• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.653-659
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• 2014

Surgery remains the preferred treatment for hydatid cyst (cystic echinococcosis, CE). Various scolicidal agents have been used for inactivation of protoscolices during surgery, but most of them are associated with adverse side effects. The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro scolicidal effect of Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae) essential oil and also its active principle, thymoquinone, against protoscolices of hydatid cysts. Protoscolices were aseptically aspirated from sheep livers having hydatid cysts. Various concentrations of the essential oil (0.01-10 mg/ml) and thymoquinone (0.125-1.0 mg/ml) were used for 5 to 60 min. Viability of protoscolices was confirmed by 0.1% eosin staining. Furthermore, the components of the N. sativa essential oil were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). Our study revealed that the essential oil of N. sativa at the concentration of 10 mg/ml and its main component, thymoquinone, at the concentration of 1 mg/ml had potent scolicidal activities against protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus after 10 min exposure. Moreover, thymoquinone (42.4%), p-cymene (14.1%), carvacrol (10.3%), and longifolene (6.1%) were found to be the major components of N. sativa essential oil by GC/MS analysis. The results of this study indicated the potential of N. sativa as a natural source for production of a new scolicidal agent for use in hydatid cyst surgery. However, further studies will be needed to confirm these results by checking the essential oil and its active component in in vivo models.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.46-52
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• 2016

Background: The use of acid suppressive agents became a standard therapy in an intensive care unit (ICU) to prevent stress related gastrointestinal mucosal damage. However, the risk of infectious diseases has been concerned. Objective: The study was to determine the differences between histamine 2 receptor antagonists (H2RA) and proton pump inhibitors (PPI) in incidence of nosocomial pneumonia and pseudomembranous colitis (PMC) by Clostridium difficile with patients in ICU. Methods: This is a retrospective comparative study including patients admitted to the ICU who were at least 18 years of age and stayed for more than 48hrs from August 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015. The propensity score analysis and propensity matched multivariable logistic regression were used in analyzing data to control for confounders. Results: A total of 155 patients were assessed. H2RA were prescribed in 110 (53.9%) and PPI were in 45 (22.1%). Nosocomial pneumonia developed in 37 (23.9%); 25 (22.7%) were on H2RA and 12 (26.7%) were on PPI. The unadjusted incidence of nosocomial pneumonia was slightly higher in the patients with PPI (odds ratio (OR) 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.54-2.71) compared to them with H2A. After adjusting with propensity score, the adjusted OR with PPI was 1.35 (95% CI: 0.44-4.11). The propensity score matched analyses showed similar results. Conclusion: The uses of PPI and H2RA as a stress ulcer prophylaxis agent showed similarity in the incidence of nosocomial pneumonia and PMC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5219-5223
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• 2015

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection as a serious problem in both adults and children can induce chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease (PUD), and possibly gastric cancer. The aim of the current study was to survey antibiotic resistance and also to determine influence of PPAR$\gamma$ polymorphism in patients with H. pylori infection. During an 11-month-period, 98 H. pylori isolates were collected from 104 biopsy specimens. In vitro susceptibility of H. pylori isolates to 4 antimicrobial agents metronidazole, clarithromycin, amoxicillin and tetracycline were assessed by quantitative method according to European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) guideline. PPAR$\gamma$ polymorphism was determined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. The frequency of H. pylori infection in our study was 94.2%. In vitro susceptibility data showed that highest level of resistance was related to metronidazole (66.3%), and the majority of H. pylori isolates were highly susceptible to amoxicillin and tetracycline (94.9% and 96.9%, respectively). Genotypic frequencies were 25.5% for CC (Pro12Pro), 40.8% for GC (Pro12Ala) and 33.7% for GG (Ala12Ala). In our study, CG genotype had highest distributions among infected patients with H. pylori. The study suggests that the PPAR-$\gamma$ Pro12Ala polymorphism could be evaluated as a potential genetic marker for susceptibility to gastric cancer in the presence of H. pylori infection.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.311-319
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• 2020

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a newly emerging viral disease with fatal outcomes. However, no MERS-CoV-specific treatment is commercially available. Given the absence of previous structure-based drug discovery studies targeting MERS-CoV fusion proteins, this set of compounds is considered the first generation of MERS-CoV small molecule fusion inhibitors. After a virtual screening campaign of 1.56 million compounds followed by cell-cell fusion assay and MERS-CoV plaques inhibition assay, three new compounds were identified. Compound numbers 22, 73, and 74 showed IC₅₀ values of 12.6, 21.8, and 11.12 µM, respectively, and were most effective at the onset of spike-receptor interactions. The compounds exhibited safe profiles against Human embryonic kidney cells 293 at a concentration of 20 µM with no observed toxicity in Vero cells at 10 µM. The experimental results are accompanied with predicted favorable pharmacokinetic descriptors and drug-likeness parameters. In conclusion, this study provides the first generation of MERS-CoV fusion inhibitors with potencies in the low micromolar range.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.375-379
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• 2005

