• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.272-275
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• 2019

The 2018 National Guideline for Tuberculosis Control, which was published by the Korea Centers for Diseases Prevention and Control (KCDC), mandates conducting an epidemiological survey among close contacts of active tuberculosis patients at public institutions such as schools. In the procedure for these surveys, the tuberculin skin test (TST) is mandated as the screening test for latent tuberculosis infection in elementary school students. However, several guidelines recommend using the interferon-gamma releasing assay (IGRA) for contacts aged over 5 years with a Bacillus Calmette-$Gu{\acute{e}}rin$ vaccination history. The main reason for this is that IGRA has a higher specificity and lower false positive rate than TST. In addition, IGRA requires only a single visit to draw blood and the results are available within 24 hours. These advantages could promote cooperation from both parents and students in conducting these surveys. Thus, these findings regarding the benefits of IGRA for surveys of close contacts at elementary schools should be incorporated into the KCDC guideline.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.66-70
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• 2019

Objectives: In the Republic of Korea (ROK), the notified incidence of tuberculosis in foreign-born individuals (NITFBI) has increased recently, as has the rate of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and rifampicin-resistant (RR) tuberculosis in foreigners staying in the ROK. As Jeju Province in ROK has a no-visa entry policy, control programs for NITFBI should be consolidated. The aim was to evaluate the status of NITFBI, with a focus on the distribution of MDR/RR tuberculosis by nationality. Methods: Data on tuberculosis incidence in individuals born in Jeju Province and in foreign-born individuals were extracted from the Korean Statistical Information Service of Statistics Korea, and the Infectious Disease Surveillance Web Statistics of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, respectively. Results: Among all notified incident cases of tuberculosis, the proportion of NITFBI increased from 1.46% in 2011 to 6.84% in 2017. China- and Vietnam-born individuals accounted for the greatest proportion of the 95 cases of NITFBI. Seven cases of MDR/RR tuberculosis were found, all involving patients born in China. Conclusions: In Jeju Province, ROK, NITFBI might become more common in the near future. Countermeasures for controlling active tuberculosis in immigrants born in high-risk nations for tuberculosis should be prepared in Jeju Province, since it is a popular tourist destination.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.65 no.5
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• pp.369-378
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• 2008

Background: The mortality rate from tuberculosis in Korea is the highest among OECD countries. However, general public's knowledge of tuberculosis is limited. Currently, exposure to tuberculosis in high school students is a big problem. Methods: A written questionnaire was distributed to 78 high school students in Busan. Results: Almost all the students had heard of tuberculosis (95%). However, their knowledge of tuberculosis was very superficial and limited. The attitude about tuberculosis was 'nothing to worry about' and there was no systemic education in the school or home. Conclusion: Although tuberculosis is quite serious in Korea, most people know little about it and have the wrong attitude. In particular, high school students are easily exposed to tuberculosis because they spend most of their time as a group. Therefore, education of high school students on tuberculosis is strongly recommended in schools and the home. In addition, medical practitioners should play a role in education and prevention programs.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.4.1-4.19
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• 2024

