• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.180-187
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• 2016

Purpose: This study described the post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and secondary varicella infection in children inadvertently exposed to varicella zoster virus (VZV) in the hospital. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from patients with VZV infection who were initially not properly isolated, as well as children exposed to VZV at the Seoul National University Children's Hospital between January 2010 and December 2015. The PEP measures were determined by the presence of immunity to VZV and immunocompromising conditions. Patient clinical information was reviewed via medical records. Results: Among 147 children hospitalized between 2010 and 2015, 13 inadvertent exposures were notified due to VZV infection. Five index children had a history of VZV vaccination. Eighty-six children were exposed in multi-occupancy rooms and 62.8% (54/86) were immune to VZV. The PEP measures administered to 27 exposed patients included varicella zoster immunoglobulin and VZV vaccination. Four children developed secondary varicella, which was linked to a single index patient, including one child who did not receive PEP and three of the 27 children who received PEP. The rates of secondary varicella and prophylaxis failure were 4.7% (4/85) and 11.1% (3/27), respectively. The secondary varicella rates were 1.9% (1/54) and 9.7% (3/31) among immunocompetent and immunocompromised children, respectively. Conclusions: Delayed diagnosis of VZV infection can lead to unexpected exposure and place susceptible children and immunocompromised patients at risk for developing varicella. The appropriateness of the current PEP strategy based on VZV immunity may require re-evaluation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.790-795
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• 2006

Purpose : This study was performed to compare the therapeutic effects according to duration of medium-dose aspirin(50-60 mg/kg/day) therapy at the acute stage of Kawasaki disease(KD). Methods : Total 87 patients with KD were enrolled in this study. We performed retrospective analysis of clinical characteristics and echocardiographic findings based on medical records. Patient were randomly divided into 2 groups according to the duration of aspirin therapy at the acute stage of KD. Long-term group(LG, n=55) was administered medium-dose aspirin for 2 weeks after diagnosis of KD, and short-term group(SG, n=32) for 48 hours after intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG) administration. The parameters of therapeutic effects were duration of fever after IVIG administration, incidence of unresponsive patients to single administration of IVIG, and development of transient dilatation or aneurysm of coronary arteries. Results : There was no significant difference in the duration of fever after IVIG between the both group(LG $1.7{\pm}1.1$ days, SG $1.8{\pm}1.1$ days; P=0.588). The incidences of unresponsive patient to the single administration of IVIG were 5.5 percent, 6.3 percent in the each group. Transient dilatation of coronary arteries occurred at 18.2 percent(10/55) in the LG, and 15.6 percent(5/32) in the SG(P=0.761). Prevalence of coronary aneurysm after subacute stage were 7.3 percent(4/55) in the LG, and 9.4 percent(3/32) in the SG(P=0.728). Conclusion : There was no significant difference in the therapeutic effects between long-term(2 weeks) and short-term(48 hours) administration of medium-dose aspirin at the acute stage of KD.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.364-369
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• 2009

Purpose : Clinical and laboratory findings predict a severe outcome for mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome. This study aimed to define the clinical characteristics of Kawasaki disease (KD) patients with hyponatremia and to determine the factors associated with its development. Methods : Retrospective studies were performed on 114 KD patients who received an initial high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG, single 2 g/kg/dose) within 10 days of fever onset from January 2006 to February 2008. These patients were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 consisted of 30 (26.3%) patients with hyponatremia, and group 2 consisted of 84 (73.6%) patients without hyponatremia. Clinical manifestations, laboratory results, and echocardiographic findings were compared between the groups. Results : Group 1 patients were more likely to have a coronary artery lesion (53.3% versus 20.2%, P=0.005) and suffered from diarrhea (41.3% versus 14.1%, P=0.007). There was a higher incidence of cardiovascular involvement in group 1 patients, including coronary dilatation (46.6%), valvular regurgitation (13.3%), pericardial effusion (6.7%) and medium-sized aneurysm (6.7%). There were no coronary aneurysms in group 2 patients. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) was significantly higher in patients with hyponatremia ($12.2{\pm}7.79$ mg/dL versus $7.3{\pm}4.7$ mg/dL, P=0.003) and IVIG-resistant patients were more common in group 1 (13.3% versus 3.6%). Conclusion : These results indicate that hyponatremia in KD occurs in patients exhibiting severe inflammation and was significantly associated with the development of coronary disease. Further studies will be necessary to confirm the pathogenic mechanisms of hyponatremia in KD patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.11
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• pp.1165-1171
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• 2008

