• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.215-219
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• 2016

Clonorchis sinensis is currently the most important parasite affecting public health problems in the Republic of Korea. We investigated the prevalence of C. sinensis infection among residents living along 5 major rivers in Korea. A total of 42,562 individual stool samples were collected from 37 localities and examined using the formalin-ether sedimentation technique. Helminth eggs were detected in 4,052 (9.5%) residents and 3,586 (8.4%) were infected with C. sinensis. The egg positive rate of C. sinensis in Nakdong, Seomjin, Geum, Yeongsan, and Han River was 11.7%, 9.9%, 6.5%, 3.1%, and 1.0%, respectively. The overall prevalence of clonorchiasis by sex was 11.2% in males and 6.2% in females. The age-prevalence was the highest in the 50-59 years band. It has been reconfirmed that the endemicity of clonorchiasis is higher in southern areas of Korea, especially along Nakdong and Seomjin Rivers. A combination of continuous control programs with health education initiatives is urgently required in these highly endemic areas of clonorchiasis in Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.606-611
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• 2015

As Salmonella enterica serovar Pullorum remains a major economic problem for the poultry industries of countries with no efficient control measures, we presented a multidrug resistance strain S06004 (isolated from a clinically sick chicken in China in 2006) for genome sequencing. The genome comparison showed that the strain contained two prophages, the ST104 and prophage-4 (Fels2) of E. coli LF82, which were not detected in the only published genomes of S. Pullorum RKS5078 and CDC1983-67. In addition, the GyrA Ser83 point mutation, drugresistant genes, and many antibiotic pump systems that are present in S06004 may be contributing to the multidrug resistance of this strain.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.355-359
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• 2015

Hydatid disease imposing serious threat on human health and great loss in live-stock pastoralism remains a major public health problem in western China. To assess and monitor the effect of control program on transmission dynamics, we used the prevalence of cystic echinococcosis in slaughtered sheep at slaughterhouse as an indicator during the period of 2007 to 2013 in Emin County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. The results showed a significant decline trend of prevalence in all age groups during the 7 years when the control program was implemented; particularly, the rate was reduced by 72% after first 3 years. Among the sheep slaughtered, the age distribution evidenced that the prevalence increased significantly as the sheep grew older. The baseline data indicated that the rate was 4.5% at the age <1, 6.7% at age 2~, and reached to the highest 17.9% at age ${\geq}4$ years. Earlier response to the intervention pressure was seen in the sheep at the younger age. Significant decline started from 2008 at the age <1, from 2009 at age of 1~, 2010 at 2~ to 3~, and the latest, in 2012 at age ${\geq}4$. This study demonstrated that the prevalence of cystic echinococcosis in slaughtered sheep may be used as an indicator to assess and monitor the transmission status during and after control program providing information for betterment of performance to sustain control strength.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.704-713
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• 2014

The highly pathogenic avian influenza A (HPAI) viruses of the H5N1 subtype infect poultry and have also been spreading to humans. Although new antiviral drugs and vaccinations can be effective, rapid detection would be more efficient to control the outbreak of infections. In this study, a phage-display library was applied to select antibody fragments for HPAI strain A/Hubei/1/2010. As a result, three clones were selected and sequenced. A hemagglutinin inhibition assay of the three scFvs revealed that none exhibited hemagglutination inhibition activity towards the H5N1 virus, yet they showed a higher binding affinity for several HPAI H5N1 strains compared with other influenza viruses. An ELISA confirmed that the HA protein was the target of the scFvs, and the results of a protein structure simulation showed that all the selected scFvs bound to the HA2 subunit of the HA protein. In conclusion, the three selected scFVs could be useful for developing a specific detection tool for the surveillance of HPAI epidemic strains.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.782-787
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• 2018

Goose hemorrhagic polyomavirus (GHPV) is not a naturally occurring infection in geese in China; however, GHPV infection has been identified in Pekin ducks, a domestic duck species. Herein, we investigated the prevalence of GHPV in five domestic duck species (Liancheng white ducks, Putian black ducks, Shan Sheldrake, Shaoxing duck, and Jinyun Sheldrake) in China. We determined that the Jinyun Sheldrake duck species could be infected by GHPV with no clinical signs, whereas no infection was identified in the other four duck species. We sequenced the complete genome of the Jinyun Sheldrake origin GHPV. Genomic data comparison suggested that GHPVs share a conserved genomic structure, regardless of the host (duck or geese) or region (Asia or Europe). Jinyun Sheldrake origin GHPV genomic characterization and epidemiological studies will increase our understanding of potential heterologous reservoirs of GHPV.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7385-7393
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• 2013

Background: Only few epidemiological data on primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors in Shanghai have been reported. Methods: All cases of primary CNS tumors that were registered at Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were collected (1973-2007: urban Shanghai; 2003-2007: whole Shanghai city). Trends were analyzed using joinpoint analysis and rates were stratified by age, gender and region. Histological data were collected from both CDC and Huashan Hospital. Results: From 1973 to 2007, the five-year average incidence rate in urban Shanghai increased in both genders, especially in the elderly population. Joinpoint analysis showed the age-adjusted incidence rate for males increased first but then plateaued, whilst rates for females continued increasing over the 35 years. For the five-year status quo (2003-2007), rural had a higher age-adjusted incidence rate than urban populations, and females higher than males, especially those with advanced age. According to CDC (2003-2007) and Huashan Hospital (1951-2011), the two most common histological subtypes were neuroepithelial tumors (with male predominance) and meningiomas (with female predominance). Conclusions: In Shanghai, a steadily increased incidence rate of primary CNS tumors was observed in general, and in the elderly and female population in particular.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.317-338
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• 2011

