• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제68권3호
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• pp.155-161
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• 2010

Background: The tuberculin skin test (TST) has limitations in diagnosing a latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). The interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) was introduced to middle- and high-school students since 2009 by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The aim was to evaluate the utility of IGRA in diagnosing LTBI in middle- and high-school students. Methods: From August 2007 to July 2009, among suspected LTBI students showing TST induration with a 10 mm diameter and over with a normal chest x-ray in school students of Jeju city, 341 students underwent a Quanti FERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) test to confirm LTBI. Results: From 348 students showing a positive TST, a QFT-IT test was carried out on 341 students. The positive QFT-IT rate was 52.8% (=180/341). The positive QFT-IT rate was higher in high-school boys with a 15~19 mm diameter of induration in TST. Conclusion: With the introduction of IGRA for diagnosing LTBI in middle- and high-school students, approximately 47% of students who show a TST induration with a 10 mm diameter and over can avoid taking unnecessary preventive chemotherapy. These results suggest that IGRA is useful for diagnosing and controlling LTBI in Korean students.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제75권4호
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• pp.150-156
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• 2013

Background: Thoracoscopic pleural biopsy is often required for rapid and confirmative diagnosis in patients with suspected pleural tuberculosis (PL-TB). However, this method is more invasive and costly than its alternatives. Therefore, we evaluated the clinical utility of the chest computed tomography (CT)-based bronchial aspirate (BA) TB-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test in such patients. Methods: Bronchoscopic evaluation was performed in 54 patients with presumptive PL-TB through diagnostic thoracentesis but without a positive result of sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear, pleural fluid AFB smear, or pleural fluid TB-PCR test. Diagnostic yields of BA were evaluated according to the characteristics of parenchymal lesions on chest CT. Results: Chest radiograph and CT revealed parenchymal lesions in 25 (46%) and 40 (74%) of 54 patients, respectively. In cases with an absence of parenchymal lesions on chest CT, the bronchoscopic approach had no diagnostic benefit. BA TB-PCR test was positive in 21 out of 22 (95%) patients with early-positive results. Among BA results from 20 (37%) patients with patchy consolidative CT findings, eight (40%) were AFB smear-positive, 18 (90%) were TB-PCR-positive, and 19 (95%) were culture-positive. Conclusion: The BA TB-PCR test seems to be a satisfactory diagnostic modality in patients with suspected PL-TB and patchy consolidative CT findings. For rapid and confirmative diagnosis in these patients, the bronchoscopic approach with TB-PCR may be preferable to the thoracoscopy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제57권6호
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• pp.528-534
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• 2004

배 경 : 객담 항산균 도말 검사는 저렴하고 간편한 검사이며, 검사 결과를 빨리 얻을 수 있다는 장점이 있지만, 결핵균과 NTM을 구별하지 못한다는 제한점이 있다. 외국에서는 도말 양성 환자에서 폐결핵과 NTM 폐질환을 구별하기 위하여 TB-PCR 검사가 권장되고 있다. 본 연구는 국내에서도 객담 도말 양성 환자에서 객담 또는 기관지 세척액의 TB-PCR 검사가 폐결핵과 NTM 감염의 감별 진단에 유용한가를 알아보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법 : 2003년 1월 1일부터 2003년 12월 31일까지 1년간 진단검사의학과 임상미생물검사실로 항산균 도말 및 배양검사가 의뢰된 객담 검체 중 도말과 배양이 모두 양성인 826건의 객담 검체를 연구대상으로 하였고, 이 검체가 분리된 환자 299명의 의무기록과 방사선학적 소견을 후향적으로 조사하였다. 결 과 : 결핵균이 분리된 객담은 606건(73.4%)이었고 NTM이 분리된 객담은 220건(26.6%)이었다. 299명의 환자 중 결핵균이 분리된 폐결핵 환자는 229명(76.6%)이었고, NTM이 분리된 환자는 70명(23.4%)이었으며 모두 임상적 의의가 있는 NTM 폐질환 환자였으며, 원인균은 M. avium complex 38명(54.3%), M. abscessus 26명(37.1%), 기타 6명 등이었다. 폐결핵 환자 229명 중 112명(48.9%)와 NTM 폐질환 환자 70명 중 51명 (72.9%)에서 객담 또는 기관지 세척액을 이용한 TB-PCR 검사가 시행되었다. 검사를 시행한 폐결핵 환자 112명 중 99명(88.4%)에서 TB-PCR 검사가 양성을 보였고, NTM 폐질환 환자는 모두 음성을 보였다 (p<0.001). 객담 도말 양성 환자에서 객담 또는 기관지 세척액의 TB-PCR 검사 양성 반응이 폐결핵을 예측하는 민감도와 특이도는 각각 88.4%(99/112)와 100%(51/51)였고, 양성 예측치는 100%(99/99) 그리고 음성 예측치는 79.7%(51/64)였다. 결 론 : 객담 항산균 도말 양성을 보이는 환자에서 객담 또는 기관지 세척액 TB-PCR 검사는 국내에서도 폐결핵과 NTM 폐질환을 구별하는데 임상적 유용성이 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제72권2호
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• pp.140-148
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• 2012