Porcine juvenile pustular psoriasiform dermatitis (PJPPD) is a disease of young pigs and characterized by nonpruritic round eruption of skin. The cause of this disease is yet undetermined but is presumed to be genetic predisposition. There may be few opportunities for veterinarian to detect this disease compared with actual situation in field because these lesions resolve spontaneously in two months. The authors detected spontaneous PJPPD case and performed clinical and pathological studies on three pigs from one farm. The specific skin lesions were observed in the forty-day old pigs of mixed breed, which were produced by the sows received semen from the same boar, restrictively. However, there was no skin lesion of pigs in suckling or fattening periods. Grossly, lesions were commonly found on the ventral abdominal part as a papule and were spreaded to the skin of whole body. With the spreading of lesions centrifugally, skin was showed as a umbilicated plaques or mosaic pattern with a few pustules or crusts. Microscopically, the most prominent lesion was the psoriasiform hyperplasia with acanthosis, down growth of rete ridges, exocytosis of eosinophils and neutrophils, ballooning degeneration of superficial epidermis, and koilocytic degeneration of keratinocytes. Additionally, there were moderate dermal edema and severe mixed cellular infiltration, especially eosinophils. No infectious agent which can cause the skin lesion, was detected or cultured, and no lesion caused by infectious agents was also observed, pathologically. With pathological results of this study, it is supposed that pathogenesis or severity of PJPPD may be related to the infiltration of eosinophil or hypersensitivity.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.297-305
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• 2014

Animals and disease frequency of the rescued dogs were investigated in Incheon Veterinary Medical Association Animal Shelter from January in 2012 to December in 2013. Three zoonoses (rabies, brucellosis, and dirofilariosis) and three infectious diseases (canine distemper, canine parvoviral enteritis, and canine influenza) were examined for stray dogs. Among 5,603 heads, 647 (11.5%) went back to their owner and 969 (17.3%) were adopted to new families. Prevalence of dirofilariosis, canine distemper and canine parvoviral enteritis were 2.2% (16/718), 6.0% (24/399) and 6.1% (24/396), respectively. Positive antibody rates against rabies, B. canis and canine influenza virus were 20.5% (41/200), 0.1% (1/718) and 2.0% (4/200), respectively. Protective antibody for canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus were shown in 47.0% (94/200). The data indicate that control measures including facility standards and disease control program are one of the important aspects of the shelter management because stray dogs are exposed to various infectious agents.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 1999

Over the last 50 years, a number of antibiotic agents have been developed and clinically used in the area of infectious diseases. Due to antimicrobial resistance problems and increasing health care costs, the rational use of antibiotics has been required. As a drug of choice to treat infections caused by MRSA, vancomycin has been extensively prescribed since the late 1970's. Recently, reports of vancomycin-resistant organisms such as VRE and VRSA have been increased to draw medical concerns. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the rational use of vancomycin and the appropriateness of the Restrictional Program of Antibiotic Utilization (RPAU) which has been operated at Samsung Medical Center. A retrospective chart review was performed in 132 hospitalized patients treated with vancomycin in the surgery departments from. January to June 1998. The guidelines of ASHP and HICPAC for vancomycin were modified and used as our criteria to determine the vancomycin DUE. In one hundred out of the patients, uses of vancomycin were approved by the Department of Infectious Diseases (DID) based on the RPAU. Vancomycin was appropriately used in $62.5\%$ of the 100 patients according to the criteria of justification of use, while $60.0\%,\;60.0\%,\;79.0\%,\;and\;51.0\%$ of the patients showed appropriate according to those of lab reports such as applicable culture obtained, pretreatment SCr, WBC and serum drug concentration monitoring, respectively. Although the rest 32 patients were not approved to receive vancomycin by the DID, twenty two percent continued receiving vancomycin treatment. This might result from the fact that the RPAU was started not before the use of antibiotics but in the middle of antimicrobial therapy. Continual education should be provide to the related health professionals and the RPAU should be simultaneously modified in order to increase the rate of appropriate uses of antibiotics.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.84.1-84.10
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• 2021

