• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2014

Purpose: This study aimed at determining the detection rate of respiratory viruses and at investigating the risk factors associated with respiratory virus detection in young infants. Methods: From September 2011 to August 2012, nasopharyngeal swabs were obtained from 227 infants aged ${\leq}90$ days with suspected infectious diseases, including sepsis. We performed a retrospective analysis of their clinical characteristics. The prevalence of respiratory viruses in their nasopharyngeal swabs was assayed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR). Results: In total, 157 (69.2%) infants had more than one of the following respiratory viruses: respiratory syncytial virus (n=75), rhinovirus (n=42), influenza virus (n=18), parainfluenza virus (n=15), human metapneumovirus (n=9), coronavirus (n=9), adenovirus (n=4), and bocavirus (n=3). During the same period, bacterial infections were confirmed in 24 infants (10.6%). The detection of respiratory viruses was significantly associated with the presence of cough, a family history of respiratory illness, and a seasonal preference (fall/winter). Using logistic regression analysis, these 3 variables were also identified as significant risk factors. During fall and winter, detection of respiratory viruses was significantly higher in infants who did not have a bacterial infection. Conclusion: Respiratory virus is an important pathogen in young infants admitted to a hospital, who are suspected with infectious diseases. Detection of respiratory viruses in young infants was associated with seasonality (fall/winter), presence of respiratory symptoms and a family history of respiratory illness.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2002

This study was performed to investigate the effectiveness of the aspiration trap method for collection of sputum by comparing with the conventional method which was collecting specimens at canular cap swab. In this study, the author tested by two methods to collect specimens from 46 patients who were cared with tracheostomy and intubation at the intensive care unit of an university hospital in Pusan, and investigated the incidence of the lower respiratory tract infection, the consistency between the two methods, the level of specimen contamination. Major results were as follows: Among the patients, 35 were cared with tracheostomy and 11 were cared with intubation. In clinical diagnosis we were classified the subjects in to two group, 17 of pneumonia group and 29 of non-pneumonia group. A total of 247 strains were isolated. Among them, most three strains were Serratia marcescens (62 strains; 25.1%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (52 strains; 21.1%), and Acinetobacter baumannii (19 strains; 7.8%). Out of total, 188 (76.1%) strains were Gram negative bacilli. The isolated strains by the aspiration trap method were the average 2.1 strains, but by the canular cap swab method were 1.6 strains. In spite of the high contaminated possibility from the incision site and the oral cavity swab, the low isolated rates of the canular cap may be the dried environment of the canular of cap area. But the contamination rates were 57.2% of the canular cap, 51.5% of the oral swab and 50.5% of the incision site swab, respectively. The consistency of predominant microorganisms according to collection method were 86.7% of aspiration, 78.3% of canular, 74.3% of incision, and 63.6% of oral. In conclusion, the aspiration trap method fur the sputum collection from the patients with intubation of tracheostomy showed the lower contamination rate of the specimens and it was helpful for rapid, accurated interpretation of the lower respiratory tract infection and hospital infection.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2018

A preliminary study into the protective mechanisms of adaptive immunity against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in piglets (n = 9) born to a gilt challenged intranasally with a type-2 PRRSV. Immune parameters (neutralizing antibodies, $CD3^+CD4^+$, $CD3^+CD8^+$, $CD3^+CD4^+CD8^+$ T-lymphocytes, and PRRSV-specific interferon $(IFN)-{\gamma}$ secreting T-lymphocytes) were compared with infection parameters (macro- and microscopic lung lesion, and PRRSV-infected porcine alveolar macrophages ($CD172{\alpha}^+PRRSV-N^+\;PAM$) as well as with plasma and lymphoid tissue viral loads. Percentages of three T-lymphocyte phenotypes in 14-days post-birth (dpb) peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) had significant negative correlations with percentages of $CD172{\alpha}^+PRRSV-N^+\;PAM$ (p < 0.05) as well as with macroscopic lung lesion (p < 0.01). Plasma and tissue viral loads had significant (p < 0.05) negative correlations with $CD3^+CD4^+CD8^+$ T-lymphocyte percentage in PBMC. Frequencies of $CD3^+CD8^+$ and $CD3^+CD4^+$ T-lymphocytes in 14-dpb PBMC had significant negative correlations with of lymph node (p = 0.04) and lung (p = 0.002) viral loads. $IFN-{\gamma}$-secreting T-lymphocytes frequency had a significant negative correlation with gross lung lesion severity (p = 0.002). However, neutralizing antibody titers had no significant negative correlation (p > 0.1) with infection parameters. The results indicate that T-lymphocytes contribute to controlling PRRSV replication in young piglets born after in-utero infection.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.409-421
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• 1987

