• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.330-337
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• 2013

There are several methods currently being used to diagnose tuberculosis in patients, such as smear, PCR, tuberculosis culture and X-ray. For a proper medical treatment, antimicrobial susceptibility test and rapid drug susceptibility testing have been operated. Tuberculosis bacilli usually need 3~8 weeks of culture period because of delay in RNA synthesis and require 15~22 hours for generation. After a germ raises in culture, we initiated antimicrobial susceptibility test for a proper treatment. It has some difficulties to give a proper prescription for a tuberculosis patient because antimicrobial susceptibility test requires 4 weeks. To supplement this, we are practicing drug susceptibility testing which allow us to know the sensibility of RMP and INH after 2 or 3 days. But this is only possible when more than 2 positive germ. Therefore, we should practice rapid drug susceptibility testing with culture test. But if media is contaminated by other germs except Mycobacterium tuberculosis, it's hard to interpret result about culture test and to practice antimicrobial susceptibility test and rapid drug susceptibility testing. Because we have to practice again smear, culture test after extracting specimen from the patient, time is consumed and proper patient treatment is postponed. To address these problems and quick patient treatment, rapid drug susceptibility testing is practiced by using GenoType$^{(R)}$ MTDRplus method. As a result of this method we detected sensibility 10 and 7 cases and resistance 0 and 3 cases using RIM and INH respectively with other 1 case toward medicals out of the total 11 test. In conclusion rapid drug susceptibility testing can be used from the contaminated specimen after elimination of contaminated source from culture and proved that it can be practiced for rapid examination of a tuberculosis patient.

• 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.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.268-279
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• 2004

Background : The tuberculin skin test has been used to diagnose latent tuberculosis infection, but is not widely used to diagnose or exclude pulmonary tuberculosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of the tuberculin test in diagnosing and excluding pulmonary tuberculosis, and differentiating pulmonary tuberculosis from nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pulmonary disease, when a sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear was positive. Material and Methods : From October 2002 to August 2003, among all the inpatients of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Samsung Medical Center, 258 patients with clinical suspicion of pulmonary tuberculosis were enrolled and underwent a tuberculin test. Results : 156 males and 102 females were included, with a mean age of 57.5 years. The final diagnoses included lung cancer in 89 cases (34.5%), pulmonary tuberculosis in 59 cases (22.9%), bacterial pneumonia in 33 cases (12.8%) and NTM pulmonary disease in 24 cases (9.3%). The positive tuberculin test rate was higher in the tuberculosis than non-tuberculosis group; 81.4 (48/59) vs. 42.4% (81/199). (p<0.001). In 208 patients with a negative sputum AFB smear, the result of the tuberculin test was positive in 69.4% (25/36) of the tuberculosis group and in 44.8% (77/172) of the non-tuberculosis group (p=0.007), so a positive result of the tuberculin test could predict pulmonary tuberculosis with 69.4% sensitivity, 55.2% specificity, a 24.5% positive predictive value and a 89.6% negative predictive value. In 50 patients with a positive sputum AFB smear, the positive rates of the tuberculin test were 83.9% (26/31) in tuberculosis group and 21.1% (4/19) in NTM pulmonary disease group (p<0.001), so a positive result of the tuberculin skin test could predict pulmonary tuberculosis with 83.9% sensitivity, 78.9% specificity, a 86.7% positive predictive value and a 75.0% negative predictive value. Conclusion : The tuberculin test could be useful in excluding pulmonary tuberculosis when the sputum AFB smear is negative, and to differentiate pulmonary tuberculosis from NTM pulmonary disease when the sputum AFB smear is positive.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.86 no.2
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• pp.94-101
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• 2023

A recent understanding of the dynamic continuous spectrum of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection has led to the recognition of incipient tuberculosis, which refers to the latent infection state that has begun to progress to active tuberculosis. The importance of early detection of these individuals with a high-risk of progression to active tuberculosis is emphasized to efficiently implement targeted tuberculosis preventive therapy. However, the tuberculin skin test or interferon-γ release assay, which is currently used for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection, does not aid in the prediction of the risk of progression to active tuberculosis. Thus, a novel test is urgently needed. Recently, simultaneous and systematic analysis of differentially expressed genes using a high-throughput platform has enabled the discovery of key genes that may serve potential biomarkers for the diagnosis or prognosis of diseases. This host transcriptional investigation has been extended to the field of tuberculosis, providing promising results. The present review focuses on recent progress and challenges in the field of blood transcriptional signatures to predict progression to active tuberculosis.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 1985

Species of scotochromogenic mycobacteria of Group II isolated from sputa of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and tuberculosis-like diseases from 1979 to 1984 were identified by simple biochemical tests using. nitrate reduction, Tween-80 hydrolysis, arylsulfatase and urease test, and serotypes of the isolates belonging to M. scrofulaceum were differentiated by bacterial agglutination test. Of 39 strains. tested, 11(28.2%) proved to be M. scrofulaceum, 15(38.5%) M. flavescens and 13(33.3%) M. gordonae. But none of the isolates belonged to M. szulgai and M. xenopi known as major pathogens of mycobacteria of Group II. Of 11 strains of the isolates identified as M. scrofulaceum 3 strains(27.3%) each belonged to serotype 41 and 42, and 4 strains(36.4%) belonged to serotype 43, but one strain was not typable because of its inagglutinability by any one of the type specific sera. In addition, the sensitivity and specificity of rabbit immune sera against type strains of serotype 41, 42 and 43 of M. scrofulaceum were analysed by bacterial agglutination test. In the sensitivity of microplate test with 11 isolates of M. scrofulaceum, a comparative tandem test using 2 units and one unit of absorbed antisera against three serotypes appeared to be superior to a conventional microplate test using one unit of type specific antisera.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.2
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• pp.56-63
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• 2015

