• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제58권4호
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• pp.413-419
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• 2020

Eosinophilia occurs commonly in many diseases including allergic diseases and helminthic infections. Toxocariasis has been suggested as one cause of eosinophilia. The present study was undertaken to examine the prevalence of toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia and to identify the risk factors for toxocariasis. This prospective cohort study recruited a total of 81 patients with eosinophilia (34 males and 47 females) who visited the outpatient clinic at Seoul National University Hospital from January 2017 to February 2018 and agreed to participate in this study. The prevalence of toxocariasis was examined by T. canis-specific ELISA, and the various risk factors for toxocariasis were evaluated by a questionnaire survey. Among 81 patients with eosinophilia, 18 were positive for anti-T. canis antibodies (22.2%); 88.9% were male (16/18) and 11.1% were female (2/18). Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that males (OR 21.876, 95% CI: 1.667-287.144) with a history of consuming the raw meat or livers of animals (OR 5.899, 95% CI: 1.004-34.669) and a heavy alcohol-drinking habit (OR 8.767, 95% CI: 1.018-75.497) were at higher risk of toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia. Toxocariasis should be considered a potential cause of eosinophilia when the patient has a history of eating the raw meat or livers of animals in Korea. A single course of albendazole is recommended to reduce the migration of Toxocara larvae in serologically positive cases with eosinophilia.

• 한국지역사회생활과학회지
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.369-379
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence rate of atopic dermatitis (AD) and indoor risk factors of AD in school-aged children living in Changwon, which is one of the largest industrial cities in Korean. Data were collected from 2,118 children in 12 elementary schools in Changwon city. A cross-sectional questionnaire based on the Korean Version of the ISAAC (International Study of Allergy and Asthma in Childhood) was employed to survey the $1^{st}$ and $4^{th}$ year elementary students from the 12 elementary schools in Changwon. The life time and last 12-month prevalence of itchy eczema were 20.6%; 70.5% in the elementary children. The life time and last 12-month prevalence of AD diagnosis were 28.8%; 12.6% in the elementary children. There was only one elementary school that was abnormal in the levels of particulate matters (PM), and $Co_2$. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that risk factors for AD were BMI, the levels of PM, $Co_2$, CO, $No_2$, $O_3$, Ethylebenzene, and Xylene. This study could be used to manage possible risk factors that are related to the prevalence of AD and develop the strategies for prevention of AD.

• 대한지역사회영양학회지
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.90-97
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to determined the rate of sensitization to food allergen in children with Atopic Dermatitis (AD) in Korea. A total of 3,783 patients (male = 1983, female = 1800) with AD (age under 18 years) who had visited Samsung Medical Center from 1998 to 2003 were enrolled in the study. Food hypersensitivity was measured by specific IgE to egg, cow's milk, soy, peanut, wheat, buckwheat, beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, crab, salmon, mackerel, etc. Specific IgE levels > 0.7 kU/L. by Captured Allergen Product (CAP) assay were considered positive. Chi-square test at p value < 0.05 was used to examine the difference of the prevalence by sex and age. The rate of sensitization to multiple food allergens was 31.2% and decreased with age. Hypersensitivity to egg showed highest prevalence, which was 24.3%, compared to the prevalence of other foods. High prevalence of hypersensitivity to milk. wheat, soy, peanut, crab or shrimp was observed (11.6- 17.7%). Low prevalence of hypersensitivity to beef, pork, tuna or chicken was observed (1.9-3.5%). Children aged under 3 years had significantly higher prevalence of hypersensitivity to egg, milk, soy and beef than children aged at least 3 years. Our results stress the need for examination of food hypersensitivity aimed at identified and limited each food allergen among children with AD caused by food to help patients outgrow their food allergy.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
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• 제19권11호
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• pp.434-444
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• 2019

최근 증가한 알레르기 질환의 유병률은 환경 및 식생활의 방식에 영향을 받는 것으로 나타났으며, 알레르기 질환을 완화하기 하려면 평소 식생활 개선이 중요하다. 식품 영양표시는 영양정보를 제공함으로써 알레르기 질환자의 식생활 개선에 도움을 준다. 본 연구는 영양표시의 인지에 영향을 미치는 다른 요인들을 통제한 상태에서 알레르기 질환 진단 경험 여부가 식품 영양표시 인지 여부에 미치는 영향을 파악하여 지원 방향에 대한 기초자료를 제시하고자 한다. 본 연구는 2016년 국민건강영양조사 자료를 활용하였으며 알레르기 비염, 천식, 아토피 피부염으로 진단 받은 경험이 있는 성인 4,928명을 최종 대상으로 선정하였다. 이분형 로지스틱 회귀 분석 결과, 알레르기 진단 경험과 식품 영양표시에 대한 인지도는 유의한 관련이 있었으며, 진단 경험 유무로 나누어 살펴보면 거주지역, 소득수준, 주관적 건강상태, 주관적 체형인식에서 차이가 있었다. 이들의 영양표시 활용을 지원하기 위해 영양교육 및 영양표시제에 대한 정책적 제도적 지원 방안이 마련되어야 할 것이다.

