• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.209-213
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• 2008

Following the Anthrax bioterrorism attacks in the US in 2001, the Korean government established comprehensive countermeasures against bioterrorism. These measures included the government assuming management of all infectious agents that cause diseases, including smallpox, anthrax, plaque, botulism, and the causative agents of viral hemorrhagic fevers (ebola fever, marburg fever, and lassa fever) for national security. In addition, the Korean government is reinforcing the ability to prepare and respond to bioterrorism. Some of the measures being implemented include revising the laws and guidelines that apply to the use of infectious agents, the construction and operation of dual surveillance systems for bioterrorism, stockpiling and managing products necessary to respond to an emergency (smallpox vaccine, antibiotics, etc.) and vigorously training emergency room staff and heath workers to ensure they can respond appropriately. In addition, the government's measures include improved public relations, building and maintaining international cooperation, and developing new vaccines and drugs for treatments of infectious agents used to create bioweapons.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제43권3호
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• pp.113-128
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• 2020

For estimating the prevalence of bovine infectious disease agents, the pathogens were classified as follows: the digestive disease agents, respiratory disease agents, reproductive disease agents, and tick-borne disease agents. This study covered 81 published papers regarding bovine infectious diseases in Korea that determined the presence of diverse pathogens or the antibodies elicited by the infectious agents in cattle from 2010 to 2019. In total, 59,504 cows were involved in the papers reporting the causative agents in their cases. The disease prevalence for the digestive, respiratory, reproductive, and tick-borne cases was 9.0%, 13.4%, 10.4%, and 7.8%, respectively. Bovine viral diarrhea virus, Escherichia coli, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, and Eimeria spp were more significantly prevalent in the cows under one-year age than over one-year age. Bovine viral diarrhea virus, Escherichia coli, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, and Anaplasma spp. were more significantly prevalent in Hanwoo than dairy cattle. Coxiella burnetii, Neospora caninum, and Theilieria spp. were more significantly prevalent in dairy cattle than Hanwoo. Tick-borne disease agents were more prevalent in cows grazing than the case in housing. Our analytic data obtained from this study emphasize the need for more studies on the occurrence of these pathogens according to the breed, age, and the region, to come up with bovine infectious disease control measures in Korea.

• 환경위생공학
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.41-49
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• 1994

Water- borne infectious diseases can be acquired by contact with contaminated water or by ingestion of contaminated water. There are many water- borne infectious agents such as bacteria, virus, and parasite. Among many of water- borne infectious diseases, health authorities of Korean government has particularly intensified to prevent and control typhoid fever(class I ), shigellosis(class I ), cholera(class I ), paratyphoid fever(class I), amebiasis(class II ) and leptospirosis(euivalent to class II ) under the communicable disease control law. Water- borne disease Prevention and control guideline itself has been also well provided by the health authorities. However, in practical public health point of view, there are still many problems remained to be solved out; no prospective investigation project to survey water borne infectious diseases under the national disease prevention and control programmes, incredible statistic data of annual notifiable disease report frequent appearance and varieties of drug resistance water- borne infectious agents, little cooperation and information- exchange system in between the related government authorities( the health authorities, the environment sanitation authorities and the food hygiene authorities) which should be closely collaborated, lack of health consciousness of the people, necessity of evaluation and Hndification on to the outcomes of performed health activities and programmes, neglect activities for water quality investigation, shortage of expertise and human resources in the related field, and poor investment of the government budget to develope and improve public health and sanitation field. In order to prevent and control water- borne infectious diseases effectively, it is emphasized that all the above indicated should be considered and performed to improve under the national health and sanitation development programmes.

• Kidney Research and Clinical Practice
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.323-337
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• 2018

Infectious complications have been considered as a major cause of morbidity and mortality after kidney transplantation, especially in the Asian population. Therefore, prevention, early detection, and prompt treatment of such infections are crucial in kidney transplant recipients. Among all infectious complications, viruses are considered to be the most common agents because of their abundance, infectivity, and latency ability. Herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B virus, BK polyomavirus, and adenovirus are well-known etiologic agents of viral infections in kidney transplant patients worldwide because of their wide range of distribution. As DNA viruses, they are able to reactivate after affected patients receive immunosuppressive agents. These DNA viruses can cause systemic diseases or allograft dysfunction, especially in the first six months after transplantation. Pretransplant evaluation and immunization as well as appropriate prophylaxis and preemptive approaches after transplant have been established in the guidelines and are used effectively to reduce the incidence of these viral infections. This review will describe the etiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of viral infections that commonly affect kidney transplant recipients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.3425-3428
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• 2013