Purpose : This study aimed to identify the true extent of non-responsiveness in full-term infants born from HBsAg-negative or HBsAg-positive mothers and vaccinated against hepatitis B virus (HBV) at 0, 1, and 6 months of age and to evaluate the effect of revaccination among non-responders. Methods : The study included 716 full-term infants born in 2004-2007. Of 716, 662 infants (A group) were born to HBsAg-negative mothers and 54 infants (B group: 50, except HBsAg-positive infants) were born to HBsAg-positive mothers. All infants were administered DNA recombinant vaccines at 0, 1, and 6 months of age. B group infants received hepatitis B immunoglobulin at birth. Anti-HBs titers were tested at 7-12 and 9-15 months in A and B groups, respectively. Three revaccination doses were administered to non-responders whose anti-HBs titers were under 10 mIU/ml; revaccinated infants were retested at 1-3 months after last vaccination. The association between HBeAg seropositivity of mother and the failure of HBV immunoprophylaxis was evaluated. Results : The seroconversion rates after primary hepatitis B vaccination were higher in A group (94.1%) than in B group (78%, P<0.001). The seroconversion rates were high in revaccinated infants (A group non-responders: 96.9%, B group non-responders: 87.5%). The failure of HBV immunoprophylaxis was significantly associated with maternal HBeAg seropositivity (P<0.001). Conclusion : The seroconversion rates after primary hepatitis B vaccination were low in B group infants. Revaccination of non-responders in B group was very effective. Therefore, anti-HBs testing and revaccination of B group is very important. Revaccination of non-responders in A group was also very effective. Thus, testing the immune status of infants born to HBsAg-negative mothers even after primary hepatitis B vaccination should be considered. However, to realize this, further studies on the cost-effectiveness of anti-HBs testing in healthy full-term infants are necessary.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.11
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• pp.1191-1197
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• 2008

Purpose : Previously, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection was diagnosed by serological examination; currently, many EBV antigen detection methods have been developed and applied clinically for diagnosing EBV infection. To delineate the clinical characteristics of EBV infection, clinical and laboratory findings were evaluated for patients who tested positive in EBV polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Methods : EBV PCR was conducted in 352 patients admitted to the pediatric ward from January 2004 to December 2006, with more than 2 clinical signs such as fever (${\geq}37.5^{\circ}C$), exudative throat infection, lymphadenopathy, hepatitis of unknown etiology, and splenomegaly. The EBV viral gene was detected by PCR in 115 patients (32%), and the clinical characteristics of these patients were evaluated. Laboratory findings such as leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, atypical lymphocyte, and alteration in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in peripheral blood were examined. The EBV-specific immunoglobulin M antibody (EBV-IgM Ab) was also tested. Results : Most of the children were younger than 8 years (89%), and the male to female ratio was 1.3:1. Exudative throat infection and fever (${\geq}37.5^{\circ}C$) were observed in all patients. Cervical lymph node enlargement was seen in 36 patients (31 %); leukocytosis ($WBC{\geq}10,000/mm^3$), in 54 patients (47%); and atypical lymphocyte (${\geq}20%$), in 28 patients (24%). EBV-IgM Ab was positive in 33 patients (29%). The younger patients had higher ALT levels and higher incidence of positive EBV-IgM Ab than the older patients. Conclusion : The cumulative number of patients diagnosed to have EBV infection by PCR increased markedly for those under 8 years. ALT was higher and EBV-IgM Ab was detected more in younger patients with EBV infection.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.27 no.1 s.45
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• pp.11-24
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• 1994

