• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.227-233
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• 2021

Eosinophilic meningitis is defined as the presence of more than 10 eosinophils per µl in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or eosinophils accounting for more than 10% of CSF leukocytes in patients with acute meningitis. Parasites are the most common cause of eosinophilic meningitis worldwide, but there is limited research on patients in Korea. Patients diagnosed with eosinophilic meningitis between January 2004 and June 2018 at a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea were retrospectively reviewed. The etiology and clinical characteristics of each patient were identified. Of the 22 patients included in the study, 11 (50%) had parasitic causes, of whom 8 (36%) were diagnosed as neurocysticercosis and 3 (14%) as Toxocara meningitis. Four (18%) patients were diagnosed with fungal meningitis, and underlying immunodeficiency was found in 2 of these patients. The etiology of another 4 (18%) patients was suspected to be tuberculosis, which is endemic in Korea. Viral and bacterial meningitis were relatively rare causes of eosinophilic meningitis, accounting for 2 (9%) and 1 (5%) patients, respectively. One patient with neurocysticercosis and 1 patient with fungal meningitis died, and 5 (23%) had neurologic sequelae. Parasite infections, especially neurocysticercosis and toxocariasis, were the most common cause of eosinophilic meningitis in Korean patients. Fungal meningitis, while relatively rare, is often aggressive and must be considered when searching for the cause of eosinophilic meningitis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.77-85
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• 2017

Purpose: Fever is one of the most common symptoms in children. In previous studies, infectious disease was the most common cause of pediatric fever of unknown origin (FUO). The aim of this study is to investigate the etiology, clinical characteristics and prognosis of pediatric FUO in 21 century with more diagnostics available and to analyze the factors for certain disease categories. Methods: Among the children under 18 years old who were hospitalized at Samsung Medical Center from January 2000 to December 2014, the patients who met the criteria including fever of ${\geq}38.0^{\circ}C$ for longer than ${\geq}14days$ and failure to reach a diagnosis after one week of investigations were included. Results: Total 100 patients were identified. Confirmed diagnosis was achieved in 57 patients (57%). Among them, infectious diseases (n=19, 19%) were most common, followed by connective tissue diseases (n=15, 15%), necrotizing lymphadenitis (n=8, 8%), and malignancies (n=7, 7%). Children with fever duration over 28 days had a trend for higher frequency of connective tissue diseases (28.3%) except undiagnosed etiology. The symptoms such as arthritis, lymph node enlargement and only fever without other symptoms were significantly related with connective tissue diseases, necrotizing lymphadenitis and undiagnosed respectively (P<0.001). Ninety-two patients have become afebrile at discharge and 1 patient died (1%). Conclusion: Almost half of our patients were left without diagnosis. Although it has been known that infectious disease was most common cause of pediatric FUO in the past, undiagnosed portion of FUO have now increased due to development of diagnostic techniques for infectious diseases.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.233-249
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• 2004

Objectives : Infectious mononucleosis is a clinical syndrome caused by Epstein-Barr virus that is particularly common in adolescents and children. This study was progressed for current oriental medical treatment of infectious mononucleosis in china. The purpose of this study is the opening oriental medical approach to infectious mononucleosis in Korea Methods : Authors conducted a literature search in data of Traditional Chinese Medical Journal. The data were extracted in a standardized, predefined manner and accessed critically. Results : The study for infectious mononucleosis consists of basic, clinical, experimental study. Basic study consists of etiology & pathogenesis and the rule of treatment. Clinical study consists of symptoms-based treatment and adequate prescription treatment. Experimental study consists of effective herbs and new traditional chinese medical injection. Conclusion : Traditional chinese medical approach using herbs works in children with infectious mononucleosis in Korea.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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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.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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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.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.235-250
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• 2005

