• 항공우주의학회지
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.77-81
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• 2021

Purpose: The United States of America have pre-migration screening program are mandated through legislation. The one of purpose of this program is to prevent the importation of certain communicable diseases. Examinations of migration applicants are performed by panel physicians who are licensed physicians in the countries of origin that have agreements with the government departments of the country of destination to undertake this activity. In recent decades, the number of US migrants has increased, however COVID-19 impacted this trend of international migrants. The Aim of this study is to examine trends of US applicants and outcomes of tuberculosis and sexual transmitted infections (STIs) screening in South Korean applicants for US visa. Methods: A total of 4,442 applicants participated in US visa health check-up in 2016 to 2020. Results: The numbers of applicant for US visa in males and females was 1,814 and 2,628. The positive results in tuberculosis and STIs screening was noted with 0.66% in nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), 0.03% in tuberculosis, 0.03% in gonorrhea, 0.08% in syphilis, and 0.74% in chlamydia. The age groups of 2 to 14 years showed higher positive rate (13.89%) in tuberculin skin test (TST) tests compared to the rate of interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) tests (0.44%, P<0.001). The positive ratio of NTM and abnormal chest X-ray (CXR) which required sputum tests among the applicants over 15 years old has trends to increase with age. The age groups of over 70 years showed high positive rate in NTM and abnormal CXR (4.10%, 20.51%). However, ages 15 to 49 years groups showed 0.00% to 0.30% in NTM and 1.08% to 3.91% in abnormal CXR. In the study population, the positive rates of STIs were 0.03%, 0.08%, and 0.74% in gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia, respectively. Among the participants who underwent sputum smears and cultures were just 1 case of active tuberculosis (0.03%) and 25 cases of NTM infection (0.66%). Conclusion: This study found that rate of positivity in tuberculosis and STIs screening among South Korean applicants for US visa in 2016 to 2020. Regarding tuberculosis, the positivity of CXR among the aged 15 to 59 years applicants was lower than that among over 60 years old. Among 2 to 14 years, positivity of IGRA was very low. And IGRA test can reduce effort of further evaluation compared to TST test in South Korea, so IGRA test among young adults can be useful. High positive rates in STI among young adult could result in high active sexuality, especially chlamydia infection is most common. Therefore Chlamydia polymerase chain reaction should be considered formal protocol among the Korean applicant for US visa.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제75권6호
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• pp.238-243
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• 2013

Background: The aim of our study was to evaluate the "diagnosis changed" rate in patients notified as tuberculosis (TB) on the Korean TB surveillance system (KTBS). Methods: A total of 1,273 patients notified as TB cases on the KTBS in one private tertiary hospital in 2011 were enrolled in the present study. Patients were classified into three groups: "diagnosis maintained", "diagnosis changed" (initially notified as TB, but ultimately diagnosed as non-TB), and "administrative error" (notified as TB due to administrative errors). Results: Excluding 17 patients in the "administrative error" group, the "diagnosis maintained" and "diagnosis changed" groups included 1,097 (87.3%) and 159 patients (12.7%), respectively. Common causes of "diagnosis changed" were nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) disease (51.7%, 61/118), and pneumonia (17.8%) in cases notified as pulmonary TB, and meningitis (19.5%, 8/41) and Crohn's disease (12.2%) in cases notified as extrapulmonary TB. Being older than 35 years of age (odds ratio [OR], 2.18) and a positive acid-fast bacilli stain (OR, 1.58) were positive predictors and a TB-related radiological finding (OR, 0.42) was a negative predictor for a "diagnosis changed" result via multivariate logistic regression analysis in pulmonary TB cases. Conclusion: Because of a high "diagnosis changed" rate in TB notifications to the KTBS, the TB incidence rate measured by the KTBS may be overestimated. Considering the worldwide trend toward increased NTM disease, the "diagnosis changed" rate may increase over time. Thus, when reporting the annual TB notification rate in Korea, the exclusion of "diagnosis changed" cases is desirable.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.138-142
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• 2018