The studies reported here were undertaken to investigate the effects of mercury chloride on immune system of Balb/c mouse employing a flexible tier of in vitro and in vivo assays. Mercury chloride inhibited the proliferative responses of spleen cells to lipopolysaccharide, pokeweed mitogen, and phytohemagglutinin as a dose-dependent manner. This inhibitory effect was observed not only when $HgCl_2$ was added 2nd or 3rd day of 3 days culture period but also when spleen cells was pretreated with $HgCl_2$ for 2 hours. Mercury chloride, however, potentiated the production of IgM and IgG from spleen cells. During the $HgCl_2$ administration by drinking for 3 weeks, the weight gain of mice was significantly blunted than that o control group mice, while no overt signs related to mercury toxicity were noted in any mice of experimental group. There was no change in thymus and spleen weights, and in histological findings of kidney, bone marrow of femur, thymus, spleen, and popliteal lymph node after 3 weeks of mercury exposure. However, $HgCl_2$ induced a significant increase of total serum IgM, IgG including $IgG_1,\;IgG_{2a}\;and\;IgG_{2b}$, and IgE in Balb/c mice. Treatment in vivo with anti-IL-4 monoclonal antibody significantly abrogated the $HgCl_2$-induced increase in total serum IgG1 and IgE. Whereas $HgCl_2$ potentiated total serum IgM and IgG, there was no difference in total serum hemagglutinin to SRBC (Sheep Red Blood Cell) between experimental and control group mice when these mice were immunized with SRBC. All these findings observed in Balb/c mice suggest that mercury perturbates well-orchestrated regulation of immune responses before developing histopathological changes in lymphoid tissues.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.151-161
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• 1986

In order to develop sensitive and sepcific assay methods for E. coli heat labile enterotoxin(LT) hybridoma cell lines secreting LT specific monoclonal antibody were obtained. LT was purified from cell lysate of E. coli O15H11. The steps included disruption of bacteria by French pressure, DEAE Sephacel ion exchange chromatography, Sephadex G200 gel filtration, and second DEAE Sephacel ion exchange chromatography, successively. Spleen cells from Balb/c mice immunized with the purified LT and $HGPRT^{(-)}$ plasmacytomas, $P3{\times}63Ag8.V653$ were mixed and fused by 50% (w/v) PEG. Hybrid cells were grown in 308 wells out of 360 wells, and 13 wells out of them secreted antibodies reacting to LT. Among these hybridoma cell 1G8-1D1 cell line was selected since it had produced high-titered monoclonal antibody continuously. By using culture supernatant and ascites from 1G8-1D1 cells the monoclonal antibody was characterized, and an assay system for detecting enterotoxigenic E. coli was established by double sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The following results were obtained. 1. Antibody titers of culture supernatant and ascites from 1G8-1D1 hybridoma cells were 512, and 102, 400, respectively by GM1-ELISA and its immunoglobulin class was IgM. 2. The maximum absorption ratio of 1G8-1D1 cell culture supernatant to LT was 90% at $300\;{\mu}g/ml$ of LT concentration. LT concentration shown at 50% absorption ratio was $103.45{\mu}g$ and the absorption ratio was decreased with tile reduction of LT concentration. This result suggests that monoclonal antibody from 1G8-1D1 hybridoma cell bound with LT specifically. 3. The reactivities of 1G8-1D1 cell culture supernatant to LT and V. cholerae enterotoxin(CT) were 0.886 and 0.142(O.D. at 492nm) measured by the GM1-ELISA, indicating 1G8-1D1 monoclonal antibody reacted specifically with LT but not with CT. 4. The addition of 0.1ml of ascites to 0.6mg and 0.12mg of LT decreased the vascular permeability factor to 41% and 44% respectively, but it did not completely neutralize LT. 5. By double sandwich ELISA using monoclonal antibody, as little as 75ng of the purified LT per ml could be detected. 6. The results by assay of detecting LT in culture supernatants of 14 wild strains E. coli isolated from diarrhea patients by the double sandwich ELISA were almost the same level as those by reverse passive latex agglutination.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.828-834
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• 2012

