• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.173-178
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• 2007

The occurrence of acute respiratory infections caused by the influenza virus are particularly high during the winter season in Busan, Korea. In 2004 and 2005, a study of the rate of occurrences of the influenza virus was conducted. The results reveal that in 2004, of the 1,869 people with an acute respiratory infection that 154 (8.2%) people were infected by the influenza virus. In 2005, of the 1,579 people infected with an acute respiratory infection that 19 people (1.2%) were infected with the influenza virus. The study shows a decrease in the numbers of an influenza virus infection from 2004 to 2005. Data was collected by inspecting throat swabs and nasal discharge from those with an acute respiratory infection. Further inspection of the throat swab and nasal discharge from the infected individuals during 2004 and 2005 study show the occurrence of the different types of influenza virus in the population: 6 cases (3.5%) of influenza type A/H1N1, 129 cases (74.5%) of A/H3N2, and 38 cases (22.0%) of type B. The study conducted in 2004 and 2005 reveal that children between the ages of two and five were more likely to be infected than any other age group. In the study, about 62.2% of the infected individuals were between two and five years old. The detection rates between males and females are similar. However, it is notable that females are slightly more likely to develop an acute respiratory infection caused by the influence virus compared to their male counterparts.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.207-213
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• 2014

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the association between respiratory virus infection and pneumococcal colonization in children. Methods: From May 2009 to June 2010, nasopharyngeal (NP) aspirates were obtained from patients under 18 years old who visited Seoul National University Children's Hospital for respiratory symptoms. NP samples were used to detect respiratory viruses (influenza virus A and B, parainfluenza virus 1, 2 and 3, respiratory syncytial virus A and B, adenovirus, rhinovirus A/B, human metapneumovirus, human coronavirus 229E/NL63 and OC43/HKU1) by RT-PCR and pneumococcus by culture. Results: Median age of the patients was 27 months old. A total of 1,367 NP aspirates were tested for respiratory viruses and pneumococcus. Pneumococcus was isolated from 228 (16.7%) of samples and respiratory viruses were detected from 731 (53.5%). Common viruses were rhinovirus (18.4%), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A (10.6%), adenovirus (6.9%), influenza virus A (6.8%). Pneumococcal isolation rate was significantly higher in the cases of positive virus detection than negative detection [21.3% (156/731) vs. 11.3% (72/636), P <0.001]. For individual viruses, pneumococcal isolation rate was positively associated with detection of influenza virus A [24.7% (23/93) vs 16.1% (205/1274), P=0.001], RSV A [28.3% (41/145) vs 15.3% (187/1222), P=0.001], RSV B [31.3% (10/32) vs 16.3% (218/1335), P=0.042], rhinovirus A/B [22.6% (57/252) vs 15.3% (171/1115), P=0.010]. Conclusion: The study revealed that pneumococcal isolation from NP aspirates is related with respiratory virus detection. The result of this study could be used to investigate how respiratory viruses and pneumococcus cause clinical diseases.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.1085-1088
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• 2003

Purpose : This study was performed to assess the difference of organisms causing bacterial meningitis according to time. Methods : We analyzed retrospectively 40 medical records of bacteriologically proven meningitis from 1992 to 2002. We divided them into two groups; neonate's group(14 cases), and children's group(26 cases). The results of the neonate's group were compared with those of previously reported articles in Korea, in 1970s-1980s. The causative agents of the children's group were analyzed according to the stage before and after the introduction of H. influenza type b(Hib) vaccine. Results : In neonates, Group B streptococci(GBS) was the most common cause of bacterial meningitis. There was a trend in Korea that major causative agents of neonatal bacterial meningitis have changed from gram negative bacteria including E. coli to gram positive bacteria including GBS. In children, H. influenzae was isolated in six out of 11 cases(55%) in 1992-95, before the introduction of Hib vaccine, while two out of seven(29%) were isolated in 1999-2002, after the introduction of the Hib vaccine. Conclusion : Our study showed that the most common agent of neonatal bacterial meningitis was GBS. There was a trend that after the introduction of Hib vaccine, the incidence of H. influenza meningitis decreased in children.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2010

Purpose : The Purposes of this study are to identify the circulating etiologic viruses of acute lower respiratory tract infection in children and to understand the relation with clinical diagnosis. Methods : We obtained a total of 418 nasopharyngeal aspirates from children admitted for their acute lower respiratory tract infections at three tertiary hospitals in Seoul from September 2008 to March 2009. We performed multiplex RT-PCR to identify 14 etiologic viruses and analyzed their emerging patterns and clinical features. Results : Average age of patients was 16.4 months old and the ratio of male to female was 1.36. Viruses were detected in 56.2% of a total of 418 samples. Respiratory syncytial virus (35%) was the most frequently detected and followed by human rhinovirus (22%), human bocavirus, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza virus, influenza virus and human coronavirus. Co-infection reached 21.9 % of positive patients. Conclusion : When we manage the patients with acute lower respiratory infectious diseases, we should remind the role of various viral pathogens, which might be circulating by seasons and by local areas.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.52-57
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• 2018

