• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.20 no.2 s.22
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• pp.280-286
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• 1987

For evaluating the boosting (anamnestic) effects of the most recent commercially produced plasma derived heat-inactivated hepatitis B vaccine (A. Co.), 117 adults with naturally acquired antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) were selected at random. In addition, out of case immunized at zero and 1 month, and boosted at 6 months (primary boosting) by conventional vaccine (B. Co), inactivated by pepsin digestion and formalin treatment, 11 cases who showed elevated titer after primary boosting were also submitted to the study. The results were as follows: 1) Out of the 117 subjects with naturally acquired anti-HBs, 6(5.1%) showed isolated anti-HBs and the titers were below 10 ratio units (RU). Negative seroconversion was seen in 4(3.4%) of the 117 cases at 12 months after the screening and, of these cases, 3 showed isolated anti-HBs and the titers were below 10 RU. 2) Eighty-three percent of the cases with naturally acquired isolated anti-HBs below 10 RU did not respond to a booster injection with 3 us dose of A. Co. vaccine at all, but 90% of the other subjects responded. 3) The anti-HBs titers of all the 11 cases who showed a rise of more than 10 RU (increased GMT, 28.04) at one month after primary booster injection by $20{\mu}g$ dose of B. Co. vaccine decreased at 19 months after the primary booster. And 3 subjects (27.3%) of the 11 reached negative seroconversion. All of the 11 cases, who had secondary booster injection with $3{\mu}g$ dose of A. Co. vaccine at 19 months after primary boosting, showed increased anti-HBs titer at least 20 RU or more (increased GMT, 57. 72) at one month after the boosting. According to the above results in the anti-HBs screening survey for the purpose of immunization with hepatitis B vaccine, subjects with isolated anti-HBs below 10 RU should be regarded as being in an unimmunized state. In cases who are in risk circumstances, immunized primarily with a $20{\mu}g$ dose of B. Co. vaccine, a secondary booster injection should be given within 2 years after initiation of primary immunization and a $3{\mu}g$ booster dose of A. Co. vaccine can be reliably used.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 2015

Objectives: The seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) among high-risk groups overseas is high, but studies in these groups are rare in South Korea. We conducted the present study from April to November 2012 to obtain data on the seroprevalence and associated risk factors for HEV among slaughterhouse workers in South Korea. Methods: Slaughterhouse workers from 80 workplaces nationwide were surveyed in South Korea in 2012. The subjects comprised 1848 cases: 1434 slaughter workers and 414 residual products handlers. By visiting 80 slaughterhouses, which were mixed with 75 of which also performed residual products handling, we conducted a questionnaire survey for risk factors and obtained blood samples in order to determine the seropositivity and seroprevalence of HEV. Anti-HEV IgG and IgM were measured using HEV IgG and IgM enzyme-linked immunospecific assay kits and HEV antigen was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: The seropositivity of anti-HEV IgG was 33.5% (slaughter workers 32.8% and residual products handlers 36.2%), and among the seropositive individuals the seroprevalence of anti-HEV IgM was 0.5% (slaughter workers 0.5%, residual products handlers 0.7%). The response rate of HEV-antigen as measured by RT-PCR was 0.2%. Risk factors significantly related to anti-HEV IgG seropositivity were age, sex, and working duration (slaughter workers only). Conclusions: There were significant risk factors (sex, age, and working duration) for HEV identified in our study. All three positive cases for HEV-antigen by RT-PCR were related to pig slaughter but without statistical significance. To prevent HEV, an educational program and working guidelines may be needed for high risk groups.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.89-104
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• 2006

Objectives: This study was done to find factors related with performance of hepatitis B Vaccination among some aged persons through health belief model. Methods: A questionnaire survey was made during September 2004 toward 230 elderly persons using institutions for the elderly of Gwangju City. The relations between subjects characteristics including health belief, mass media contact, hepatitis B experience and performance of hepatitis B vaccination were tested by t test or X2 test. Multiple logistic regression analysis was done to find final significantly related variables. Results: 24.8% of the subjects were vaccinated against hepatitis B. By simple analysis of relation between performance of hepatitis B vaccination and subjects characteristics including health belief, significant variables were chosen as 6 variables including perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, perception of benefits, knowledge on hepatitis B, age, experience of hepatitis through family or friend. After adjusting for confounding variables by multiple logistic regression analysis, hepatitis B vaccine performance showed significantly higher rate as the perception of disease seriousness increased(OR: 1.08, 95% CI: $1.03{\sim}1.14$) and in the group contacted with TV or radio information about hepatitis compared with non-contact. The group who experienced hepatitis among family or friends showed significantly higher hepatitis B vaccination performance rate compared with non-experienced. Conclusion: These results suggested that hepatitis B vaccine performance was related with health belief including hepatitis susceptibility, disease seriousness perception, acquisition of information through TV or radio and indirect hepatitis experience from family or friends.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.141-148
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• 2011

