• BMB Reports
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.61-67
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• 2015

Norovirus is a major cause of viral gastroenteritis and a common cause of foodborne and waterborne outbreaks. Norovirus outbreaks are responsible for economic losses, most notably to the public health and food industry field. Norovirus has characteristics such as low infectious dose, prolonged shedding period, strong stability, great diversity, and frequent genome mutations. Besides these characteristics, they are known for rapid and extensive spread in closed settings such as hospitals, hotels, and schools. Norovirus is well known as a major agent of food-poisoning in diverse settings in South Korea. For these reasons, nationwide surveillance for norovirus is active in both clinical and environmental settings in South Korea. Recent studies have reported the emergence of variants and novel recombinants of norovirus. In this review, we summarized studies on the molecular epidemiology and nationwide surveillance of norovirus in South Korea. This review will provide information for vaccine development and prediction of new emerging variants of norovirus in South Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제23권11호
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• pp.1641-1643
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• 2013

Norovirus is the major cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. Between November 2012 and June 2013, 1718 stool samples were requested for norovirus antigen testing in the metropolitan areas of South Korea, and 91 samples were genotyped. The norovirus antigen-positive rate peaked at 52.8% in December 2013. A novel norovirus GII.4 variant, GII.4 Sydney 2012, was the most frequently found genotype (60.4%) during this period. This study demonstrates that norovirus activity increased during the winter of 2012-2013 in South Korea and that norovirus GII.4 Sydney 2012 was the cause of the norovirus epidemic during this period.

• 식품과학과 산업
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• 제50권1호
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• pp.67-73
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• 2017

Control of food pathogens is critical in food safety field. Norovirus is one of the major causes of gastroenteritis and food poisoning worldwide, however, currently, there is not a vaccine or a specific drug available for its treatment. There are several methods to inactivate norovirus during food processing by chemical and physical treatments, however, the use of natural substance has been suggested as an optional strategy due to their safety and consumer preference. In this study supported by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea, we identified novel plant-derived substances with significant anti-norovirus activities. The aim of this project was to determine the antiviral activity of a wide range of natural substances, including plant-derived extracts and essential oils, using a norovirus surrogate system, human norovirus replicon-bearing cells, and mouse in vivo experiments. During the activity screening test, we identified novel anti-norovirus substances or oils using plaque assay with MNV-1. Six selected substances were formulated into an optimum mixture and used as an ingredient for salad sauce of which anti-novovirus activity was confirmed(pending for patent and paper submission). The potential application of selected natural substances as a metal surface sanitizer was also tested. Interestingly, the mixture of selected natural compounds showed a significant inhibitory effect against norovirus. These results suggest that these substances may be used as food ingredient with anti-norovirus antivity or components for surface sanitizers to prevent norovirus contamination.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제45권6호
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• pp.622-629
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• 2019

Objectives: The occurrence of norovirus food poisoning in South Korea has been reported since 2003. This study was performed to investigate the characteristics of norovirus food poisoning outbreaks in Korea from 2006 to 2015 and to analyze the relationship between these outbreaks and climate factors. Methods: Data on norovirus food poisoning outbreaks were obtained from the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Data on climate factors were obtained from the Korea Meteorological Administration. Frequency analysis and Pearson's correlation analysis were adopted for this study. Results: During the study period, norovirus was the greatest contributing factor of food poisoning outbreaks. Approximately half of the outbreaks of norovirus food poisoning occurred in winter. Average temperature, highest and lowest temperatures, precipitation, number of days with rainfall, and humidity all had a significant negative correlation with monthly number of outbreaks of norovirus food poisoning (p<0.05). Among these, the lowest and average temperature showed higher correlation coefficients. However, the sum of the outbreaks in spring and autumn was similar to that of winter, and more than one-third occurred in group meal-service settings, including school lunches. This was strongly assumed as the use of norovirus-contaminated groundwater for preparation of meals in some settings. Conclusion: The cold and dry of the winter season in Korea may assist the transmission of norovirus. Also, the use of groundwater in group meal service is suspected of inducing a larger scale of norovirus food poisoning. Both health authorities and community-based prevention and control measures are required to respond to these complex etiological outbreaks.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.651-654
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• 2008

