• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제63권4호
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• pp.119-124
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• 2020

A cluster of severe pneumonia of unknown etiology in Wuhan City, Hubei province in China emerged in December 2019. A novel coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) was isolated from lower respiratory tract sample as the causative agent. The current outbreak of infections with SARS-CoV-2 is termed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO). COVID-19 rapidly spread into at least 114 countries and killed more than 4,000 people by March 11 2020. WHO officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020. There have been 2 novel coronavirus outbreaks in the past 2 decades. The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002-2003 caused by SARS-CoV had a case fatality rate of around 10% (8,098 confirmed cases and 774 deaths), while Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) caused by MERS-CoV killed 861 people out of a total 2,502 confirmed cases between 2012 and 2019. The purpose of this review is to summarize known-to-date information about SARS-CoV-2, transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and clinical features.

• 한국수산과학회지
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• 제46권5호
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• pp.534-539
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• 2013

To secure the biological safety of live fish and shellfish for raw consumption, the germicidal effects of electrolyzed seawater were evaluated. Upon direct exposure to electrolyzed seawater, coliform group bacteria were killed and decreased to undetectable levels after 1 day. The physicochemical characteristics of the seawater were stable during the test period. A byproduct of chlorine disinfection, trihalomethane, was not generated by the electrolysis of seawater. Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection in a live fish was effectively resolved by electrolyzed seawater and became undetectable after 12-36 h of treatment. Bioaccumulation of coliform group and fecal coliform bacteria in live oysters Crassostrea gigas was removed within 18 h of treatment. This study demonstrated that electrolyzed seawater is an effective and safe germicidal agent for the traditional retail market and can help to prevent outbreaks of foodborne disease associated with the consumption of raw fish and shellfish.

• ALGAE
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.133-144
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• 2020

Pythium porphyrae is responsible for devastating outbreaks in seaweed farms of Pyropia, the most valuable cultivated seaweed worldwide. While the genus Pythium contains many well studied pathogens, the genome of P. porphyrae has yet to be sequenced. Here we report the first available gene repertoire of P. porphyrae and a preliminary analysis of pathogenicity-related genes. Using ab initio detection strategies, similarity based and manual annotation, we found that the P. porphyrae gene repertoire is similar to classical phytopathogenic Pythium species. This includes the absence of expanded RxLR effector family and the detection of classical pathogenicity-related genes like crinklers, glycoside hydrolases, cellulose-binding elicitor lectin-like proteins and elicitins. We additionally compared this dataset to the proteomes of 8 selected Pythium species. While 34% of the predicted proteome appeared specific to P. porphyrae, we could not attribute specific enzymes to the degradation of red algal biomass. Conversely, we detected several cellulases and a cutinase conserved with plant-pathogenic Pythium species. Together with the recent report of P. porphyrae triggering disease symptoms on several plant species in lab-controlled conditions, our findings add weight to the hypothesis that P. porphyrae is a reformed plant pathogen.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.193-197
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• 2015

Background: Herpes Zoster is a disease that occurs after the virus is reactivated due to infection of the varicella virus in childhood. Risk factors are advanced age, malignant neoplasm, organ transplantation, immunosuppressive agents taking are known. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the seasonal effect and other risk factors on the incidence of herpes zoster. Methods: The medical records of 1,105 patients admitted to the outpatient diagnosed with herpes zoster were retrospectively examined. The patients' sex, age, dermatome, onset, underlying disease, residential areas were collected. Results: The incidence of women outnumbered men and increased for those above the age of 50. The number of occurrences of herpes zoster patients was higher in the spring and summer than in winter. Unlike men, women had the most frequent outbreaks in March. The most common occurrence of dermatome is in the thoracic region. The number of occurrence was similar on the left as the right. Conclusions: In this study, herpes zoster occurs more often in women than in men and more frequently occurs in women in the spring and summer.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.120-126
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• 2021