Background: Detection and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) infection with contact investigation is a key component of TB control program. I evaluated the prevalence and risk factors for TB infection among contacts of recently diagnosed pulmonary TB patients in a tertiary hospital in Korea. Methods: 206 contacts of 90 adult pulmonary TB patients underwent tuberculin skin tests (TST) and chest radiography. The TST results were considered positive with an induration of 10 mm or more, suggesting TB infection. A standardized questionnaire was used to assess risk factors associated with TB infection. Results: TST was positive in 97 of 206 contacts of TB patients (47.1%) and positive rate of TST increased with age. The risk of TB infection was significantly associated with close contact with TB patients (sleeping in the same room) (odd ratio [OR], 4.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43~17.00). Conclusion: TB infection rate was higher in the elderly, and the risk of TB infection was significantly increased with close contact of TB patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제80권1호
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• pp.21-26
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• 2017

It is well established that health care workers (HCWs) have a considerably higher risk of occupationally acquired tuberculosis (TB). To reduce the transmission of TB to HCWs and patients, TB infection control programs should be implemented in health care settings. The first and most important level of all protection and control programs is administrative control. Its goals are to prevent HCWs, other staff, and patients from being exposed to TB, and to reduce the transmission of infection by ensuring rapid diagnosis and treatment of affected individuals. Administrative control measures recommended by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization include prompt identification of people with TB symptoms, isolation of infectious patients, control of the spread of the pathogen, and minimization of time spent in health care facilities. Another key component of measures undertaken is the baseline and serial screening for latent TB infection in HCWs who are at risk of exposure to TB. Although the interferon-gamma release assay has some advantages over the tuberculin skin test, the former has serious limitations, mostly due to its high conversion rate.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.215-219
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• 2016

The problems of tuberculosis and its drug resistance are very severe. Therefore, rapid and accurate drug susceptibility assay is required. Recently, there has been an increased understanding of the genetic mechanism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) drug resistance as well as advancement of molecular technologies. While many gene mutations correlate well with drug resistance, many genes do not show a strong correlation with drug resistance. For this reason, the current study assessed the utility of rpoB mRNA as a target to detect live mycobacteria. In this study, RT-PCR targeting of rpoB mRNA in BCG treated with rifampin was performed. Conventional RT-PCR and real-time PCR targeting rpoB mRNA as well as 85B mRNA was performed to determine whether these two methods could distinguish between viable and non-viable MTB. The levels of rpoB and 85B mRNA detected by RT- PCR were compared in parallel with colony forming unit counts of BCG that were treated with rifampin for different periods of time. The data suggests that that even though both mRNA levels of rpoB and 85B decreased gradually when rifampin-treatment increased, the rpoB mRNA seemed to represent live bacteria better than 85B mRNA. This study clearly indicates that RT-PCR is a good method to monitor viable cell counts in the liquid culture treated with the anti-tuberculosis drug.