The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the Republic of Korea remains high when compared to the incidence in other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. The prompt diagnosis and effective treatment of latent TB infection (LTBI) are very important in terms of controlling the burden of TB. The tuberculin skin test (TST) has long been the "gold standard" assay for the diagnosis of LTBI. However, it can show false positive results due to Bacille Calmette-$Gu{\acute{e}}rin$ (BCG) vaccination and infection with many environmental nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). The interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) using Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-specific antigens, was developed for the detection of LTBI. The QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay is one of the most commonly used forms of the IGRA. In order to compare the diagnostic efficacy of the TST and IGRA in relation to LTBI among BCG-vaccinated healthy donors, whole blood samples were collected from 51 participants, and the results of the TST and IGRA were compared. Of the 51 cases, 18 cases (35.3%) were positive and 33 cases (64.7%) were negative when using the TST, while four cases (7.8%) were positive and 47 cases (92.2%) negative when using the IGRA. There was no correlation between the size of the induration in the TST and the $IFN-{\gamma}$ protein level. In conclusion, the TST showed higher cross-reactivity among the BCG-vaccinated healthy participants, therefore, the IGRA might be the most suitable assay for the rapid screening of LTBI in BCG-vaccinated healthy population, or for TB contact investigation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제66권1호
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• pp.37-41
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• 2009

Hot tub lung은 NTM, 주로 MAC에 오염된 온수에 노출 후 폐에 감염 또는 과민반응이 유발되어 발생하는 폐 질환으로 알려져 있다. 저자들은 같은 대중목욕탕에서 목욕관리사로 일하던 중 발생한 hot tube lung 환자 2명을 경험하여 보고하는 바이다. 2명의 여성(60세와 53세)이 수개월 전부터 운동성 호흡곤란 및 기침이 발생하여 병원에 내원하였다. 환자들은 수년 전부터 같은 대중목욕탕에서 목욕관리사로 일하고 있었다. 가슴 CT에서 양측 폐에 미만성 간유리 음영과 공기포획 및 경계가 불분명한 소엽중심성 미세결절이 관찰되었다. 폐 조직검사에서 폐 실질에 작은 비건락성 육아종들이 관찰되었고 인접한 폐포들은 비교적 정상소견을 보였다. 환자들은 항결핵제 치료 없이 대중목욕탕 근무를 중단한 것 만으로 증상과 방사선 소견이 호전되었다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제54권6호
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• pp.621-627
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• 2003

MAC는 NTM 폐질환의 가장 흔한 원인균이다. Clarithromycin과 같은 새로운 항생제의 사용에도 불구하고, 아직까지 MAC 폐질환의 내과적 치료성적은 만족스럽지 않으며, 따라서 내과적 치료만으로 균음전에 성공하지 못하였을 때, 폐병변이 국한되어 있다면 폐절제술을 고려하여야 한다. 국내에서는 아직까지 MAC 폐질환의 치료를 위하여 폐절제술을 시행한 증례가 보고되지 않았다. 저자들은 MAC 폐질환을 진단하고 clarithromycin을 포함한 내과적 치료에 실패한 환자에서 폐절제술을 시행 후 균음전에 성공한 환자를 경험하여 이를 보고하는 바이다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제58권1호
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• pp.11-17
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• 2005

연구배경 : 결핵의 발병에 유전적인 소인이 존재하며 숙주 면역 반응에 $IFN-{\gamma}$가 중요한 역할을 한다고 알려져 있다. 파종성 NTM 또는 BCG 감염증 환자에서 $IFN-{\gamma}$ 수용체 유전자 돌연변이가 밝혀져 있는데, 결핵 환자에서 $IFN-{\gamma}$ 수용체의 부분결핍 유무는 잘 알려져 있지 않았다. 방 법 : 2개 이상의 장기를 침범한 파종성 결핵 환자 6명을 대상으로 염기순서분석을 통해 $IFN-{\gamma}$ 수용체 1과 $IFN-{\gamma}$ 수용체 2의 부분결핍을 초래하는 유전자 이상이 있는지를 살펴보았다. 결 과 : $IFN-{\gamma}R1$의 부분결핍을 초래하는 I87T와 818delT 818del4, 818insA 그리고 $IFN-{\gamma}R2$의 부분결핍을 초래하는 R114C 돌연변이 등 기존에 보고된 유전자 이상은 발견되지 않았다. 결 론 : 본 연구의 대상인 6명의 파종성 결핵 환자에서 $IFN-{\gamma}$ 수용체의 부분결핍을 초래하는 유전자 이상은 발견되지 않았다.