Annual epidemics of seasonal influenza occur during autumn and winter in temperate regions and have imposed substantial public health and economic burdens. At the global level, these epidemics cause about 3-5 million severe cases of illness and about 0.25-0.5 million deaths each year. Although annual vaccination is the most effective way to prevent the disease and its severe outcomes, influenza vaccination coverage rates have been at suboptimal levels in many countries. For instance, the coverage rates among the elderly in 20 developed nations in 2008 ranged from 21% to 78% (median 65%). In the U.S., influenza vaccination levels among elderly population appeared to reach a "plateau" of about 70% after the late 1990s, and levels among child populations have remained at less than 50%. In addition, disparities in the coverage rates across subpopulations within a country present another important public health issue. New approaches are needed for countries striving both to improve their overall coverage rates and to eliminate disparities. This review article aims to describe a broad conceptual framework of vaccination, and to illustrate four potential determinants of influenza vaccination based on empirical analyses of U.S. nationally representative populations. These determinants include the ongoing influenza epidemic level, mass media reporting on influenza-related topics, reimbursement rate for providers to administer influenza vaccination, and vaccine supply. It additionally proposes specific policy implications, derived from these empirical analyses, to improve the influenza vaccination coverage rate and associated disparities in the U.S., which could be generalizable to other countries.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.291-296
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• 2007

Objectives : To explore the information sources and knowledge on infant vaccinations of pro-vaccination community members and anti-vaccination community members on the internet. Methods : An online survey of 245 parents from three pro-vaccination communities and 92 parents from one anti-vaccination community was conducted from June 7 to June 23, 2006. Results : Parents from pro-vaccination communities usually gained the information regarding vaccination efficacy and risk mainly from healthcare providers (49.8%) and mass media (47.7%). Pro-vaccination community members considered healthcare providers as the most credible sources of information on vaccination, whereas the anti-vaccination community members usually gained their information regarding vaccine efficiency and risk from Internet child-care cafes and online vaccination communities. Parents of the anti-vaccination community considered the internet as the most credible information source (77.6% for efficacy, 94.8% for risk). In addition, the major reason why anti-vaccination community members didn't vaccinate and, will not vaccinate, was concern about possible side effects of the vaccine. The knowledge level on infant vaccination, education and economic status was higher in the anti-vaccination community. Conclusions : On-line communities concerned with vaccination are getting popular. The influence of anti-vaccination parents on the Internet is expected to be high. The government and healthcare providers need to increase their efforts to improve the credibility of information about vaccination. Our findings suggest that online communication regarding vaccinations needs to be considered as a means to increase vaccination rates.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.5-14
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• 2009

The availability of effective vaccines has had the most profound positive effect on improving the quality of public health by preventing infectious diseases. Despite many successful vaccines, there are still old and new emerging pathogens against which there is no vaccine available. A better understanding of how vaccines work for providing protection will help to improve current vaccines as well as to develop effective vaccines against pathogens for which we do not have a proper means to control. Recent studies have focused on innate immunity as the first line of host defense and its role in inducing adaptive immunity; such studies have been an intense area of research, which will reveal the immunological mechanisms how vaccines work for protection. Toll-like receptors (TLRs), a family of receptors for pathogen-associated molecular patterns on cells of the innate immune system, play a critical role in detecting and responding to microbial infections. Importantly, the innate immune system modulates the quantity and quality of long-term T and B cell memory and protective immune responses to pathogens. Limited studies suggest that vaccines which mimic natural infection and/or the structure of pathogens seem to be effective in inducing long-term protective immunity. A better understanding of the similarities and differences of the molecular and cellular events in host responses to vaccination and pathogen infection would enable the rationale for design of novel preventive measures against many challenging pathogens.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.407-416
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• 1989