Approximately, 15-20% of all cancers worldwide are caused by infectious agents. Understanding the role of infectious agents on cancer development might be useful for developing new approaches to its prevention. Mycoplasma genitalium is a clinically important sexually transmitted pathogen that has been associated with several human diseases. There have been a few studies suggestive of probable roles of Mycoplasma genitalium in cancer development, including prostate and ovarian cancers and lymphomas, but the role of this microorganism like other Mycoplasma species in neoplasia is still conjectural. Considering the prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium infections and also the emergence of resistant strains, Mycoplasma genitalium needs more attention in the infectious agent cancer-causing research area.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제50권2호
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• pp.147-157
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• 2001

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.14-37
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• 2014

Objectives: Since information on biological factors in the workplace are currently lacking, I wanted to create a handbook of these factors that would be viewable at a glance as a means to more effectively prevent occupationally-infected diseases. Proper information on biological hazards in the workplace allowing the appropriate recognition of the harmful factors is desperately needed. Methods and Results: In this study, I intended to create a high-utility handbook of biologically hazardous agents in the workplace. To ensure its effectiveness, information and references about biologically hazardous agents in the workplace were analyzed and classified and pathogen safety data sheets(PSDS) sourced from the Public Health Agency of Canada were included. I intended to make it accessible from the point of view of workers and their employers. A more effective classification system of occupational infectious diseases is presented, and biologically hazardous agents were classified according to occupations, industries, infectious diseases, and so on. The handbook consists of 60 major kinds of biologically infectious occupational factors that are expected to be generated in workplaces in Korea, and are focused on practical utility. The pathogen safety data sheets(PSDS) of 192 species were also included. To allow more effective management, domestic and foreign laws and regulations are presented. Conclusions: This case report presents general information on the history and contents of the handbook and PSDS, it will also be useful in workplaces if download from the homepage of OSHRI, KOSHA(oshri.kosha.or.kr/bridge?menuID=901).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권11호
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• pp.5497-5500
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• 2012

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the level of cancer awareness after delivering educational programs by assessing the awareness in regard to the role of microbial infectious agents in the etiology of some cancers. Methodology: Data were collected during Cancer Awareness and Educational Programs which were conducted at various places such as schools, clubs, mosques and Government health centres. This survey included 200 participants. Results: Of the persons who responded to the question, whether some viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi, can cause cancer, 111/134 (82.8%), 105/129 (81.4%), 102/124 (82.8%) and 95/122 (77.8%), respectively, answered yes. Conclusion: The level of cancer awareness is low amongst Sudanese northern state inhabitants even after delivering an educational program.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.303-311
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• 2011

Prevalence of infectious agents, including Brucella abortus (BA), Mycobacterium bovis (MB), bovine leukemia virus (BLV), M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MP), Neospora caninum (NC) and Toxoplasma gondii (TG), was investigated in all the cattle raised in Ulleung island during 2007~2010. For BA, the prevalences in head and farm were 8.1% (44/545) and 5.5% (4/73) in 2007, all negative in 2008~2009, and 0.5% (4/774) and 1.7% (1/58) in 2010, respectively. For MB, no sample was positive by PPD or ELISA in 2007~2010. For BLV and MP, no sample was positive by ELISA in 2007~2009. For NC, seroprevalences in head and farm were 0.2% (1/545) and 1.4% (1/73), respectively, in 2007 and all negative in 2008~2009. For TG, seroprevalences in head and farm were 17.6% (97/552) and 54.8% (34/62) by ELISA in 2009. By regions, the seroprevalences of TG in Ulleung-eup, Seo-myeon and Buk-myeon were 26.0%, 9.8% and 16.7%, respectively, which had significant differences (P<0.0001). Tiger cattle were more resistant to TG infection than Hanwoo. The seroprevalence of TG in summer was higher than in autumn. The seroprevalence of TG in cows was higher than in oxen. The seroprevalence of TG in cattle was increased with age. In conclusion, this study indicates that the prevalences of six infectious diseases, except for TG which are widely spread, are relatively low in cattle reared in Ulleung island.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.214-218
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• 2008

Bioterrorism events have worldwide impacts, not only in terms of security and public health policy, but also in other related sectors. Many countries, including Korea, have set up new administrative and operational structures and adapted their preparedness and response plans in order to deal with new kinds of threats. Korea has dual surveillance systems for the early detection of bioterrorism. The first is syndromic surveillance that typically monitors non-specific clinical information that may indicate possible bioterrorism-associated diseases before specific diagnoses are made. The other is infectious disease specialist network that diagnoses and responds to specific illnesses caused by intentional release of biologic agents. Infectious disease physicians, clinical microbiologists, and infection control professionals play critical and complementary roles in these networks. Infectious disease specialists should develop practical and realistic response plans for their institutions in partnership with local and state health departments, in preparation for a real or suspected bioterrorism attack.