In order to enhance the efficacy of norovirus detection by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested PCR, this study developed a norovirus mRNA concentration method using poly oligo dT-conjugated magnetic beads. An efficient norovirus detection protocol was performed on commercial ham using 2 viral elution buffers (glycine buffer and Tris beef extract buffer) and 2 concentration solutions [polyethylene glycol (PEG) and zirconium hydroxide]. The different approaches were verified by RT-PCR and nested PCR. This method was performed on ham in less than 8 hr by artificial inoculation of serial dilutions of the virus ranging from 1,000 to 1 RT-PCR unit/mL. The viral extraction and concentration method had 10-fold higher sensitivity using the combination of Tris beef extract buffer and PEG as compared to glycine buffer and zirconium hydroxide. This method proved that RT-PCR and nested PCR have the sensitive ability to detect norovirus in commercial ham, in that norovirus was successfully detected in artificially contaminated samples at a detection level as low as 1-10 RT-PCR unit/mL. Overall, such a detection limit suggests this protocol is both quick and efficient in terms of its potential use for detecting norovirus in meat products.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제21권6호
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• pp.819-828
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• 2011

본 연구에서는 2009년부터 2010년까지 부산, 경남 및 울산 지역의 145 개 지하수 시료들을 대상으로 norovirus의 오염실태를 조사하였다. 먼저 norovirus의 검출을 위한 두 세트의 primer를 제작하였으며 이를 이용하여 최적 nested reverse transcription (RT)-PCR 조건을 확립하였다. 지하수의 norovirus 오염실태 조사에 의하면, 건기(4월~6월)와 우기(7월~8월)에 각각 21개(25.9%)와 15개(23.4%)의 시료에서 norovirus가 검출되었다. 부산, 울산 및 경상남도의 시료에서 각각 15%, 7% 및 32%의 norovirus가 검출되어 지역적인 차이를 나타내었다. norovirus 양성시료에서 GI과 GII가 각각 5개와 31개가 검출되어GI에 비하여 GII가 우세함을 알 수 있었다. norovirus 분리주들의 계통분류학적 분석 결과에 의하면, GI 분리주들은 모두 GI.5 유전자형으로 분류되었으며, GII 분리주들은 GII.3과 GII.4로 양분되었다. norovirus의 검출은 pH, 온도, 산화-환원전위 및 용존산소 등의 이화학적 인자들과 일반세균, 총대장균군 및 대장균과 같은 미생물 수질지표들과 통계적인 유의성이 있는 상관관계를 나타내지 않았다. 반면에 norovirus의 검출과 저탁도(<0.50 NTU) 사이에는 밀접한 상관성이 있음이 밝혀졌다. 본 연구를 통하여 지하수 중 norovirus의 분포실태를 어느 정도 파악할 수 있었으며 수인성 질병의 예방과 국민 보건위생을 위해서는 지하수의 주기적인 norovirus 모니터링이 필요함을 제시하였다.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.219-229
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• 2014

The occurrence trends and moleculargenetic characteristics of noroviruses detected from gastroenteritis patients in Jeju from 2008 to 2010 were investigated. In addition, the norovirus contamination and its characteristics of groundwaters in Jeju were examined. The incidence caused by norovirus in viral gastroenteritis patients has increased every year and was higher in male than in female. The patients caused by norovirus occurred throughout all months. The incidences started to increase from November, were very high from December to February, started to decrease from March, and were very low from June to September. The patients caused by norovirus occurred throughout all ages, however, the infants below 5 years were the most susceptible to norovirus infection and the age group from teens to forties were the most insensitive to norovirus infection. The sequencing analysis showed that 18 genotypes (8 genogroup I (GI) and 10 genogroup II (GII)) were detected, the incidences caused by GI and GII were 11.5% and 88.5%, respectively, and predominant genotype was GII-4 (70.5%), which was the major genotype giving rise to norovirus incidences in Jeju, together with GII-3 (6.1%) and GI-4 (4.1%). Among 20 groundwaters sampled at 9 wells (4 non-drinking water wells and 5 drinking water wells), noroviruses were detected from 2 groundwaters sampled at one non-drinking water well and their genotypes were GI-5 and GI-8.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.235-240
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• 2015

