• 대한예방한의학회지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.181-197
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• 2013

Objectives : This study aimed to assess the differences in treatment behavior by reviewing data of a medical institution that studies treatment behavior in URI and assessing the treatment efficacy in Korea. Methods : We analyzed the behavior of medical customers and providers of upper respiratory infection medications using the NPS published by the Health Insurance Review Assessment Service. We created an operational definition for complications, and confirmed the difference in complication distribution between medical specialties. We also performed a multivariate analysis using a mixed model to elucidate the factors influencing the occurrence of complications. Results : The outcomes of analyzing factors to influence the difference in practice patterns of the diagnosing URI between the physicians are as follows; (1) Analysis of antibiotics prescriptions rate showed significant difference from medical departments (pediatrics; 49.7%, internal medicine; 54.2%, otorhinolaryngology; 69.6%, family medicine; 61.6%, general surgery; 57.5%, p<0.001). Analysis of steroid prescriptions rate showed significant difference from medical departments (pediatrics; 3.8%, internal medicine; 4.5%, otorhinolaryngology; 5.4%, family medicine; 3.0%, general surgery; 11.2%, p<0.001). (2) In patients who visited medical institutes with the common cold, the complication distribution differed according to the medical specialty, which suggests that specific complications arise depending on the particular medical specialty (p<0.001). (3) Moreover, through multivariate analysis, we found that the complication rate is higher in clinics than in hospitals, depending on the institute's size. (p<0.001; odds ratio of 4.67 in clinics than in hospitals, 95% CI 2.66-8.21) Conclusions : We observe a deviation between the behavior of patients diagnosed with URI and medication providers. This may arise from the interaction between providers and consumers, wherein the complications are associated with the choice of outpatient department and the prevention of cutting incentives. These findings suggest that the health policies should be improved to prevent inappropriate medical practice in the treatment of pediatric URI.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제23권6호
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• pp.43.1-43.10
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• 2023

The continuous emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants has provided insights for updating current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. We examined the neutralizing activity of Abs induced by a BA.4/5-containing bivalent mRNA vaccine against Omicron subvariants BN.1 and XBB.1.5. We recruited 40 individuals who had received a monovalent COVID-19 booster dose after a primary series of COVID-19 vaccinations and will be vaccinated with a BA.4/5-containing bivalent vaccine. Sera were collected before vaccination, one month after, and three months after a bivalent booster. Neutralizing Ab (nAb) titers were measured against ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron subvariants BA.5, BN.1, and XBB.1.5. BA.4/5-containing bivalent vaccination significantly boosted nAb levels against both ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron subvariants. Participants with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection had higher nAb titers against all examined strains than the infection-naïve group. NAb titers against BN.1 and XBB.1.5 were lower than those against the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and BA.5 strains. These results suggest that COVID-19 vaccinations specifically targeting emerging Omicron subvariants, such as XBB.1.5, may be required to ensure better protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially in high-risk groups.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제78권4호
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• pp.366-370
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• 2015

Although influenza A (H1N1) virus leads to self-limiting illness, co-infection with bacteria may result in cases of severe respiratory failure due to inflammation and necrosis of intra-airway, as pseudomembranous tracheobronchitis. Pseudomembranous tracheobronchitis is usually developed in immunocompromised patients, but it can also occur in immunocompetent patients on a very rare basis. We report a case of pseudomembranous tracheobronchitis complicated by co-infection of inflenaza A and Staphylococcus aureus, causing acute respiratory failure in immunocompetent patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제76권2호
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• pp.84-87
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• 2014

We hereby observe four co-infection cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis with various clinical presentations. It may be prudent to consider M. tuberculosis co-infections when patients with pandemic influenza reveal unusual clinical features that do not improve despite appropriate treatments against the influenza, especially in Korea, in the endemic areas of M. tuberculosis.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.13.1-13.24
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• 2023

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is one of the most consequential global health crises in over a century. Since its discovery in 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to mutate into different variants and sublineages, rendering previously potent treatments and vaccines ineffective. With significant strides in clinical and pharmaceutical research, different therapeutic strategies continue to be developed. The currently available treatments can be broadly classified based on their potential targets and molecular mechanisms. Antiviral agents function by disrupting different stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection, while immune-based treatments mainly act on the human inflammatory response responsible for disease severity. In this review, we discuss some of the current treatments for COVID-19, their mode of actions, and their efficacy against variants of concern. This review highlights the need to constantly evaluate COVID-19 treatment strategies to protect high risk populations and fill in the gaps left by vaccination.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.69-74
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• 2007