Purpose: Rhabdomyolysis is a metabolic disorder in which the content of damaged muscle cells is released into plasma. Its manifestations include asymptomatic, myalgia, gross hematuria, and complications of acute kidney injury. Because of limited data on rhabdomyolysis in children, we performed this study to determine clinical characteristics of rhabdomyolysis in children. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with rhabdomyolysis who were treated at the Pusan National University Children's hospital from January 2011 to July 2016. The diagnostic criteria were serum myoglobin level of ${\geq}80ng/mL$, exclusive of acute myocardial injury, cardiac arrest, and brain damage. Results: Forty-five patients were enrolled; mean age, $116{\pm}68$ months. Of these, 35 were boys and 10 were girls. Twenty-six patients experienced myalgia and 12 patients showed gross hematuria. Among these, seven patients initially had both myalgia and gross hematuria. The most common causes of rhabdomyolysis were infection, physical exertion, prolonged seizures, metabolic abnormalities, and drug addiction. Acute kidney injury (AKI) was the most common complication, followed by disseminated intravascular coagulation. Thirty-seven patients improved with sufficient fluid supply but two patients underwent hemodialysis due to deterioration of kidney function. Gross hematuria, positive occult blood test, and positive urine protein were more common in patients with AKI than in those without AKI. Conclusions: In children, infection was the most common cause of rhabdomyolysis. Most patients recovered by sufficient fluid therapy. However, in severe cases, especially in patients with underlying kidney disease, hemodialysis may be necessary in the present study.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.5-15
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• 1985

It has been a long tradition in the field of nutrition that the degree of malnutrition in a community used to be estimated by the degree of the adequacy of nutrients consumption in the households. The adequacy of nutrient consumption in the households then used to be applied to estimate the degree of malnutrition of the children. Such a practice is theoretically acceptable in the community where the food sharing within the household is individual serving style such as in European countries. However, the community where the dietary habit in the household is communal such as in Korea, the estimation of single serving portion from household consumption is quite uncertain. Because of such an uncertainty this study is intended to test the validity of the household food consumption level as an indication of nutritional status of the children in the rural farm households in Korea. The date from the household consumption survey in 1982 by the Korean Rural Nutrition Institute has been used for the analysis of food consumption levels of the households. The survey on the nutritional status of children of 127 preschool children from 78 farm households, has been conducted during May 1983. The nutritional status of the children has been directly measured by weight, height, skinfold thickness, haemoglobin, haematocrit and morbidity of influenza and diarrhoea. The analysis has been conducted to distinguish the differences in prevalence of malnutrition of children from the estimated of household consumption and that of from the direct measurement of nutritional status of children. The results show that the degree of malnutrition of the estimated by the household consumption level has not related with the prevalence of malnutrition by the direct measures of nutritional status of the children. Therefore, the validity of household consumption level as an indication of nutrional status in a same household is quite uncertain for the population studied.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.353-363
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• 2011

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of H1N1 pandemic in 2009. South Korea also had outbreaks of H1N1 virus and used oseltamivir in large volume with increased reports of adverse drug reaction(ADR). The present study was aimed to investigate the ADR frequency, the factors related to ADR, and characteristics of oseltamivir's ADR. Participants for the study were patients randomly drawn from those who were prescribed oseltamivir for treatment from CHA Bundang Medical Center during October 1 and October 30. The information examined as factors related to ADR were collected by a subsequent cross-sectional telephone survey. The factors are the following; a) age; b) gender; c) patient medical history; d) diagnosis of H1N1 virus; e) adherence; f) whether taking other medication with oseltamivir or not; and g) the number of combined medications. We also asked ADR after taking oseltamivir. Total subjects were 86 patients. The average age is $22.6{\pm}18.48$ years old. The gender was 45.3% women and 54.7% men. Half (50%) of all respondents showed one or more ADR, 67.4% were positively diagnosed for H1N1 virus, and 54.7% were completed the full course of oseltamivir (i.e. twice daily x 5days). The most frequently reported ADR symptoms were: dizziness (15.1%), nausea (11.6%), lethargy (10.4%), diarrhea (10.4%), abdominal pain (8.1%), headache and vomiting (6.9%). ADR classifications by categories are gastro intestinal (44.2%), neuropsychiatric events (22.1%), systemic symptom (20.9%), skin events (5.8%), eye events (4.7%), and other cases (2.3%). The onset of ADR 'after taking 1~3 doses' was 69.7%. No increase in neuropsychiatric events was detected in children and adolescents. No factors examined for the study do have significant influence on the presence of ADR. This study showed that ADR of oseltamivir have occurred in half of the patients. The use of oseltamivir is essential for treatment and prophylaxis of influenza A(H1N1). But mass treatment should be properly monitored for ADR.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.193-200
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• 2002

