% weak intensity) to CIN2 (83.3% moderate), CIN3 (57.1% strong) and ICC (100% very strong). It was absent in normal cervical tissue and weak in 71.4% of condyloma. The mean scores of TLR9 expression were compared using the Kruskall-Wallis test and there was a statistical significance between normal tissue and condyloma as well as between condyloma, CINs and ICC. These results suggest that TLR9 may play a role in progression of cervical neoplasia in Tunisian patients and could represent a useful biomarker for malignant transformation of cervical squamous cells.