Background: This paper aims to evaluate the clinical utility and radiation dosimetry, for the mobile X-ray imaging of patients with known or suspected infectious diseases, through the window of an isolation room. The suitability of this technique for imaging coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients is of particular focus here, although it is expected to have equal relevance to many infectious respiratory disease outbreaks. Materials and Methods: Two exposure levels were examined, a "typical" mobile exposure of 100 kVp/1.6 mAs and a "high" exposure of 120 kVp/5 mAs. Exposures of an anthropomorphic phantom were made, with and without a glass window present in the beam. The resultant phantom images were provided to experienced radiographers for image quality evaluation, using a Likert scale to rate the anatomical structure visibility. Results and Discussion: The incident air kerma doubled using the high exposure technique, from 29.47 µGy to 67.82 µGy and scattered radiation inside and outside the room increased. Despite an increase in beam energy, high exposure technique images received higher image quality scores than images acquired using lower exposure settings. Conclusion: Increased scattered radiation was very low and can be further mitigated by ensuring surrounding staff are appropriately distanced from both the patient and X-ray tube. Although an increase in incident air kerma was observed, practical advantages in infection control and personal protective equipment conservation were identified. Sites are encouraged to consider the use of this technique where appropriate, following the completion of standard justification practices.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제52권1호
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• pp.19-24
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• 2012

This paper describes the epidemiological characteristics of bovine brucellosis in Korea during January 2000~September 2004, which encompasses the period when the incidence of bovine brucellosis increased abruptly. Data from the National Animal Infectious Disease Data Management System were used for this study. A range of epidemiological measures was calculated including annual herd and animal incidence. During the study period, there were 1,183 outbreaks on 638 farms. In beef cattle, annual herd incidence increased from 0.2 (2000) to 11.5 (2004, to September) outbreaks per 10,000 and annual animal incidence varied between 3.4 (2000) and 105.8 (2004, to September) per 100,000, respectively. On 401 (62.9%) infected farms during this period, infection was eradicated without recurrence. Recurrence of infection was significantly higher on farms where abortion was reported (53.3%), compared to farms where it was not (30.0%). On beef cattle farms, infection was introduced most frequently through purchased cattle (46.2%). Based on the results of this study, the establishment and spread of brucellosis in the Korean beef cattle population were mainly due to incomplete or inappropriate treatment of aborted materials and the movement of infected cattle.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.402-410
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• 2018

Background: Monitoring appropriate medication categories can provide early warning of certain disease outbreaks. This study aimed to present a methodology for selecting and monitoring medications relevant to the surveillance of acute respiratory tract infections, such as influenza. Methods: To estimate correlations between acute febrile respiratory tract infection and some medication categories, the cross-correlation coefficient (CCC) was used and established. Two databases were used: real-time prescription trend of antivirals, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics using Drug Utilization Review Program between 2012 and 2015 and physicians' number of encounters with acute febrile respiratory tract infections such as influenza outbreaks using the national level health insurance claims data. The seasonality was also evaluated using the CCC. Results: After selecting six candidate diseases that require extensive monitoring, influenza with highly specific medical treatment according to the health insurance claims data and its medications were chosen as final candidates based on a data-driven approach. Antiviral medications and influenza were significantly correlated. Conclusion: An annual correlation was observed between influenza and antiviral medications, anti-inflammatory drugs. Suitable models should be established for syndromic surveillance of influenza.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제37권4_spc호
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• pp.755-774
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• 2024

