• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.277-282
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• 2012

Field epidemiology involves the implementation of quick and targeted public health interventions with the aid of epidemiological methods. In this article, we share our practical experiences in outbreak management and in safeguarding the population against novel diseases. Given that cities represent the financial nexuses of the global economy, global health security necessitates the safeguard of cities against epidemic diseases. Singapore's public health landscape has undergone a systemic and irreversible shift with global connectivity, rapid urbanization, ecological change, increased affluence, as well as shifting demographic patterns over the past two decades. Concomitantly, the threat of epidemics, ranging from severe acute respiratory syndrome and influenza A (H1N1) to the resurgence of vector-borne diseases as well as the rise of modern lifestyle-related outbreaks, have worsened difficulties in safeguarding public health amidst much elusiveness and unpredictability. One critical factor that has helped the country overcome these innate and man-made public health vulnerabilities is the development of a resilient field epidemiology service, which includes our enhancement of surveillance and response capacities for outbreak management, and investment in public health leadership. We offer herein the Singapore story as a case study in meeting the challenges of disease control in our modern built environment.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2016

The two distinctive clinical features of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) are varicella (chickenpox) by primary infection and zoster (singles) by the reactivation of latent infection. In addition to the two typical clinical symptoms mentioned above, diverse clinical manifestations have been reported as a result of VZV reactivation, including chronic radicular pain without rash, visual loss, facial palsy, dysphagia, sore throat, odynophagia, otalgia, hearing loss, dizziness, headache, hemiplegia, etc. Most of these symptoms are derived from neuropathy and vasculopathy of affected nerves and arteries. Diagnosis of VZV disease can be difficult if there is no appearance of a skin rash during development of atypical symptoms. In addition to natural infection, vaccination and anti-viral agent treatment have influenced the changes of epidemics and clinical presentations of varicella and zoster. In this article, diverse clinical manifestations caused by VZV reactivation, particular without skin rash, are reviewed.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.83-86
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• 2011

New epidemics of infectious diseases often involve health care workers. In this short communication we present a case report of a health care professional who became the first case of influenza H1N1 virus to be notified in the United Arab Emirates. There are several issues related to workplace considerations and general public health, including preventive measures, the need for isolation of the patient, dealing with contacts, return to work, and communication with the workforce.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.28-28
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• 2003

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), previously referred to as enterically transmitted non-A, non-B hepatitis, is responsible for sporadic infections as well as large epidemics of acute viral hepatitis in developing countries. The disease generally affects young adults and reportedly has a mortality rate of up to 20％ in infected pregnant women. HEV was once considered to be a member of the family Caliciviridae, but the unique genomic organization of HEV has led to the removal of HEV from the family and it was provisionally classified in an unassigned family of HEV-like viruses. In situ hybridization provides any cellular detail and histological architecture.[1] However, use of in situ hybridization is largely restricted to the laboratories because this technique is the greater technical complexity and expense compared with immunohistochemistry. Therefore, the objective of this study is to develop the immunohistochemistry for the detection of swine HEV from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded hepatic tissues. (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.97-103
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• 2002

Infectious bronchitis(IB) is a viral disease in which continued evolution of the virus is of paramount importance for annual endemics and epidemics in chickens. Since the isolation of IB viruses(IBVs) in the 1930s, over 50 serotypes or variants have been reported worldwide. Continuing evolution is most prominent in the suface glycoproteins of IBV but also occurs in other parts of the genome. This genetic variability results from accumulation of molecular changes that can occur by a number of different mechanisms including genetic drift (point mutations) and genetic shift(RNA recombination). GA98 is a new serotype of IBV identified recently in the United States. In this paper, the evolutionary trend of IBV will be discussed using GA98 serotype as a model.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.98-102
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• 2020

Influenza is a common disease that causes epidemics yearly due to the influenza virus. If patients with influenza present with rare symptoms, the diagnosis may be delayed and the condition is difficult to treat. A 5-year-old boy presented to the emergency room with fever and cramps. Brain computed tomography showed low attenuation in the thalamus and brain stem, which was suggestive of encephalopathy caused by influenza virus. Another 5-year-old girl visited the emergency room with mild fever and painful calf edema. She was diagnosed with myositis caused by influenza and treated accordingly.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.89-99
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• 2010