The World Health Organization (WHO) tries to accomplish the goal of 'smoke free society', and developed countries regard the nicotine as an addictive drug. In order to better protect human health, all parties are required to adopt and implement effective legislative, executive, administrative or other measures for tobacco control in accordance with Article 4 the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). In order to achieve the objective of the FCTC and its protocols and to implement its provisions, Korea need to take an attention on the U.S. Family Smoking Prevention And Tobacco Control Act of 2009 and Final Rule. It is need to integrate and centralize of tobacco safety administration and smoking prevention for the national health promotion.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2019

Melting temperature shift ($T_m-shift$) is a new detection method that analyze the melting curve on real-time PCR thermocycler using SYBR Green I fluorescent dye. To establish a $T_m-shift$ method for the detection of Ancylostoma ceylanicum and A. tubaeforme in cats, specific primers, with GC tail of unequal length attached to their 5' end, were designed based on 2 SNP loci (ITS101 and ITS296) of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) sequences. The standard curve of $T_m-shift$ was established using the standard plasmids of A. ceylanicum (AceP) and A. tubaeforme (AtuP). The $T_m-shift$ method stability, sensitivity, and accuracy were tested with reference to the standard curve, and clinical fecal samples were also examined. The results demonstrated that the 2 sets of primers based on the 2 SNPs could accurately distinguish between A. ceylanicum and A. tubaeforme. The coefficient of variation (CV) of $T_m$- values of AceP and AtuP was 0.07% and 0.06% in ITS101 and was 0.06% and 0.08% in ITS296, respectively. The minimum detectable DNA concentration was $5.22{\times}10^{-6}$ and $5.28{\times}10^{-6}ng/{\mu}l$ samples of AceP and AtuP, respectively. The accuracy of $T_m-shift$ method reached 100% based on examination of 10 hookworm DNA samples with known species. In the clinical detection of hookworm in 69 stray cat fecal sample, the $T_m-shift$ detection results were consistent with the microscopic examination and successfully differentiated between the 2-hookworm species. In conclusion, the developed method is a rapid, sensitive and accurate technique and can provide a promising tool for clinical detection and epidemiological investigation of cat-derived hookworms.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.377-392
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• 2021

This paper is to illustrate the infestation and related ecological characteristics of chigger mites on the Asian house rat (Rattus tanezumi). A total of 17,221 chigger mites were collected from 2,761 R. tanezumi rats, and then identified as 131 species and 19 genera in 2 families. Leptotrombidium deliense, the most powerful vector of scrub typhus in China, was the first major dominant species on R. tanezumi. All the dominant mite species were of an aggregated distribution among different individuals of R. tanezumi. The species composition and infestations of chiggers on R. tanezumi varied along different geographical regions, habitats and altitudes. The species-abundance distribution of the chigger mite community was successfully fitted and the theoretical curve equation was ${\hat{S}}(R)={37e^{-(0.28R)}}^2$. The total chigger species on R. tanezumi were estimated to be 199 species or 234 species, and this further suggested that R. tanezumi has a great potential to harbor abundant species of chigger mites. The results of the species-plot relationship indicated that the chig-ger mite community on R. tanezumi in Yunnan was an uneven community with very high heterogeneity. Wide geographi-cal regions with large host samples are recommended in the investigations of chigger mites.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.81-94
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• 2003

Purpose： This study was to develop a smoking prevention educational program and to verify the effects of the program as an intervention to prevent smoking among high school students. Method： This study was designed by using a nonequivalent Quasi-experimental control group pretest-posttest. The instruments used in this study were scale on smoking prevention knowledge and attitude. The experimental group received 8 smoking prevention educational classes, each lasting 50-minutes every week. The collected data was analyzed by real number and percentage, Chi-Square test, t-test, ANCOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, Cronbach's α, using the SPSS WIN 11.0 program. Result： 1) After the completion of the smoking prevention education program, the experimental group's smoking knowledge scores(16.05±3.40) were higher than the control group's scores(14.39±3.81). Mean scores of smoking knowledge were statistically significantly different between the experimental group and the control group(F＝38.700, p＝.000). 2) After the completion of the smoking prevention education program, the experimental group's smoking prevention attitude scores were 47.52±5.30 and the control group's scores were 47.l0±5.54. Mean scores of attitude toward smoking prevention were statistically significantly different between the experimental group and the control group. 3) The relationship between smoking knowledge and attitude toward smoking prevention indicated positive correlation though the degree of positive correlation was low. Conclusion： Smoking prevention educational program which included self-search, smoking influence, adolescent smoking, family smoking, secondary smoking, self assertion using refusal skill was proved to be effective as an intervention for smoking prevention in high school students.