The main objective of this study was to present data on the current situation and future trends of pig meat production in the European Union-27 (EU). Pig production has played an important social and economic role for centuries in many states of the EU. In 2022, pig meat production in the EU reached 23 M tons, which represented 21% of total production worldwide. The two key reasons that justify such amount of pork produced, are the acceptance and high consumption of the meat by the local population and the high quality of the meat produced which facilitated pork export. However, current data show a reduction in pork production for the last three years, as a consequence of a series of events that include i) problems with the chain of ingredients supply, ii) uncontrolled increase in African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreaks, iii) fast recovery of pig production in China, iv) increasing concerns by the rural population on the high cost to meet future requirements of the EU legislation on farm management, environmental sustainability and animal welfare, v) increased cost of all inputs involved in pig production and vi) limited interest of the new farmer generation to work on the pig sector. Consequently, pork production is expected to decrease in the EU for the next years, although sales will be maintained at a relative high level because pork is the meat preferred by local consumers in most EU countries. In order to maintain the favourable position of the pork industry in the near future, strategies to implement include: i) maintain the quality of the meat destinated to export markets, ii) improve the control of outbreaks of ASF and other swine diseases, iii) implementation of technological innovations to improve working conditions making more attractive to work in the pork sector of the food chain to the new generation of farmers and workers.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.31-37
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• 2019

There have been a total tenth FMD outbreaks in Korea and for the first time, type O and A were detected simultaneously in 2017, which led to difficulties in FMD control. For the effective prevention of FMD, the importance of discrimination of serotypes became greater. Therefore, the most urgent requirement in case of FMD outbreak is differential diagnosis of serotypes. In this study, we developed a PNA probe-mediated multiplex real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assay using the peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probe, which is known to be stable to nucleotide mutation and that could specifically detect the all FMDV serotype A, FMDVA Yeoncheon strain which was occurred in Korea in 2017, and FMDV A viruses shown 96% similarity with FMDVA/Yeoncheon strain, at the same time. Therefore, It is believed that the newly introduced FMDVA will be effectively diagnosed using the PNA probe multiplex RT-PCR developed in this study, and ultimately contribute to the prevention of FMD.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제50권4호
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• pp.285-295
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• 2014

병원성 대장균은 최근 3년간 경기도에서 발생한 학교급식식 중독의 주된 원인균으로서 그 역학적 특성을 정리하고 PFGE typing과 항생제 감수성 시험으로 분리균주의 특성을 알아보고자 하였다. 2010년부터 2012년까지 19건의 학교급식 식중독에 대한 역학조사보고서를 분석한 결과, 급식의 주된 운영방식은 직영(18건, 95%)이며, 고등학교에서 주로 발생하였다. 계절적 요인으로는 13건(65%)이 6월부터 9월에, 특히 여름방학 후 학기 초인 8월말부터 9월에 더 많이 발생하였다. 수요일(7건, 37%)과 목요일(7건, 37%)에 최초환자가 발생되어, 목요일 7건(37%) 금요일 5건(26%)에 주로 신고가 이루어 졌다. 추정위험에는 월요일(4건, 21%), 화요일(7건, 37%), 수요일(4건, 21%)에 노출되었고, 추정원인체로서 가능성이 높은 식품은 김치류가 50%(5건)를 차지하였다. 분리된 98균주는 EPEC, ETEC, EAEC, EHEC가 각각 50%, 34%, 15%, 1%이며, 항생제 감수성 시험 결과 ampicillin, nalidixic acid, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, tetracycline에 대하여 각각 40%, 37%, 24%, 19%의 내성을 나타내었고, 2, 3세대 cephalosporins계, cabarpenem계, aminoglycosides계, 2세대 quinolones계 항생제에는 감수성이 있었으며, cefalotin, ampicillin/sulbactam, chloramphenicol에는 각각 29%, 25%, 6%가 중간내성을, 그리고 70%에서 한 가지 이상의 항생제에 내성이 관찰되었다. PFGE 분석결과, 57.6%의 similarity로 8개의 group과 32개의 profiles로 분류되었다. 개별적인 소규모 식중독에서 항생제 감수성과 유전자형의 연관성을 찾기가 어려웠으며, 동시에 발생한 대규모 식중독의 경우, 항생제 내성과 PFGE 유형이 매우 유사하여 동일 기원으로부터 유래한 병원성대장균에 의해 식중독 사고가 발생한 것으로 추정이 가능하였다.