• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.48-60
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• 1991

In a seroepidemiological study in several areas of Korea, the ELISA technique was performed to determine prevalence of some important helminthic diseases in our nation during March $15^{th}$ to June $30^{th}$. 1991. In this survey the serum antibody positive rates of anisakiasis, toxocariasis, clonorchiasis, paragonimiasis, cysticercosis, and sparganosis were measured. Among, 6,704 cases examined, 19.7% showed positive antibody titer at least one of the six items studied. Overall positive antibody rate was 8.1% in anisakiasis, 5.6% in toxocariasis, 3.6% in clonorchiasis, 1.7% in paragonimiasis, 4.5% in cysticercosis, and 2.6% in sparganosis respectively. In Pusan port southeastern part of Korea, antibody positive rate of anisakiasis was 2.9%, and clonorchiasis was 2.8% among 450 examine. In TaeJ$\check{o}$n city, central part of Korea. toxocariasis(6.7%) and anisakiasis(3.7%) showed high serologic positive rate. Of the 875 persons in Chunche$\check{o}$n gun(=province), northern central rural area of South Korea, anisakiasis was revealed as 3.4% seropositivity. In Tonghae port, eastern coast of South Korea. 9.9% of population examined showed positive antibody titer in anisakiasis. Of the 1,122 persons examined in Southern part of Cholla-Namdo(Southwestern coastal area of Korea), anisakiasis was 16.9%, cysticerocosis was 12.7% and the paragonimiasis was 3.3% respectively. In some localized area of Cholla-Pukdo, anisakiasis was 9.3% and cysticekosis was 4.3% among 702 cases examined. In some localized area of Kyungsang-Pukdo, anisakiasis was 10.6%. and toxocariasis was 16.1% among 900 cases examined. And finally, in Cheju-do, southern island of Korea, anisakiasis showed high positive rate(6.7%). Because cross reactions between related helminth group may disturb the analysis of these data, use of further developed techniques such as EITB(enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot) was considered as a essential tools for the study. We thought that probably most of the positive cases of cysticerosis were taeniasis cases. We can't rule out taeniasis even though EITB was employed as far as crude worm extract or cystic fluid of cysticercus was used as antigen. It was well Known that toxocariasis and anisakiasis also showed cross reactivity. However, the data presented here focus on seropositive rate of several helminthic diseases in Korea, not true prevalence rate of helminthiases, and to wait for more expensive purified antigen in sufficient amount for epidemiologic use is not necessary because increased immunologic sensitivity had little effect on epidemiologic sensitivity. We, here, suggest that ELISA should be applied as soon as possible to the evaluation of prevalence of tissue invading parasitic diseases, and a review of the antibody positive rate obtained in this study would be a basic data for controlling program of parasitic diseases in Korea.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.125-133
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• 2017

Purpose: After the introduction of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine in 1995 in Korea, it was included in the national immunization program in 2013. In the post-Hib vaccine era, some studies in other countries reported that invasive Hib disease affects adults, especially the elderly and immunocompromised persons, more often than it affects children. To evaluate disease susceptibility, quantitative and qualitative analysis of anti-polyribosylribitol phosphate (PRP) antibodies were carried out in Korean adults aged 20 to 85 years. Methods: Sera were collected from 39 healthy adults (20 to 50 years of age) and from 30 elderly adults (75 to 85 years of age) who did not have immune-compromising conditions. The concentration of anti-PRP immunoglobulin G (IgG) and serum bactericidal indices (SBIs) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and serum bactericidal assay. Results: Geometric mean concentrations of anti-PRP IgG and geometric mean SBIs were $0.88{\mu}g/mL$ (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.17 to 3.85) and 354 (95% CI, 50 to 2,499) in young adults and $1.67{\mu}g/mL$ (95% CI, 0.53 to 5.24) and 449 (95% CI, 146 to 1,376) in elderly adults, respectively. When the threshold of seropositivity for anti-PRP IgG was applied as 0.15 or $1.0{\mu}g/mL$, which is the protective antibody level in children, seropositive rates were 87.2% or 53.8% in young adults and 100% or 60% in elderly adults. The seropositivity rates of the SBI ($SBI{\geq}4$) were 82.1% and 100% in the groups, respectively. Conclusions: Most subjects in the adult and elderly adult groups display immunity to Hib based on quantitative and qualitative antibody levels, but not all. Because high immunization and low Hib circulation rates may reduce the natural Hib immunity in the population, monitoring Hib immunity as well as disease are needed continuously.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.455-464
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• 1995