TNF, a pleiotropic proinflammatory cytokine, is important for protective immunity and immunopathology during Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection, which causes tuberculosis (TB) in humans. TNF is produced primarily by phagocytes in the lungs during the early stages of Mtb infection and performs diverse physiological and pathological functions by binding to its receptors in a context-dependent manner. TNF is essential for granuloma formation, chronic infection prevention, and macrophage recruitment to and activation at the site of infection. In animal models, TNF, in cooperation with chemokines, contributes to the initiation, maintenance, and clearance of mycobacteria in granulomas. Although anti-TNF therapy is effective against immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, it carries the risk of reactivating TB. Furthermore, TNF-associated inflammation contributes to cachexia in patients with TB. This review focuses on the multifaceted role of TNF in the pathogenesis and prevention of TB and underscores the importance of investigating the functions of TNF and its receptors in the establishment of protective immunity against and in the pathology of TB. Such investigations will facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies that target TNF signaling, which makes beneficial and detrimental contributions to the pathogenesis of TB.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.213-223
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the knowledge, attitude and preventive behaviors of tuberculosis in male high school students and to identify the factors influencing preventive behaviors and to provide basic data for the development of prevention programs for tuberculosis of male high school students. Methods: This study was conducted from May 1, 2018 to May 30, 2018, and six high school students in S city and Y city of Jeonnam were selected. 465 male high school students in the first grade were selected. Collected data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, pearsons's correlation and Multiple regression analysis by SPSS/WIN 21.0 program Results: As a result, the knowledge score was 11.92, the attitude score was 28.32 and the prevention behavior score was 30.07. All of these correlations were statistically correlated. In addition, factors influencing preventive actions against tuberculosis were attitude toward tuberculosis, exercise, health status, and sleep time Conclusion: Based on the above results, it is thought that to improve the preventive behavior of tuberculosis in male high school students, it is necessary to develop a practice-oriented program for forming healthy lifestyle as well as to change the attitude toward tuberculosis positively.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.103-112
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was to investigate the factors affecting smoking behavior in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods: The participants were 130 pulmonary tuberculosis patients at a national tuberculosis hospital. Using a descriptive survey design, data were collected from January to March in 2016 and were analyzed using binominal logistic regression. Results: As a result of a correlation analysis of the data, depression had a significant positive correlation with smoking (r=.19, p=.030), stress (r=.54, p<.001), respectively. And depression had a significant negative correlation with smoking-related self-efficacy (r=-.20, p=.023). Smoking-related self-efficacy, smoking (r=-.79, p<.001), and stress (r=-.23, p=.008) had a significant negative correlation with each other, respectively. The factors affecting the smoking behavior were smoking-related self-efficacy (OR=1.46, p<.001), sex (OR=67.36, p=.001), occupation (OR=17.51, p=.014), and depression (OR=1.16, p=.024). Those factors explained 84.7% (Negelkerke's $R^2=.847$) of pulmonary tuberculosis patients' smoking behavior. Conclusion: Developing and applying a prevention eduction for reducing depression and enhancing smoking-related self-efficacy may become a venue toward good prognosis of the patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.4
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• pp.309-314
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• 2015

Background: In tuberculosis (TB) patients, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is significant in self-management, which in turn can be effective in therapeutic acceptance and prevention of treatment failure due to multi-drug resistant TB. This study was conducted to evaluate HRQoL and associated factors in TB patients referred to the National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (NRITLD). Methods: In this study, patients were selected from TB clinics of the NRITLD in Tehran. In addition to an Iranian version of the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), demographic and disease characteristic questionnaires were used for data collection. The data were then analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Two hundred five TB patients, with the average age of $42.33{\pm}17.64$ years, participated in this study. The HRQoL scores in different domains ranged from $14.68{\pm}11.60$ for role limitations due to emotional problems to $46.99{\pm}13.25$ for general health perceptions. The variables of sex, marital status, education, job status, place of residence, and cigarette smoking, influenced the HRQoL scores in different dimensions. Conclusion: According to the study findings are the important variables that influenced the HRQoL of TB patients. The consideration of its can improve the HRQoL of TB patients.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.259-266
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• 2019