The present study has been conducted to investigate the effects of feeding seleniferous whole crop barley (WCB) to finishing pigs on their growth performance, blood and carcass characteristics as well as on tissue selenium deposition. A total of 40 cross-bred barrows ((Landrace${\times}$Yorkshire)${\times}$Duroc) were allotted to five replicates of four treatments. Each replicate was arranged to 2 pigs per pen; the experimental period lasted for 6 weeks. The finishing pigs were fed diets containing 0.1 (non-seleniferous WCB as a control), 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 ppm of selenium (Se) by supplementing the diets with seleniferous WCB. The isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets containing 5% non-seleniferous or seleniferous WCB were formulated. Feeding seleniferous WCB did not affect (p<0.05) the feed intake and BW gain. Total blood lipid concentration was significantly (p<0.05) decreased with increasing Se levels. Total blood cholesterol concentration for the control was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that for 0.4 and 0.6 ppm of Se treatments. Increasing the Se levels in WCB significantly (p<0.05) decreased blood triglyceride concentration; however, the levels increased immunoglobulin G and selenium concentrations. Feeding seleniferous WCB did not affect the carcass rate, backfat thickness and meat quality as well as yield grades. The Se concentration in the kidney, liver and loin were significantly (p<0.05) increased with increasing levels of seleniferous WCB. The results indicated that feeding seleniferous WCB may improve the blood characteristics related to lipid metabolism and thus, could produce selenium-fortified pork. Moreover, it is shown that the dietary optimal selenium level to depose selenium in porcine tissues by utilizing seleniferous WCB would be 0.4 mg of Se/kg of ration. Moreover, when 100 g of pork produced from pigs raised under such condition is served to consumers, it meets the minimum recommended daily requirements (40 ${\mu}g$) of dietary selenium proposed by the World Health Organization (1996).

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.84-91
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• 1995

Many clinical and laboratory tests have been employed to evaluate disease activity in rheumatioid arthritis. $^{99m}Tc$-labelled polyclonal IgG(HIG) has been demonstrated to accumulate in focal sites of infection or inflammation in both animals and human subjects. The purpose of this study was to distinguish arthritis with active inflammation from those without active inflammation and to correlate relative intensities of $^{99m}Tc$-labelled HIG uptake of the rheumatoid arthritis with clinical and MR indices of the joint inflammation. This study included twelve patients with active rheumatoid arthritis, two with ankylosing spondylitis and one with degenerative osteoarthritis without active inflammation. A Whole-body and spot images were obtained 4 hours after intravenous injection of 20mCi of $^{99m}Tc$-labelled HIG. Scintigrams were assessed visually by 3 experienced radiologists, and graded as normal or mildly and markedly increased uptake within the joints, and the degree of uptake was compared with clinical and radiologic severity of synovial inflammation. MRI studies were done on the involved joints consisted of wrist(n = 11), knee(n = 2) and hip joint(n= 2). Active synovitis was defined when marked elevation of ESR and gadolinium enhancement of synovium on MRI were demonstrated. Markedly increased radiotracer uptake was seen in 10 of 11 rheumatoid arthritic patients with active synovitis whereas normal or mildly increased uptakes were noted in others, including rheumatoid arthritic patient(n=1) and non-rheumatoid patients(n = 3) without active synovitis. This study showed that the localization of involved joints in rheumatoid arthritis could be detected with $^{99m}Tc$-labelled HIG and that the degree of uptake correlated well with the degree and activity of inflammation. In conclusion, $^{99m}Tc$-labelled HIG scan is a useful method in the evaluation of active inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.423-435
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• 2013

The Codonopsis pilosula is traditional oriental herb associated with immune-modulatory functions and has anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidative activity. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of Codonopsis pilosula extract powder (CEP) on the immunity and productivity in sows and piglets. A total of 20 pregnant sows were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments, which was given a corn-soybean meal diet with 0% and 0.5% CEP from 40 days prepartum to weaning (25 days postpartum). The immune system of piglets was expected to build up, because the feeding of CEP might increase the colostrum contents in sows. We also predicted that the growth performance of piglets also could be increased by some compensation effects due to the increased immunity of piglets. In results, immunities of sows and piglets as well as growth performance of piglets were not affected by the supplementation of CEP. The correlation between the colostrum and the serum on the IgG contents tended to have a positive correlation, although there was no significant (coefficient, 0.435; P=0.102). This result suggests that the supplementation of CEP may increase IgG contents in sows and piglets and contribute to improve immunity of piglets. In conclusion, it is thought that the physiologically active substances of CEP did not influence to the immune synergic effects in vivo of sows. Thus, the metabolic and action mechanism of the physiologically active substances of CEP should be explored to evaluate the availability of CEP as a feed additive for the immunomodulator.