For the epidemiological studies of the respiratory infection from 1,918 heads of adult rabbits from January 1980 to December 1985 at an integrated farm, the causative agents were. Isolated samples 92 from of lungs and nasal discharges, and identified by serological and non-serololgical tests, the loss rates by the infection were also investigatyed, and the antimicrobial sensitivities of the isolates were determined. The results obtained were as fellows : 1. The loss rate by respiratory infection was 11.9% among 1,819 heads which raised and 41.7% among 518 heads which lost by diseases, and the rate increased annually. 2. The loss rate of rabbits in Spring (45.0%), Summer (45.5%) and Winter (53.5%) showed significantly higher (P < 0.01) than that in Autumn(29.1%). 3. The loss rate of Rex (56.3%) showed significantly higher (P<0.05) than New Zealand White (40.7%) and Californian (42.0% ). 4. P. multocida.(37.9%), B. brouchiseptica (16.0%), E. coli (10.6%) and so forth were isolated from 92 samples of lungs and nasal discharges. 5. Sixty fours trains of P. multocida were typed by serological or non-serological tests and their all serotypes were A type (62 strains) except 2 strains of untypable. 6. In antimicrobial sensitivity test for 64 isolates of P. multocida, all the strains tested were highly sensitive to chloramphenicol(95.3%), colistin (95.3%), gentamicin (92.2%), kanamycin (90.6%), neomycin (82.8%) and tetracycline (81.3%), but exhibited low sensitivity to streptomycin (26.6%), and all strains were resistant to lincomycin. 7 Twenty seven isolates of B. brouchiseptica showed higher sensitivity to cephalothin (100%), erythromycin (100% ), gentamicin (100%). trimethoprim+sulfamethoxazole (100%), chloramphenicol(88.9%), kanamycin(88.9%), neomycin (88.9%) and colistin (85.2%), but lower sensitivity to nitrofurantoin (18.5%), penicillin(18.5%). streptomycin(18.5%) and ampicillin (14.8%), and all strains were resistant to lincomycin.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.313-324
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• 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which causes serious respiratory illness such as pneumonia and lung failure, was first reported in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei, China. The etiological agent of COVID-19 has been confirmed as a novel coronavirus, now known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is most likely originated from zoonotic coronaviruses, like SARS-CoV, which emerged in 2002. Within a few months of the first report, SARS-CoV-2 had spread across China and worldwide, reaching a pandemic level. As COVID-19 has triggered enormous human casualties and serious economic loss posing global threat, an understanding of the ongoing situation and the development of strategies to contain the virus's spread are urgently needed. Currently, various diagnostic kits to test for COVID-19 are available and several repurposing therapeutics for COVID-19 have shown to be clinically effective. In addition, global institutions and companies have begun to develop vaccines for the prevention of COVID-19. Here, we review the current status of epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and vaccine development for COVID-19.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.543-549
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• 2000

The incidence of deep neck infection has been reduced by modern antibiotic therapy. Life-threatening deep neck infection of odontogenic or upper airway origin may extend to the thorax. Early diagnosis, administration of the potent antibiotics, and complete debridement and drainage are essential to improve the chances for survival in these very ill patients. We report two cases of deep neck infection which were complicated by thoracic infection such as mediastinitis, pericarditis, and empyema as a result of descending infection.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.151-152
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• 2002

Bacterial infection is a very complex process in which both pathogenic microorganisms and host cells play crucial roles, and it is the outcome of interactions between the two participants. To elucidate the bacterial pathogenesis mechanisms, therefore, it is essential to understand the cellular and systemic responses of the host as well as the virulence factors of the pathogen. Infection of a host by pathogenic bacteria causes drastic changes in the physiology of host cells, leading to activation of a program of various gene expression. (omitted)