Purpose : This study was performed to investigate the epidemiology of viral acute lower respiratory tract infection(ALRI) in two different areas of Korea. Methods : A total of 796 patients hospitalized for ALRI aged 15 years or less from June 2000 to June 2001 in Samsung Seoul hospital(SSH) and Masan Fatima hospital(MFH) were enrolled. Viral etiologies were confirmed using nasopharyngeal aspirates. We compared etiologic agents, age distribution, clinical manifestations, and seasonal occurrence of viral ALRI between the two hospitals. Results : Virus was isolated in 208 patients(26.1%). The proportion of patients aged under 2 years in SSH was 60.2%, while those in MFH was 90.0%(P<0.05). Respiratory syncytial virus(RSV) was more prevalent in MFH, but adenovirus, influenza virus and parainfluenza virus were more prevalent in SSH(P<0.05). Croup and bronchiolitis occurred more frequently in MFH than in SSH(P<0.05). The most frequent viral pathogens causing bronchiolitis and croup were RSV and parainfluenza virus, respectively, in both hospitals. Adenovirus was the main cause of pneumonia in SSH, in contrast to RSV in MFH. In terms of tracheobronchitis, adenovirus was detected most frequently in SSH, whereas influenza virus-type A was mainly isolated in MFH. Similar pattern of seasonal occurrences of RSV, parainfluenza virus and influenza virus-type A was noted in both hospitals. Adenovirus was isolated sporadically throughout the study periods. Conclusion : Seasonal occurrence and clinical syndromes according to viral pathogens showed similar pattern in two areas. However, distribution of offending viruses was different, although this is mainly related to the different age distribution. An annual nationwide surveillance is necessary to understand the viral epidemiology associated with respiratory illnesses in Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.684-692
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• 2016

Acute respiratory virus infectious diseases are a growing health problem, particularly among children and the elderly. Much effort has been made to develop probiotics that prevent influenza virus infections by enhancing innate immunity in the respiratory tract until vaccines are available. Lactobacillus plantarum GB-LP2, isolated from a traditional Korean fermented vegetable, has exhibited preventive effects on influenza virus infection in mice. To identify the molecular basis of this strain, we conducted a whole-genome assembly study. The single circular DNA chromosome of 3,284,304 bp was completely assembled and 3,250 protein-encoding genes were predicted. Evolutionarily accelerated genes related to the phenotypic trait of anti-infective activities for influenza virus were identified. These genes encode three integral membrane proteins, a teichoic acid export ATP-binding protein and a glucosamine - fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase involved in host innate immunity, the nonspecific DNA-binding protein Dps, which protects bacteria from oxidative damage, and the response regulator of the three-component quorum-sensing regulatory system, which is related to the capacity of adhesion to the surface of the respiratory tract and competition with pathogens. This is the first study to identify the genetic backgrounds of the antiviral activity in L. plantarum strains. These findings provide insight into the anti-infective activities of L. plantarum and the development of preventive probiotics.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.35-44
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of a trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) among healthy Korean children and adolescents. Methods: From October to December 2008, 65 healthy patients aged 6 months to 18 years who visited Korea University Ansan Hospital for influenza vaccination were enrolled in this study. We measured the hemagglutinin inhibition antibody titers at baseline and 30 days after vaccinating enrollees with split influenza vaccine and calculated the seroprotection rates, geometric mean titers, and seroconversion rates. Local and systemic adverse events were assessed after vaccination. Results: The seroprotection rates against all three viral strains (A/H1N1, A/H3N2, B) were 87.7%, 89.2%, and 89.2% (${\geq}70%$), respectively; seroconversion rates were 44.6%, 73.8%, and 63.1% (${\geq}40%$), respectively; and seroconversion factors were 4.5, 8.4, and 10.5 (>2.5), respectively. The TIV immunogenicity was acceptable according to the CPMP (Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products) criteria. Although 48 patients (73.8%) reported one or more adverse events, no severe adverse events such as anaphylaxis and convulsion were observed. Forty-two patients (64.6%) reported a local skin reaction, including redness (29.2%), pain (43.1%), or swelling (41.5%) of the injected site, and 26 (40.0%) reported a systemic reaction: fatigue (23.1%), myalgia (20.0%), headache (10.8%), arthralgia (10.8%), chills (9.2%), or fever (7.7%). Conclusions: This study shows that the immunogenicity of the TIV vaccine is acceptable. As there were no serious adverse events aside from local reactions and mild systemic reactions, this vaccine can be safely used among healthy Korean children and adolescents.