• 한국축산식품학회지
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.151-156
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• 2009

19세에서 24세까지의 대학생을 중심으로 그들의 병력을 바탕으로 한 설문조사를 실시하여 식품알레르기의 발생 경향을 조사하고, 알레르기 경험자의 혈청을 이용하여 식육알레르기의 원인 알레르겐에 대하여 조사하였다. 조사 대상자 중 11.33%가 어떤 형태의 식품알레르기를 경험하였고, 그 원인식품으로는 생선, 우육, 계육, 유제품, 난류(계란), 돈육 순으로 나타났으며, 그 중 식육에 대한 알레르기를 경험한 대상자의 비율은 전체의 4.65%(우육 2.33%, 계육 1.66%,돈육 0.66%)를 차지하였다. 이 중 가장 발생빈도가 높은 우육에 대한 원인 알레르겐 조사를 위해 설문조사에서 우육에 대하여 과민반응을 경험하였다고 응답한 대상자 6명의 혈청을 이용하여 원인 알레르겐에 대한 조사를 실시하였다. ELISA를 이용한 항원성의 검사결과 우육에 특이적 반응성을 보인 대상자의 혈청과 우육추출물을 이용하여 원인 알레르겐을 조사하였다. Western blots 결과에서 PVDF membrane상에 대상자의 혈청과 특이적으로 반응하는 2개의 밴드가 관찰되었다. 표준단백질 middle range marker를 이용한 전기영동상 이동거리비교에서 이들의 분자량이 67kDa과 31kDa인 것으로 판명되었다. N말단 아미노산서열 분석결과로부터, 67kDa은 지금까지 중요한 우육알레르겐의 하나로 알려진 BSA인 것으로 확인되었으나, 31kDa은 지금까지 보고가 없는 새로운 잠재적 우육알레르겐인 것으로 보인다. 31kDa 분자는 N 말단 아미노산서열 분석이 어려웠다. PAS염색결과 아미노산 서열분석이 어려운 이유는 31kDa분자가 당쇄로 수식되어 있기 때문인 것으로 사료되며, 앞으로 31kDa분자에 대한 이화학적 및 물리적인 특성에 관한 연구가 필요할 것으로 사료된다. 지금까지 식육에 대한 알레르기 발생경향 및 식육알레르겐에 관한 연구보고가 국내에서 거의 이루어지지 않은 상황에서 본 연구는 식육알레르기 연구에 중요한 정보를 제공해 줄 것으로 사료된다.

• 한국학교ㆍ지역보건교육학회지
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.11-25
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• 2016

Background & Objectives: There were increasing evidence about the relationship between allergy related disease such as asthma, atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis and suicide ideation. However little was known about the concrete relatedness between severity and comorbidity of allergy related disease with suicide ideation. The objective of this study was to investigate the cases of the prevalence of suicide ideation among adolescents with allergy related disease such as asthma, atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis, and examine the association between allergy related disease and suicidal ideation among adolescents in South Korea. Methods: Data was based on Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey(2014) which was a cross-sectional study containing 34,874 Korean middle and high school students who diagnosed with allergy related disease. We used the weights, strata and primary sampling unit information provided by the public use dataset to compute descriptive statistics and logistic regressions. Computations were done with SPSS version 20.0. Results: 19.9%, 15.6%, 13.8% of adolescents who suffered from one, two and three of allergy related diseases respectively reported having been thought of suicide ideation. Socio-demographic factors were adjusted as control variables. Students with greater severity of disease were more likely to have suicide ideation. Odds ratio for students who were absent one to three days from school because of allergies was 1.96(95% CI 1.51-2.46), and odds ratio for those who were absent more than four days from school was 3.60(95% CI 2.46-5.28). Conclusions: Given that adolescents' severity and comorbidity of allergy related disease were clearly associated with suicide ideation, suicide prevention programs for adolescents with allergy related disease should be improved by strategic approaches towards the severity and comorbidity of disease.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.281-285
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• 2009