A small number of viable tuberculosis bacilli can reside in an individual with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) without obvious clinical symptoms or abnormal chest radiographs. Diagnosis and treatment for LTBI are important for tuberculosis (TB) control in public and private health, especially in high-risk populations. The updated 2014 Korean guidelines for TB recommend that tuberculin skin tests, interferon-gamma release assays, or a combination of the two can be used for LTBI diagnosis according to age and immune status of the host as well as TB contact history. The regimens for LTBI treatment include isoniazid, rifampicin, or isoniazid/rifampicin. However, results of drug susceptibility test from the index case must be considered in selecting the appropriate drug for recent contacts. Standardized LTBI diagnosis and treatment based on the new 2014 guidelines will contribute to the effective TB control in Korea as well as to the establishment of updated guidelines.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.335-340
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• 2010

On the basis of the 2009 business plan, 20,394 Korean native cattle and beef cattle were carried examination of bovine tuberculosis by using ELISA technique from March to December. As a result, 66 cattle tested positive for tuberculosis and showed 0.32% positive ratio. Intradermal tuberculin test about 66 cases of ELISA positive cattle was carried out, and all of 66 cattle were confirmed as negative. However, when 7 PPD-positive cattle derived from slaughterhouse were tested by 20k ELISA kit and MS ELISA kit, 3 (2 suspect) cattle and 5 cattle showed positive results, respectively. As compared to the results of PPD test, the concordance rates were 43% (71% included suspect) with 20k ELISA kit and 71% with MS ELISA kit.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.5
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• pp.416-425
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• 2012

Background: The sensitivities and specificities of interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) vary among different population studies, and the data on the routine use of IGRAs are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) test in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis. Methods: We conducted a prospective study, enrolling 77 patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), at a secondary care teaching hospital in Seoul. Results: In total, 12 (15.6%) patients showed indeterminate results due to positive control failure on the QFT-GIT test. Indeterminate results were significantly associated with the elderly, history of the intensive care unit stay, lymphocytopenia, especially low CD4 count, increased C-reactive protein and decreased protein levels. Of the 77 patients, 44 (57.1%) were diagnosed with active pulmonary tuberculosis, and the percentage of false negative results of the QFT-GIT was 36.4% (vs. 31.8% with TST). In the TB group with >65 years old (n=12), the proportions of the indeterminate (33.3% vs. 3.1%) and the false negative results (58.3% vs. 25.0%) of the QFT-GIT were significantly higher than in the younger TB group (n=32). Conclusion: Indeterminate and false negative results of QFT-GIT test were not infrequent in tuberculosis, especially in the elderly. Care should be considered for the interpretation with the elderly, immunocompromised, chronic and severely diseased patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.68 no.6
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• pp.345-349
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• 2010

Background: The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is important for the confirmatory diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to analyze the yield of repeated PCR testing in patients with confirmed pulmonary TB. Methods: The medical records of 130 patients, who had more than two consecutive PCR tests and a M. tuberculosis-positive sputum culture from August, 2006 to December, 2007, were retrospectively reviewed for the purposes of this study. A positive TB-PCR test was defined as at least one positive test result. Results: The cumulative positive PCR test rate was 80% (104/130), with gradually increasing rates of positive findings upon the first, second and third TB-PCR tests with 52.3%, 68.5% and 75.4%, respectively. However, further testing did not increase the positive rate further. Conclusion: Repeated PCR testing at least three times for M. tuberculosis is helpful for diagnosis of pulmonary TB.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.132-141
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• 2013

Mycobacterium isolates were retrospectively identified, antibiotics susceptibility test results and basic clinical data were analyzed for the 715, excepted 308 in 1,023 specimens, from a mycobacterial laboratory at a tertiary care hospital from September 2002 to December 2008. Their male to female ratio was 1.12 to 1 (379 male, 336 female). The median age of study population was 47 years (range from 10 to 93 years). Distribution of Mycobacterium species was 90.1% of total were isolates Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and 9.9% of the total non-tuberculosis Mycobacterium isolated, and Among nontuberculosis Mycobacterium isolates, 60.6% were Mycobacterium avium complex, 14.1% were isolates Mycobacterium abscessus, and 12.7% were isolates Mycobacterium intracellulare. Among 526 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates, 81.7% isolates were susceptible to first line antibiotics, 18.3% were resistant to one or more antibiotics. Non-tuberculosis Mycobacterium isolates, all were resistant to two or more antibiotics. Multi-antibiotic resistant tuberculosis rate was show 10.2% of total specimens. Isolated Mycobacterium species, 19.2% were multi-antibiotic resistant tuberculosis, and the rate of nontuberculosis Mycobacterium resistant to isoniazid and rifampin was very highly 84.5%. Thus among acid fast bacilli culture positive cases, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-tuberculosis Mycobacterium were must exactly identification and antibiotic sensitivity test. It was considered to help to select of the antibiotic in preventive medicine.