This study aimed to identify factors that had an influence on preventive behaviors of Emergency Medical Service students against tuberculosis to promote their preventive behavior. The subjects of the study were 314 students studying emergency medical service from one 4-year college and two 3-year colleges in Jeollabukdo and they were researched with the use of a questionnaire from June 25, to July 6, 2018. For a statistical analysis of the data obtained, this study used SPSS 18.0 and conducted a t-test, an ANOVA, a Pearson's correlation coefficient and a multi-regression test to analyze the data. Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis showed that the preventive behavior levels was significantly correlated with knowledge of tuberculosis (r = 0.268, p <0.001) and attitude (r = 0.394, p<0.001). As results of the multi-regression test, the higher the knowledge of tuberculosis(${\beta}=0.152$, p<0.001) and the higher the attitude(${\beta}=0.052$, p<0.001), the higher the preventive behavior levels. In addition, Students who have experienced tuberculosis in their own or relative's relatives have a high level of prevention behavior(${\beta}=-0.186$, p=0.001). Therefore, it is suggested that organized and consistent education programs to promote knowledge on tuberculosis, change negative perception on it and improve preventive behavior levels should be developed and provided.

• The Korean Nurse
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.74-87
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• 1995

This study was to investigate the current prevention Mechanism of tuberculosis infection and to find out how nursing teachers handle against tuberculosis infection. The objectives of this study was to aid in better treatment and maintenance of those infected-students and help students to prevent the disease by themselves. The subjects of this research were 78 students who were proved to be infected at tuberculosis by the test result of each high school and 35 nursing teachers who retain those 78 infected students. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The infection rete of tuberculosis and the general characteristics of the infected students at Girls' High School: There are approximately 33 and 50 tuberculosis-infected cases in 1992 and 1993. The tuberculosisinfection rate were 0.12% in 1992, while the infection rate were 0.17% in 1993. The infection rate for academic Girls' High School stucents were 51.3%, while that of vocational Girls' High school students were 48.7%, About 30.8% of respondents have a family history of tuberculosis infection. 2. The current management system of tuberculosis treatment: It was reported that 59.0% of respondents out of total cases were in the process of treatment, and 41% of them were recovered (from tuberculosis). 55.1% of respondents use health center as their most frequent treatment location. 57.5% of academic Girls' High School and 47.4% of vocational Girls' high shool reported inconsistent meals while curing tuberculosis. In terms of taking medicine, 55.1% reported inconsistently. 3. The current management system of nursing teachers; Approximately 57.1% of nursing teachers were at academic Girls' High School. while 42.9% were at vocational Girls' High School. While treating tuberculosis, 85.7% of nursing teachers checked the consistent medicine-taking, 54. 3% of them checked the side effects of medicine, 80% of them consulted with students, while only 25. 7% of them check the school attendance. This study also finds out that we have underestimated the importance of tuberculosis treatment and health education at the shool level, it has not been effective enough for students to recognize the importance of tuberculosis. It is our assertion that nursing teachers should have paid much more attention to tuberculosis itself and infected-cases.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.61 no.11
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• pp.366-370
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• 2018

Purpose: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most important diseases that cause significant mortality and morbidity in young children. Data on TB transmission from an infected child are limited. Herein, we report a case of disseminated TB in a child and conducted a contact investigation among exposed individuals. Methods: A 4-year-old child without Bacille Calmette-$Gu{\acute{e}}rin$ vaccination was diagnosed as having culture-proven disseminated TB. The child initially presented with symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, and nosocomial and kindergarten exposures were reported. The exposed individuals to the index case were divided into 3 groups, namely household, nosocomial, or kindergarten contacts. Evaluation was performed following the Korean guidelines for TB. Kindergarten contacts were further divided into close or casual contacts. Chest radiography and tuberculin skin test or interferon-gamma-releasing assay were performed for the contacts. Results: We examined 327 individuals (3 household, 10 nosocomial, and 314 kindergarten contacts), of whom 18 (5.5%), the brother of the index patient, and 17 kindergarten children were diagnosed as having latent TB infection (LTBI). LTBI diagnosis was more frequent in the children who had close kindergarten contact with the index case (17.1% vs. 4.4%, P=0.007). None of the cases had active TB. Conclusion: This is the first reported case of TB transmission among young children from a pediatric patient with disseminated TB in Korea. TB should be emphasized as a possible cause of chronic diarrhea and failure to thrive in children. A national TB control policy has been actively applied to identify Korean children with LTBI.