Paragonimiasis typically results from the consumption of raw or improperly cooked crustacea, especially crabs and crayfish. Although previously endemic in Korea, the prevalence of this disease decreased in the early 1970s because of educational campaigns and fewer intermediate hosts as a result of ecological changes. Recently, we were presented with a family where all members were infected with Paragonimus after ingestion of Kejang (= drunken crab). The mother was hospitalized for general myalgia and weakness first, followed by the father, who was hospitalized for dyspnea 2 month later. After the parents were diagnosed with paragonimiasis, we recommended their daughter to visit our hospital for a checkup, because they all had eaten freshwater crabs soaked in soybean sauce. She complained of generalized myalgia, fever, and pleuritic pain, and was also diagnosed with paragonimiasis. Peripheral blood of the 3 patients revealed hypereosinophilia, and computed tomography (CT) scans of their chests showed pleural effusion. The results of antibody tests by ELISA were positive for paragonimiasis. We report here the case series of familial paragonimiasis in a modern urban city, rather than in a typical endemic area.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제18권8호
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• pp.1393-1400
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• 2008

Recent study has demonstrated an increasing prevalence of food allergy in Korean children. Specific probiotic bacteria may promote potentially anti-allergenic processes through induction of Th1-type immunity and enhance the regulatory lymphocyte. This study investigated whether orally administrated probiotics could suppress allergic responses in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergy mouse model. Thus, female C3H/HeJ mice were orally sensitized with OVA and cholera toxin for 4 weeks. Lactobacillus acidophilus AD031, Bifidobacterium lactis AD011, and L. acidophilus AD031 plus B. lactis AD011 were fed to mice from 2 weeks before the sensitization. The OVA-induced mice that were not treated with probiotics had significantly increased serum levels of OVA-specific IgE and IgG1, and OVA-specific IgA in feces. However, the mice treated with probiotics suppressed production of the OVA-specific IgE, IgG1, and IgA. The level of IL-4 was significantly lower, and the levels of INF-$\gamma$ and IL-10 were significantly higher in the mice treated with probiotics than that in the non-treated mice. The groups treated with probiotics had decreased levels of degranulated mast cells, eosinophil granules, and tail scabs. These results indicate that L. acidophilus AD031 and B. lactis AD011 might be useful for the prevention of allergy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제70권4호
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• pp.347-351
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• 2011

We report here an unusual case of pericardial tuberculoma that was misdiagnosed as thymic carcinoma on an imaging study. A 48-year-old woman was referred for evaluation of an anterior mediastinal mass. Computed tomography (CT) scans of the chest displayed cystic masses mimicking thymic carcinoma at the anterior mediastinum. Pericardiotomy and surgical drainage of the cystic masses were done, and pathologic examination of the excised pericardial specimen showed a chronic granulomatous inflammation with necrosis, compatible with tuberculosis. Acid-fast bacilli were also identified in the specimen. After treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs and steroids, the patient showed clinical improvement. Although tuberculous pericarditis usually presents as pericardial effusion or constrictive pericarditis, it can also present as a pericardial mass mimicking thymic carcinoma on CT. Therefore, we suggest that tuberculous pericardial abscess should be included in the differential diagnosis of a mediastinal mass in Korea, with intermediate tuberculosis prevalence.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.424-432
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Most consumers are able to recognize allergenic foods. However, the frequency of checking such foods is reportedly low, resulting in higher prevalence of food-related allergic reactions in Korea compared to other countries. Thus, this study was performed to investigate the overall perception of allergenic food labeling and its practice level in food manufacturing company employees. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The survey was administered to food safety employees and food development teams at food companies located in metropolitan areas. A total of 399 (93.8%) valid samples were used in the final analysis. Statistical analyses, including Frequency Analysis, t-test, Anova, PCA (Principal Component Analysis), and Pearson Correlation Analysis using SPSS ver. 21.0, were performed. RESULTS: The correct answer rate in the analysis of allergy-related knowledge level ranged from 15.0% to 89.7%. Analysis of differences in allergy-related perception by knowledge level showed significant differences in introduction of a food recall system, strengthening of relevant laws and regulations, content labeling, description of substitutional food, and differentiated package by age. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that labeling of allergenic foods should be made easier and more convenient for checking by employees, developers, and consumers, and it is necessary to provide contents through the development of publicity, guidelines, or APP along with labeling.