• 근관절건강학회지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.120-130
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictors of tuberculosis (TB) drugs in health care workers diagnosed with latent tuberculosis Infection (LTBI). Methods: This study was a descriptive correlation study. Data were collected by using a self-report questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed by -test, t-test, and logistic regression analysis. Results: There were involved 160 participants, 35 (21.9%) who took the TB drugs, and 125 (73.8%) who did not take the TB drugs. The predictors on taking TB drugs in health care workers with LTBI were subjective norms (OR=3.33, p<.001), perceived sensitivity (OR=2.67, p=.026), perceived barrier (OR=0.14, p=.014), and unmarried (OR=4.69, p=.006) than married, health care worker category 2 group (OR=5.84, p=.015) and 1 group (OR=4.25, p=.022) than 3, 4 group, sleep over 7 hours (OR=4.11, p=.022) than less 7 hours sleep. Conclusion: In order to promote the use of TB drugs in health care workers with LTBI, it is necessary that take intervention strategies to increase the subjective norms and perceived sensitivity and to decrease the perceived barriers.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제70권2호
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• pp.125-131
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• 2011

Background: The clinical manifestation of $M.$ $tuberculosis$ infection ranges from asymptomatic latent infection, to focal forms with minimal symptoms and low bacterial burdens, and finally to advanced tuberculosis (TB) with severe symptoms and high bacillary loads. We investigated the diagnostic sensitivity of the whole-blood interferon-${\gamma}$ release assay according to the wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes. Methods: In patients diagnosed with active TB that underwent $QuantiFERON^{(R)}$ (QFT) testing, the QFT results were compared with patients known to be infected with pulmonary tuberculosis (P-TB) and extra-pulmonary TB (EP-TB). In addition, the results of the QFT test were further analyzed according to the radiographic extent of disease in patients with P-TB and the location of disease in patients with EP-TB. Results: There were no statistical differences in the overall distribution of QFT results between 177 patients with P-TB and 84 patients with EP-TB; the positive results of QFT test in patients with P-TB and EP-TB were 70.1% and 64.3%, respectively. Among patients with P-TB, patients with mild extents of disease showed higher frequency of positive results of QFT test than that of patients with severe form (75.2% vs. 57.1%, respectively; p=0.043) mainly due to an increase of indeterminate results in severe P-TB. Patients with TB pleurisy showed lower sensitivity by the QFT test than those with tuberculous lymphadenitis (48.8% vs. 78.8%, respectively; p=0.019). Conclusion: Although QFT test showed similar results between overall patients with P-TB and EP-TB, individual sensitivity was different according to the radiographic extent of disease in P-TB and the location of disease in EP-TB.

• 대한간호
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• 제34권1호
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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.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제82권3호
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• pp.194-200
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• 2019

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major infectious disease in South Korea causing substantial disease burden, particularly in the elderly. This study aimed to identify the case detection rate of mobile TB screening for the elderly conducted in the Jeollanam-do region and to analyze risk factors of active TB. Methods: We screened the elderly population (${\geq}65$ years old) in Jeollanam-do from August to December 2017. Chest radiography was performed for all participants. Participants with TB presumptive signs were asked to submit sputum specimen(s). Sputum smear, culture, and polymerase chain reaction analyses were performed. Cascade analysis, chi-squared tests, and Fisher exact tests were used to evaluate screening performance. Results: In total, 12,402 participants were screened, and 211 (1.7%) were suspected to have active TB; 181 of the suspected patients (85.8%) underwent sputum smear test, and 16 (8.8%) patients were confirmed to have TB. The TB prevalence among the elderly was bacteriologically confirmed to be 129 per 100,000 individuals, which was similar to national TB notification data for the same age groups. The proportion of active TB cases increased with age, and differed based on sex and past TB history. However, TB-related symptoms, comorbidity status, and TB screening history within 12 months were not predictive of active TB. Conclusion: This study identified that the prevalence rate was similar to national TB notification data from the same age groups. Periodic, community-based, systematic TB screening among the elderly population is recommended.