Background: Enteritis of an infectious origin is a major cause of productivity and economic losses to cattle producers worldwide. Several pathogens are believed to cause or contribute to the development of calf diarrhea. Astroviruses (AstVs) are neglected enteric pathogens in ruminants, but they have recently gained attention because of their possible association with encephalitis in humans and various animal species, including cattle. Objectives: This paper describes a large outbreak of neonatal diarrhea in buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis), characterized by high mortality, which was associated with an AstV infection. Methods: Following an enteritis outbreak characterized by high morbidity (100%) and mortality (46.2%) in a herd of Mediterranean buffaloes (B. bubalis) in Italy, 16 samples from buffalo calves were tested with the molecular tools for common and uncommon enteric pathogens, including AstV, kobuvirus, and torovirus. Results: The samples tested negative for common enteric viral agents, including Rotavirus A, coronavirus, calicivirus, pestivirus, kobuvirus, and torovirus, while they tested positive for AstV. Overall, 62.5% (10/16) of the samples were positive in a single round reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for AstV, and 100% (16/16) were positive when nested PCR was performed. The strains identified in the outbreak showed a clonal origin and shared the closest genetic relationship with bovine AstVs (up to 85% amino acid identity in the capsid). Conclusions: This report indicates that AstVs should be included in a differential diagnosis of infectious diarrhea in buffalo calves.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.30.1-30.16
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• 2024

Background: Biofilms, such as those from Staphylococcus epidermidis, are generally insensitive to traditional antimicrobial agents, making it difficult to inhibit their formation. Although quercetin has excellent antibiofilm effects, its clinical applications are limited by the lack of sustained and targeted release at the site of S. epidermidis infection. Objectives: Polyethylene glycol-quercetin nanoparticles (PQ-NPs)-loaded gelatin-N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan (N,O-CMCS) composite nanogels were prepared and assessed for the on-demand release potential for reducing S. epidermidis biofilm formation. Methods: The formation mechanism, physicochemical characterization, and antibiofilm activity of PQ-nanogels against S. epidermidis were studied. Results: Physicochemical characterization confirmed that PQ-nanogels had been prepared by the electrostatic interactions between gelatin and N,O-CMCS with sodium tripolyphosphate. The PQ-nanogels exhibited obvious pH and gelatinase-responsive to achieve on-demand release in the micro-environment (pH 5.5 and gelatinase) of S. epidermidis. In addition, PQ-nanogels had excellent antibiofilm activity, and the potential antibiofilm mechanism may enhance its antibiofilm activity by reducing its relative biofilm formation, surface hydrophobicity, exopolysaccharides production, and eDNA production. Conclusions: This study will guide the development of the dual responsiveness (pH and gelatinase) of nanogels to achieve on-demand release for reducing S. epidermidis biofilm formation.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 2005

Purpose : We evaluated the C-reactive protein(CRP), white blood cell(WBC) and neutrophil levels in the various infectious diseases in a single hospital. Methods : A total of 640 medical records of children with infectious diseases such as bacterial meningitis(19 cases), acute pyelonephritis(55 cases), measles(253 cases), chicken pox (38 cases), mycoplasma pneumonia(160 cases), tsutsugamushi disease(39 cases) and Kawasaki disease(152 cases) admitted to The Catholic University of Korea, Daejeon St. Mary's hospital from 1996 to 2002 were retrospectively analyzed. Results : The mean CRP level was $17.9{\pm}6.4mg/dL$ in bacterial meningitis, $9.1{\pm}5.6mg/dL$ in Kawasaki disease, and $8.1{\pm}3.3mg/dL$ in acute pyelonephritis. In the mycoplasma pneumonia and tsutsugamush disease group(atypical bacterial group), the CRP level was $3.2{\pm}2.5mg/dL$, and $1.0{\pm}0.8mg/dL$ in the viral diseases group(measles and chicken pox). There were also significant differences for the WBC count and neutrophil differential between the 3 infectious groups with higher level in the bacterial infections group($15,600{\pm}6,100/mm^3$, $62{\pm}21%$) than in the atypical bacterial infections and in the viral infections group($9,600{\pm}3,300mm^3$, $57{\pm}11%$ and $7,300{\pm}2,900/mm^3$, $49{\pm}16%$, respectively). The inflammatory indices in Kawasaki disease were like those of bacterial infections. There was a correlation between CRP level and WBC or neutrophil count in the bacterial infections and Kawasaki disease groups. Conclusion : The CRP, WBC and neutrophil levels showed a clear difference between the infectious diseases according to causative agents. The WBC and neutrophil level was different according to age in measles and mycoplasma pneumonia. There was a correlation between CRP level and WBC or neutrophil count in the bacterial infections and Kawasaki disease groups.