Background: Considering that both humoral and cell mediated immunities play an important role for human tuberculosis infection, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) measurement of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody to mycobacterial antigens can be used for the serologic diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion. Method: We measured absorbance values of IgG antibodies to purified-protein-derivative (PPD) and lipoarabinomannan-B (LAM-B) in the pleural fluid (PF) and the serum in 40 tuberculous (TPE) and 19 nontuberculous pleural effusions (NTPE). Results: 1) The IgG antibodies to PPD and LAM-B were significantly (P<0.0005) higher in the PF and the serum of TPE compared to NTPE. 2) The IgG antibodies to PPD and LAM-B in the serum were higher than that in PF. 3) Significant correlations were found between pleural and serum IgG antibodies to PPD and LAM-B. 4) With a cutoff value for IgG antibody to PPD in the PF of 0.091, sensitivity was 55.0% and specificity 94.7% in the diagnosis of TPE. 5) With a cutoff value for IgG antibody to LAM-B in the PF of 0.337, sensitivity was 50.0% and specificity 94.7% in the diagnosis of TPE. 6) The seropositive rates in TPE were not related to PPD skin test status, the amount of PF and coexisting active pulmonary tuberculosis. Conclusion: The assay of IgG antibodies to PPD and LAM-B might be useful for the diagnosis of TPE. Our study suggests the mechanism of passive transfer of IgG antibodies to PPD and LAM-B from the serum to the PF through pleural tissue.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.169-177
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• 1999

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of interferon alpha therapy with or without prednisolone in children with chronic hepatitis B. Methods: Twenty-eight children (22 boys, 6 girls, mean age 130 months) had seropositive results for HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA; 11 had chronic persistent hepatitis and 17 had chronic active hepatitis. The patients were divided into two groups depending upon their inflammatory activity on liver biopsy, pretreatment serum ALT levels and HBV DNA levels. Fourteen children (group 1: chronic active hepatitis, ALT ${\geq}$ 100 IU/L and HBV DNA ${\leq}$ 100 pg/$300\;{\mu}L$) received interferon alpha 2a 5 $MU/m^2$ of body surface three times weekly for 6 months. Fourteen children (group 2: chronic persistent hepatitis or chronic active hepatitis with ALT < 100 IU/L or HBV DNA > 100 pg/$300\;{\mu}L$) received prednisolone in decreasing daily doses of 60 mg/$m^2$, 40 mg/$m^2$, and 20 mg/$m^2$, each for 2 weeks, followed after 2 weeks by interferon alpha 2a on the same schedule. At the end of therapy, 3 end points were analyzed: HBeAg seroconversion, serum ALT normalization rate and clearance of serum HBV DNA. Results: At the end of treatment, HBe antigen-to antibody seroconversion was higher but not more significant in group 1 than group 2 (71.4% vs. 50.0%). Only one patient in group 2 who lost HBeAg, also cleared HBsAg. ALT normalization was similar in both groups (64.3% in group 1 vs. 55.6% in group 2). Clearance of serum HBV DNA was observed in 78.6% of patients in group 1 and 64.3% in group 2, but no significant differences. Complete response was similarly achieved in both groups (57.1% in group 1 vs. 50.0% in group 2). Interferon alpha therapy with prednisolone priming was well tolerated and all children finished therapy. Conclusion: The combined therapy with prednisolone followed by interferon alpha may be safe and effective in inducing a serological and biochemical remission of the disease in approximately 50% of children with chronic hepatitis B and with a high level of viral replication and less active disease. However, a controlled study should be performed to confirm these results.