• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.317-325
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• 2022

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) is one of the master regulators of immune and metabolic cellular functions. HIF-1α, a transcriptional factor whose activity is closely related to oxygen levels, is a target for understanding infectious disease control. Several studies have demonstrated that HIF-1α plays an important role during the infectious process, while its role in relation to parasite virulence has not been addressed. In this work, we studied the expression levels of HIF-1α and related angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) in human macrophages infected with promastigotes of hypo- or hyper-virulent Leishmania major human isolates. L. major parasites readily subverted host macrophage functions for their survival and induced local oxygen consumption at the site of infection. In contrast to hypo-virulent parasites that induce high HIF-1α expression levels, hyper-virulent L. major reduced HIF-1α expression in macrophages under normoxic or hypoxic conditions, and consequently impeded the expression of VEGF-A mRNA. HIF-1α may play a key role during control of disease chronicity, severity, or outcome.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.286-295
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• 2020

Respiratory infections are very common and highly contagious. Respiratory infectious diseases affect not only the person infected but also the family members and the society. As medical sciences advance, several diseases have been conquered; however, the impact of novel infectious diseases on the society is enormous. As the clinical presentation of respiratory infections is similar regardless of the pathogen, the causative agent is not distinguishable by symptoms alone. Moreover, it is difficult to develop a cure because of the various viral mutations. Various respiratory infectious diseases ranging from influenza, which threaten the health of mankind globally, to the coronavirus disease 2019, which resulted in a pandemic, exist. Contrary to human expectations that development in health care and improvement in hygiene will conquer infectious diseases, humankind's health and social systems are threatened by novel infectious diseases. Owing to the development of transport and trading activity, the rate of spread of new infectious diseases is increasing. As respiratory infections can threaten the members of the global community at any time, investigations on preventing the transmission of these diseases as well as development of effective antivirals and vaccines are of utmost importance and require a worldwide effort.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.51.1-51.5
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• 2020

A novel coronavirus emerged in human populations and spread rapidly to cause the global coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Although the origin of the associated virus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 [SARS-CoV-2]) remains unclear, genetic evidence suggests that bats are a reservoir host of the virus, and pangolins are a probable intermediate. SARS-CoV-2 has crossed the species barrier to infect humans and other animal species, and infected humans can facilitate reverse-zoonotic transmission to animals. Considering the rapidly changing interconnections among people, animals, and ecosystems, traditional roles of veterinarians should evolve to include transdisciplinary roles.

• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
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• v.27 no.3_4
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• pp.779-793
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• 2009

This paper deals with a delayed SEIRS epidemic model with pulse vaccination and crowded incidence rate. Moreover, the case of vertical and horizontal transmission is considered. By using the discrete dynamical system determined by the stroboscopic map, the exact infection-free periodic solution of the SEIRS model is obtained. Further, by employing the comparison arguments, we prove that under the condition that $R_*$ < 1 the infection-free periodic solution is globally attractive, and that under the condition that $R^*$ > 1 the disease is uniformly persistent, which means that after some period of time the disease will become endemic.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.275-288
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics of animal carcasses treatment and quarantine management of infectious diseases of livestock, and to present the effectiveness of quarantine and follow-up management of livestock infectious diseases. Method: Actually, a livestock epidemic occurred and the burial site and burial management facility that treated livestock carcasses were visited on-site to analyze the management status and problems. Result: The burial method of livestock outbreaks of livestock infectious diseases and the long-term follow-up management accordingly requires a large amount of manpower and budget to be spent. For example, it can be seen that it is an inefficient quarantine system. Conclusion: It is necessary to review plans for the establishment of integrated livestock infectious animal carcasses treatment facilities at the level of metropolitan cities, districts, and municipalities with the government, where there is no fear of secondary infectious disease transmission and no follow-up management is required.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.389-398
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• 2018

This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, compliance and affecting factors of the cough etiquette to prevent the respiratory infectious disease transmission. Data were collected 250 self reporting questionnaires above 19 years old adult from Aug. 13th to Sep. 19th 2018. 213 questionnaires were analyzed statistically. In the results, the score was converted in terms of 100 points, knowledge of the cough etiquette was average $70.99{\pm}19.92$ points, compliance was $70.63{\pm}10.25$ points. Knowledge and compliance were statistically positive significant correlation, In the multiple regression analysis, the affecting factors were gender, usually carry a handkerchief, usually carry a portable tissue paper, average number of handwashes per day, know about cough etiquette, knowledge of cough etiquette. Therefore, it is necessary to develop and apply an educational program that reflects the affecting factors of cough etiquette in this study result. The higher level of cough etiquette performance will help prevent respiratory infection transmission.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.117-120
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• 2019