Seasonal variation in the prevalence of norovirus in oysters Crassostrea gigas was investigated and compared to levels of Escherichia coli, a fecal indicator in oysters. Oysters were collected from Iwon-myeon, Taean-gun, Korea, a primary production area for European Union export of oysters between 2013 and 2014. We observed seasonality in the prevalence of norovirus in oysters, with a higher prevalence and viral load detected during winter months. Oysters taken from production areas that complied with the European Union standard for raw consumption (< 230 MPN/100 g of E. coli) had 22.1% of the samples test positive for norovirus (15/68 samples). However, norovirus was not detected in any of the samples (0%, 0/4 samples) that were collected from production sites that exceeded the standard fecal contamination level for raw consumption (> 230 MPN/100 g of E. coli). These results indicated that there is a negative correlation between the prevalence of norovirus and high levels of E. coli in oysters. Therefore, our results suggest that current food safety guidelines using only a bacterial fecal contamination indicator, E. coli, may not adequately assess shellfish production areas for viral and bacterial contamination.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.229-237
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• 2010

Recently, many cases related to viral gastroenteritis outbreaks have been reported all over the world. Noroviruses are found to be leading as the major cause of outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis. Patients with acute gastroenteritis are normally found to be positive with norovirus when the stools and vomit are analyzed. This paper reviews various activities and previous reports that describe norovirus contamination in various food matrixes and the relationship between food handlers. Lately, a numbers of norovirus outbreaks have been reported that are involved with fresh produce (such as vegetables, fruits), shellfish, and prepared food. Food produce processed by infected food handlers may therefore become easily contaminated. In addition, foods that required much handling and had been eaten without heat treatment gave the high risk for getting foodborne illnesses. The standard method for detection of norovirus has already been available for stool samples. However, only a few methods for detection of norovirus in food samples have been developed until now.

• 디지털융복합연구
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• 제18권12호
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• pp.425-434
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• 2020

바이러스감염으로 인한 설사는 전 세계적으로 공중 보건의 주요 문제이며 사망률의 큰 부분을 차지하고 있지만 기후데이터를 이용하여 분석한 연구는 많지 않다. 따라서 본 연구는 설사를 유발하는 바이러스인 Rotavirus Gr.A, Norovirus G-I & GII의 감염과 기후와의 인과관계를 분석하여 조기진단과 치료를 용이하게 하고 계절성 질환을 더욱 관리하고 예방하는데 기여하고자 하였다. 2010년 6월부터 2019년 12월까지 단국대학교 병원에서 시행한 대변 시료 4,009개의 설사바이러스 6종의 멀티플렉스 역전사 PCR(mRT-PCR)검사결과와 다양한 기후 요인 중 체감온도, 상대습도, 일조율과의 상관관계를 후향적으로 분석하였다. 4,009 개의 대변 샘플 중 985 개는 Rotavirus Gr.A, Norovirus G-I & GII 감염에 대해 양성이었다. 이 985 건 중 95.3 % (n = 939)는 10 세 미만으로 Rotavirus Gr.A, Norovirus G-I & GII는 10 세 미만 환자에서 높은 감염률을 보였다. 우리는 기상 빅데이터와 연령, 시기별 감염분석 등에 기초하여 Rotavirus Gr.A의 감염이 상대 습도에 따라 유의한 상관 관계가 있음을 확인하였고 Norovirus G-II의 감염은 체감 온도와 유의한 상관 관계가 있음을 확인하였다. 본 연구는 기후요인에 따른 Rotavirus Gr.A, Norovirus G-I & GII 감염의 분포에 대한 이해도를 향상시킴으로써 바이러스성 설사질환과 관련된 보건정책의 설정이나 계절적 영향에 대한 새로운 통찰력을 제공하는데 유용한 자료가 될 것으로 기대한다.