The prospect of live vaccines consisting of genetically modified vaccinia virus expressing foreign genes is exciting, but important issues concerning safety and efficacy need to resolved. Vaccinia virus (VV) is an efficient expression vector with broad host range infectivity and large DNA capacity. This vector has been particularly useful for identifying target antigens for humoral and cell-mediated immunity. The WHO smallpox eradication program, involving the extensive use of VV vaccines, resulted in the late 1970s in the elimination of one of the world's most feared diseases. This achievement is a triumph for preventive medicine and for international collaboration in public health. In 1980, WHO recommended that the routine use of smallpox vaccine should be stopped. Against this background, the prospect of li ve vaccines consisting of genetically modified VV expressing foreign antigens arising from the work of Moss, and Paoletti and their colleagues in 1982 has been greeted with enthusiasm. These investigators have shown that genes coding for immunogenic proteins can be inserted into VV DNA without impairing the ability of the virus to grow in cell culture. Moreover experimental animals infected with VV recombinants containing genes coding for a variety of immunizing proteins have been shown to be protected against challenge infection with the corresponding infectious agent. In this communication, I describe current progress in the construction of a novel plasmid vector that facilitate the insertion and expression of foreign genes in VV as well as the selection of recombinants.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.9039-9043
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• 2014

There is a continuing need for innovative alternative therapies for liver cancer. DNA vaccines for hormone/growth factor immune deprivation represent a feasible and attractive approach for cancer treatment. We reported a preventive effect of a DNA vaccine based on six copies of the B cell epitope GRP18-27 with optimized adjuvants against H22 hepatocarcinoma. Vaccination with pCR3.1-VS-HSP65-TP-GRP6-M2 (vaccine) elicited much higher level of anti-GRP antibodies and proved efficacious in preventing growth of transplanted hepatocarcinoma cells. The tumor size and weight were significantly lower (p<0.05) in the vaccine subgroup than in the control pCR3.1-VS-TP-HSP65-TP-GRP6, pCR3.1-VS-TP-HSP65-TP-M2 or saline subgroups. In addition, significant reduction of tumor-induced angiogenesis associated with intradermal tumors of H22 cells was observed. These potent effects may open ways towards the development of new immunotherapeutic approaches in the treatment of liver cancer.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.65-75
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• 2004

Objectives: Immunizations have been one of the most effective measures preventing from infectious diseases. It is quite important national infectious disease prevention policy to keep the immunizations rate high and monitor the immunizations rate continuously. To do this, Korean CDC introduced the National Immunization Registry Program(NIRP) which has been implementing since 2000 at the Public Health Centers(PHC). The National Immunization Registry Program will be near completed after sharing, connecting and transfering vaccination data between public and private sector. The aims of this study was to evaluate the immunization module of non-chart system in private clinic with health information system of public health center(made by POSDATA Co., LTD) and immunization registry program(made by BIT Computer Co., LTD). Methods: The analysis and survey were done by specialists in medical, health field, and health information fields from 2001. November to 2002. January. We made the analysis and recommendation about the immunization module of non-chart system in private clinic. Results and Conclusions: To make improvement on immunization module, the system will be revised on various function like receipt and registration, preliminary medical examination, reference and inquiry, registration of vaccine, print-out various sheet, function of transfer vaccination data, issue function of vaccination certification, function of reminder and recall, function of statistical calculation, and management of vaccine stock. There are needs of an accurate assessment of current immunization module on each private non-chart system. And further studies will be necessary to make it an accurate system under changing health policy related national immunization program. We hope that the result of this study may contribute to establish the National Immunization Registry Program.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.6077-6080
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• 2013

Background: Cervical cancer is the second commonest female cancer worldwide. The 50-55 cases of cervical cancer are reported annually in the UAE. There is a scarcity of data from Middle Eastern region regarding knowledge and attitude of women towards HPV infection, cervical cancer prevention and HPV vaccine. The aim of our study was to assess the knowledge of women regarding HPV infection and vaccine in UAE. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 640 women aged 18-50 years was conducted in Al-Ain district in UAE using convenience sampling. Women with previous diagnosis of cervical cancer, non-residents of UAE, younger than 18 or older than 50 years of age and those unable to speak Arabic or English were excluded from the study. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association of HPV knowledge with independent factors like age, education etc. Results: Only 29% of our sampled women have ever heard of HPV infection. Only 15.3% women recognized it as STI. Only about 22% women have also heard of the HPV vaccine. Three quarter of the women in our study thought that cervical cancer can be prevented. About 28% recognized vaccine as a preventive measure against cervical cancer. Age (AOR 1.049, 95%CI 1.02-1.08) and husband's level of education were found to be significant (p value 0.015) after adjusting for women's age. Conclusions: The knowledge of HPV infection and vaccine is low in the UAE. Few women recognized HPV as sexually transmitted infection. Increasing age and husband's education are associated with better knowledge of HPV infection.