Bovine viral diarrhea Virus (BVDV) infections cause respiratory, gastrointestinal, and reproductive problems, such as infertility, abortion, stillbirth, and sickly offspring. Many countries have reduced the economic damage through the application of different control programmes, and some have successfully eradicated BVD. Detection and elimination of cattle persistently infected (PI) with BVDV is important for BVD eradication because PI cattle are a main source of BVD transmission. In this study, the prevalence of Korean native cattle persistently infected (PI) with BVDV was investigated and determined in 49 farms with 3,050 cattle. The all samples were collected by ear notch sampling. Korean native cattle with initial positives on antigen-ELISA (Ag-ELISA) were sampled again after 3~4 weeks and cattle with second positives in both Ag-ELISA and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were identified as PI cattle. Among the 49 farms, 14 (28.6%) farms had at least more than one PI cow and 21 (0.69%) of 3,050 cattle were determined as PI cattle. As a result of this work, it is suggested that national BVD eradication program is required to reduce economic losses by BVDV infection in Korean cattle industries.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.136-148
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was done to investigate the level of nursing students' awareness, attitude, safety climate, and performance of infection control, and to identify factors influencing performance. Methods: The sample consisted of 239 nursing students from 5 nursing schools. Data were collected from November 15 to December 11, 2013 and analyzed by frequency, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple stepwise regression with SPSS/WIN 21.0. Results: Of the participants, 216 (90.4%) had experienced contact with infectious diseases. The performance of personal hygiene was scored the highest followed by standard precautions, transmission precautions, and vaccination. There were significant correlations between awareness, attitude, safety-climate and performance. Awareness, safety-climate, attitude, contents of infection control education, and direct exposure to infectious disease collectively explained 30% of the variance in performance, and awareness was the most influential factor. Conclusion: The results indicate that performance of infection control by nursing students can be increased if awareness, safety climate, attitude, and contents of infection control education are improved, and exposure to infectious disease is decreased. These findings can be utilized to improve performance by developing education programs for infection control.

• The Journal of Bigdata
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.103-111
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• 2022

There are many institutions, organizations, and sites related to responding to infectious diseases, but as the pandemic situation such as COVID-19 continues for years, there are many changes in the initial and current aspects, and accordingly, policies and response systems are evolving. As a result, regional gaps arise, and various problems are scattered due to trust, distrust, and implementation of policies. Therefore, in the process of analyzing social data including information transmission, Twitter data, one of the major social media platforms containing inaccurate information from unknown sources, was developed to prevent facts in advance. Based on social data, which is unstructured data, an algorithm that can automatically detect infectious disease threats is developed to create an objective basis for responding to the infectious disease crisis to solidify international competitiveness in related fields.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.521-525
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• 2018

Rodents are well-known reservoirs and vectors of many emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, but little is known about their role in zoonotic disease transmission in Bhutan. In this study, a cross-sectional investigation of zoonotic disease pathogens in rodents was performed in Chukha district, Bhutan, where a high incidence of scrub typhus and cases of acute undifferentiated febrile illness had been reported in people during the preceding 4-6 months. Twelve rodents were trapped alive using wire-mesh traps. Following euthanasia, liver and kidney tissues were removed and tested using PCR for Orientia tsutsugamushi and other bacterial and rickettsial pathogens causing bartonellosis, borreliosis, human monocytic ehrlichiosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, leptospirosis, and rickettsiosis. A phylogenetic analysis was performed on all rodent species captured and pathogens detected. Four out of the 12 rodents (33.3%) tested positive by PCR for zoonotic pathogens. Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella grahamii, and B. queenslandensis were identified for the first time in Bhutan. Leptospira interrogans was also detected for the first time from rodents in Bhutan. The findings demonstrate the presence of these zoonotic pathogens in rodents in Bhutan, which may pose a risk of disease transmission to humans.