목 적 : 지금까지 코로나바이러스는 대부분 상기도 감염을 일으키며 임상적으로 큰 의미가 없는 것으로 여겨져 왔다. 하지만 최근에 발견된 코로나 바이러스인 hCoV-NL63와 hCoV-HKU1는 하부 호흡기 질환과의 연관성이 있는 것으로 보고되면서 임상적 의의에 대한 연구가 필요한 실정이다. 이에 저자들은 폐렴으로 입원한 소아 환자에서 최근에 발견된 hCoV-NL63과 hCoV-HKU1을 포함한 코로나바이러스 감염의 유병률을 알아보기 위하여 본 연구를 시행하였다. 방 법 : 2006년 3월부터 2007년 1월까지 폐렴으로 상계백병원에 입원한 소아에게서 비인두 흡인물을 수집하였다. Multiplex RT-PCR 방법을 이용하여 RSV, influenza A, influenza B, parainfluenzavirus 및 adenovirus 감염을 진단하였으며, F 유전자 시발체를 이용한 nested RT-PCR에 의해 hMPV 감염을 진단하였다. 코로나바이러스 감염을 진단하기 위해 hCoVNL63, hCoV-OC43, hCoV-229E 및 hCoV-HKU1에 각각 특이적 시발체를 이용하여 nested RT-PCR을 시행하였다. 결 과 : 총 217명의 입원한 15세 이하의 폐렴 환아에게서 수집한 비인두 흡인물에서 multiplex PCR 방법에 의해 RSV 양성은 32명, hMPV는 18명, parainfluenza virus는 10명, influenza virus A는 2명, adenovirus는 6명에서 양성이었다. RT-PCR에 의해 hMPV 양성은 18명에서 확인되었다. 코로나바이러스는 RT-PCR 방법에 의해 8명 (3.7%)에서 양성이었으며, hCoV-229E 1명, hCoV-NL63 3명, 그리고 hCoV-OC43가 4명에서 검출되었다. 하지만 hCoV- HKU1는 연구 대상군에서 검출되지 않았다. 결 론 : 아직 추가 연구가 필요하지만 최근에 발견된 hCoV-HKU1와 hCoV-NL63은 폐렴으로 입원한 국내 소아에서 임상적인 중요성이 적을 것으로 생각된다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.739-744
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• 2007

Insect cell lines and the control of infection for obtaining the maximum amount of polyhedrin-Cry1Ac-polyhedrin fusion protein from Bactrus in monolayer and suspension culture systems were tested. Growth rates of the Trichoplusia ni(High-Five) cell line in both culture systems were better than the other insect cell lines, Spodoptera frugiferda(Sf-9, Sf-21), Trichoplusia ni(Tn5), and Spodoptera exigua(Se301). The expression of the fusion protein in a monolayer culture showed that Se301 cells were 2.3-4.8 times more productive on a per cell basis than the other cell lines. However, in suspension culture, only High-Five cells were productive. High-Five cells infected with Bactrus at a multiplicity of infection(MOI) of 5 and a cell density of $3.0{\times}10^5$ cells per ml were more productive than the other infection condition in a suspension culture suitable for a large-scale production of baculovirus. In conclusion, for the large-scale production of Bactrus in vitro, High-Five cells showing good growth and high productivity are suitable.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제57권5호
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• pp.543-547
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• 2019

Toxoplasma gondii can infect humans worldwide, causing serious diseases in pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals. T. gondii rhoptry protein 13 (ROP13) is known as one of the key proteins involved in host cell invasion. In this study, we generated virus-like particles (VLPs) vaccine expressing T. gondii rhoptry ROP13 and investigated VLPs vaccine efficacy in mice. Mice immunized with ROP13 VLPs vaccine elicited significantly higher levels of T. gondii-specific IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, and IgA antibody responses following boost immunization and challenge infection, whereas antibody inductions were insignificant upon prime immunization. Differing immunization routes resulted in differing antibody induction, as intranasal immunization (IN) induced greater antibody responses than intramuscular immunization (IM) after boost and challenge infection. IN immunization induced significantly higher levels of IgG and IgA antibody responses from feces, antibody-secreting cells (ASCs), $CD4^+$ T, $CD8^+$ T cells and germinal center B cell responses in the spleen compared to IM immunization. Compared to IM immunization, IN immunization resulted in significantly reduced cyst counts in the brain as well as lesser body weight loss, which contributed to better protection. All of the mice immunized through either route survived, whereas all na?ve control mice perished. These results indicate that the ROP13 VLPs vaccine could be a potential vaccine candidate against T. gondii infection.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.358-367
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• 2021

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as an international health emergency. Current diagnostic tests are based on the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) method, which is the gold standard test that involves the amplification of viral RNA. However, the RT-qPCR assay has limitations in terms of sensitivity and quantification. In this study, we tested both qPCR and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to detect low amounts of viral RNA. The cycle threshold (CT) of the viral RNA by RT-PCR significantly varied according to the sequences of the primer and probe sets with in vitro transcript (IVT) RNA or viral RNA as templates, whereas the copy number of the viral RNA by ddPCR was effectively quantified with IVT RNA, cultured viral RNA, and RNA from clinical samples. Furthermore, the clinical samples were assayed via both methods, and the sensitivity of the ddPCR was determined to be equal to or more than that of the RT-qPCR. However, the ddPCR assay is more suitable for determining the copy number of reference materials. These findings suggest that the qPCR assay with the ddPCR defined reference materials could be used as a highly sensitive and compatible diagnostic method for viral RNA detection.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.104-110
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• 2023

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)는 호흡기계 뿐만 아니라 소화기계에도 감염을 일으킨다. 이중 SARS-CoV-2가 급성 췌장염을 일으키는 경우는 성인과 소아를 포함하여coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) 확진 환자의 약 0.16% 정도이다. COVID-19에 확진된 소아 환자에서의 급성 췌장염은 그 동안 소아다기관염증증후군이나 중증의 코로나 감염 환자에서 동반 질환으로 보고되는 게 대부분이며 단독으로 급성 췌장염만 일으키는 사례는 거의 없었다. 저자들은 SARS-CoV-2에 감염된 소아 환자에게서 단독으로 급성 췌장염이 발생한 예를 경험하였고 성공적으로 치료하였기에 보고하는 바이다.