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.465-472
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• 2018

Our aim was to determine the detection rate of respiratory viruses (RVs) in feces of patients with acute viral respiratory infection (AVRI) and the detection rate of diarrheal viruses (DVs) in nasopharyngeal samples from patients with acute viral gastroenteritis. The relationships between the presence of fecal RVs or nasopharyngeal DVs and their impacts on the clinical severity were also investigated. A total of 144 fecal specimens were collected from AVRI patients and 95 nasopharyngeal specimens were collected from acute viral gastroenteritis patients. Clinical characteristics and laboratory profiles were compared between subgroups on the basis of the presence or absence of virus in the specimens. The detection rate of RVs in feces was 17.4% (25/144), whereas the detection rate for viruses identical to the respiratory pathogen was 10.4% (identical group, 15/144). Within the identical group, adenovirus (86.7%, 13/15) was most commonly found. Patients in the identical group showed statistically higher values for C-reactive protein, mean age, increased frequency of vomiting, and decreased frequency of chest film involvement and cough (p < 0.05). The detection rate of nasopharyngeal DVs among acute viral gastroenteritis patients was 19.0% (18/95), and in the identical group it was 15.8% (15/95). Norovirus group II and enteric adenovirus were the major pathogens detected in the identical group. There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics and laboratory profiles between the subgroups. In conclusion, the major pathogens of fecal RV and nasopharyngeal DV were adenovirus and norovirus group II, respectively. However, their relationship with the clinical symptoms or disease severity is unclear.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.1495-1499
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• 2020

The study of climate and respiratory viral infections using big data may enable the recognition and interpretation of relationships between disease occurrence and climatic variables. In this study, real-time reverse transcription quantitative PCR (qPCR) methods were used to identify Human respiratory coronaviruses (HCoV). infections in patients below 10 years of age with respiratory infections who visited Dankook University Hospital in Cheonan, South Korea, from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2018. Out of the 9010 patients who underwent respiratory virus real-time reverse transcription qPCR test, 364 tested positive for HCoV infections. Among these 364 patients, 72.8% (n = 265) were below 10 years of age. Data regarding the frequency of infections was used to uncover the seasonal pattern of the two viral strains, which was then compared with local meteorological data for the same time period. HCoV-229E and HCoV-OC43 showed high infection rates in patients below 10 years of age. There was a negative relationship between HCoV-229E and HCoV-OC43 infections with air temperature and wind-chill temperatures. Both HCoV-229E and HCoV-OC43 rates of infection were positively related to atmospheric pressure, while HCoV-229E was also positively associated with particulate matter concentrations. Our results suggest that climatic variables affect the rate in which children below 10 years of age are infected with HCoV. These findings may help to predict when prevention strategies may be most effective.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.69 no.2
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• pp.75-80
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• 2010

The year of 2009~2010 brought a number of concepts and new ideas were evaluated with promising results. However, some studies that challenged many beliefs. In acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), recent clinical studies took into consideration of pathophysiologic changes of respiratory system compliance. Meta-analysis of positive end-expiratory pressure trials showed survival benefit of high positive end-expiratory pressure in ARDS. Until now, prone positioning did not show survival benefit in patients with ARDS. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) based management improved survival in patients with severe ARDS. ECMO can be a management option in severe ARDS. Sedation is a standard practice in critically ill patients needing mechanical ventilation. However, Danish group reported less sedation of critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation was associated with an increase in days without ventilation. Although this single center study has some limitations, the overall results are promising. Use of maximal sterile barrier precautions (mask, sterile gown, sterile gloves, and large sterile drapes) with chlorhexidine-impregnated dressing reduced central venous catheter related infection. Selective oropharyngeal decontamination (application of topical antibiotics in the oropharynx) reduced the mortality rate of an intensive care unit (ICU) population. Normoglycemia in Intensive Care Evaluation and Survival Using Glucose Algorithm Regulation (NICE-SUGAR) trial reported intensive glucose control increased mortality among adults in the ICU. Some of the results of above papers are promising. However, some ideas may need for more frequent individual assessment and increase the workload of ICU staffs. Before implementation of new practice in ICU, we should take into consideration of individual hospital situation including human and material resources.