Acute diarrhea is one of the most common diseases that are seen in pediatric patients. In the management of acute diarrhea, several differential diagnostic criteria should be considered based on clinical and/or laboratory findings. These criteria include : (1) normal variant stool versus diarrhea (2) infectious versus non-infectious condition and (3) bacterial versus non-bacterial etiology. The use of antibiotics should be considered to manage diarrhea caused by bacteria accompanying fever and bloody diarrhea in the following cases : (1) patients with serious clinical course, (2) under three months, (3) immunocompromised patients, (4) patients with nutritional deficiency and (5) patients presenting with moderate-to-severe dehydration. In patients presenting with the symptoms suspected to be bacterial origin, whose clinical course is not serious, antibiotic therapy is not necessary. These patients are easily manageable at OPD level. Moreover, except for some cases in which the use of antibiotics is inevitable, pediatric diarrhea can be managed by providing the suitable foods alone with no necessity of other specific drugs. Accordingly, it is crucial not so much to depend on the drugs as to provide appropriate foods including oral rehydration solution(ORS) with no further episodes of diarrhea. Special attention should be paid to the fact that younger pediatric patients will undergo nutritional deficiency unless acute diarrhea is properly managed.

• Kidney Research and Clinical Practice
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• v.37 no.4
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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.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.300-308
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• 1987

Clinical and pathologic data were reviewed in 20 patients who had have surgery for isolated aortic valvular heart disease between April 1978 and April, 1987. Hospital mortality was 10%, with no additional late mortality during a mean follow-up period of 24.1 months. Prosthetic valve failure developed in 3 patients and two had reoperation. Niety four percent of the survivors who were in NYHA Funtional class III or IV before operation are now in class I or II. Ninety percent of all patients are still alive at a maximum follow up of 9 years. The clinical histories, gross and histologic examination of valves estabilished the causes for isolated aortic valve disease: 3 rheumatic, 2 congenital bicuspid, 2 hypertention, 2 aortitis and each one case of floppy valve, medial cystic necrosis of aorta, bacterial endocarditis. But etiology was unknown in 8 cases. Sixteen patietns had myxoid degeneration, defined as significant disruption of the valve fibrosa and its replacement by acid mucosaccharides and cystic changes. Myxoid degeneration was also the primary pathologic abnormality in the patients with 2 hypertention, 2 rheumatic, 1 aortitis, 1 bacterial endocarditis, 1 floppy valve, 1 congenital bicuspid. The patients with myxoid degeneration of uncertain origin were 8. Histologic finding of all of them revealed nonspecific patients with myxoid degeneration of uncertain orgin were 8. Histologic finding of all of them revealed nonspecific chronic valvulitis with myxoid degeneration. This finding may indicate that the etiology w uld be infectious.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.321-326
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• 2011

Neuropathic pain is caused by functional abnonnalities of structural lesions in the peripheral or central nervous system, and occurs without peripheral nociceptor stimulation. Trigeminal neuropathy always pose differential location difficulties as multiple diseases are capablc of producing them: they can be the result of traumatism, tumors, or diseases of the connective tissue, infectious or demyelinating diseases, or may be of idiopathic origin. There are a number of mechanisms described as causing neuropathy. They can be described as ectopic nerve activity, neuroma, ephatic trasmission, change of sodium channel expression, sympathetic activity, central sensitization, and alteration in central inhibition systems. More than I mechanism may be active to create individual clinical presentations. In order to provide better pain control, the mechanism-based approach in treating neuropathic pain should be familiar to physicians.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.1041-1045
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• 2013

The xTAG$^{(R)}$ Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel (GPP) is a multiplexed molecular test for 15 gastrointestinal pathogens. The sensitivity and specificity of this test were assessed in 901 stool specimens collected from pediatric and adult patients at four clinical sites. A combination of conventional and molecular methods was used as comparator. Sensitivity could be determined for 12 of 15 pathogens and was 94.3% overall. The specificity across all 15 targets was 98.5%. Testing for the pathogen identified was not requested by the physician in 65% of specimens. The simultaneous detection of these 15 pathogens can provide physicians with a more comprehensive assessment of the etiology of diarrheal disease.