Newcastle disease (ND), caused by Newcastle disease virus (NDV), has caused periodic epidemics in Korea at an interval of 3 to 5 years until the early 2000s. At least five distinct genotypes of NDV have been responsible for epizootic episodes in Korea; genotype III virus (before the 1970s), genotype V (the mid-1980s), genotype VI (the late 1980s to early 1990s), genotype VIIa (the mid-1990s), and genotype VIId viruses (the late 1990s to present). Recent epidemic strains of NDV (VIId viruses) shared geographical features with neighboring countries such as China and Japan. These VIId viruses as well as genotypes III and V viruses were viscerotropic and highly virulent for chickens. Antigenic variation occurred between VIId field viruses and LaSota vaccine strain, as found in other epidemic strains in past in Korea. Nevertheless the commercial vaccine was considered to effectively protect vaccinated birds from mortality against VIId viruses as well as other viruses belonging to genotypes III and V.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.331-334
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• 2014

Hydatid worms, hosted by humans and animals, impose serious human health risk and cause significant livestock production loss. To better understand the disease infection status in Xinjiang, China, we investigated the disease epidemics in 4 livestock animals, i.e., cattle, sheep (both sheep and goat), camels, and horses, slaughtered at the abattoirs in Urumqi, Yining, Tacheng, and Altay areas. The results showed that the animals were infected at different rates, in the order of sheep (9.8%), cattle (8.4%), camels (6.8%), and horses (4.3%). The infection rates were found to be different between the abattoirs in various regions even for the same animals. For sheep, the rates increased significantly as the animals grew older. It was 1.9% before 1 year of age and increased to 8.2% in the age of 1-2 years, and further increased to 12.3% when the animals were 3-4 years old, and reached 17.2% when they were 5-6 year old. Sheep older than 6 years had an infection rate of 19.5%. This study demonstrates that the 4 livestock animals in the pastoral areas in Xinjiang were infected by the parasites to various extend. This study is the first systematic investigation of the hydatid worms in various livestock animals in Xinjiang, China, which provides epidemiological information about the infection of hydatid worms in livestock, and is valuable in developing strategies for prevention and control of the hydatid disease.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.125-130
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• 2013

Influenza viruses cause significant morbidity and mortality in humans through epidemics or pandemics. Currently, two classes of anti-influenza virus drugs, M2 ion-channel inhibitors (amantadin and rimantadine) and neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir and zanamivir), have been used for the treatment of the influenza virus infection. Since the resistance to these drugs has been reported, the development of a new antiviral agent is necessary. In this study, we examined the antiviral efficacy of the plant extracts against the influenza A/PR/8/34 infection. In vitro, the antiviral activities of the plant extracts were investigated using the cell-based screening. Three plant extracts, Thuja orientalis, Aster spathulifolius, and Pinus thunbergii, were shown to induce a high cell viability rate after the infection with the influenza A/PR/8/34 virus. The antiviral activity of the plant extracts also increased as a function of the concentration of the extracts and these extracts significantly reduced the visible cytopathic effect caused by virus infections. Furthermore, the treatment with T. orientalis was shown to have a stronger inhibitory effect than that with A. spathulifolius or P. thunbergii. These results may suggest that T. orientalis has anti-influenza A/PR/8/34 activity.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2011

HPAI (High pathogenic avian influenza) which is a disease legally designated as an epidemic generally shows rapid spread of disease resulting in high mortality rate as well as severe economic damages. Because Korea is contiguous with China and southeast Asia where HPAI have occurred frequently, there is a high risk for HPAI outbreak. A prompt treatment against epidemics is most important for prevention of disease spread. The spread of HPAI should be considered by both direct and indirect contact as well as various spread factors including airborne spread. There are high risk of rapid propagation of HPAI flowing through the air because of collective farms mostly in Korea. Field experiments for the mechanism of disease spread have limitations such as unstable weather condition and difficulties in maintaining experimental conditions. In this study, therefore, computational fluid dynamics which has been actively used for mass transfer modeling were adapted. Korea has complex terrains and many livestock farms are located in the mountain regions. GIS numerical map was used to estimate spreads of virus attached aerosol by means of designing three dimensional complicated geometry including farm location, road network, related facilities. This can be used as back data in order to take preventive measures against HPAI occurrence and spread.