• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.61 no.3
• /
• pp.251-262
• /
• 2023

Schistosomiasis causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. This study aimed to assess the effect of schistosomula lung antigen preparation (SLAP) and soluble egg antigen (SEA) on a murine schistosomiasis mansoni model. Ninety laboratory-bred male Swiss albino mice were divided into 6 groups. Two doses of the vaccine were given at 2-week intervals. All mice were subcutaneously infected with 80±10 Schistosoma mansoni cercariae 2 weeks after the last vaccination dose. They were sacrificed 7 weeks post-infection. Parasitological and histopathological studies were conducted to assess the effect of inoculated antigens (single or combined). The results showed that the combination of SLAP and SEA (combination group) led to a significant reduction in worm burden (65.56%), and liver and intestine egg count (59% and 60.59%, respectively). The oogram pattern revealed a reduction in immature and mature eggs (15±0.4 and 10±0.8, respectively) and an increased number of dead eggs in the combination group (P<0.001). In terms of histopathological changes, the combination group showed notably small compact fibrocellular egg granuloma and moderate fibrosis in the liver. A high percentage of destroyed ova was observed in the intestine of the combination group. This study demonstrates for the first time the prophylactic effect of combined SLAP and SEA vaccine. The vaccine induced a significant reduction in the parasitological and pathological impacts of schistosomiasis mansoni in hepatic and intestinal tissues, making it a promising vaccine candidate for controlling schistosomiasis.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.265-290
• /
• 2023

Rare but serious thrombotic incidents in relation to thrombocytopenia, termed vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), have been observed since the vaccine rollout, particularly among replication-defective adenoviral vector-based severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccine recipients. Herein, we comprehensively reviewed and summarized reported studies of VITT following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination to determine its prevalence, clinical characteristics, as well as its management. A literature search up to October 1, 2021 using PubMed and SCOPUS identified a combined total of 720 articles. Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guideline, after screening the titles and abstracts based on the eligibility criteria, the remaining 47 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility and 29 studies were included. Findings revealed that VITT cases are strongly related to viral vector-based vaccines, which are the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (95%) and the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine (4%), with much rarer reports involving messenger RNA-based vaccines such as the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (0.2%) and the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine (0.2%). The most severe manifestation of VITT is cerebral venous sinus thrombosis with 317 cases (70.4%) and the earliest primary symptom in the majority of cases is headache. Intravenous immunoglobulin and non-heparin anticoagulant are the main therapeutic options for managing immune responses and thrombosis, respectively. As there is emerging knowledge on and refinement of the published guidelines regarding VITT, this review may assist the medical communities in early VITT recognition, understanding the clinical presentations, diagnostic criteria as well as its management, offering a window of opportunity to VITT patients. Further larger sample size trials could further elucidate the link and safety profile.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.124-134
• /
• 2011

Purpose : We have tried to search all concerning data on the policies of hepatitis B vaccination or surveillance of medical equipments that can transmit blood mediated diseases, including disposable syringe, in Republic of Korea, to propose references to other medical professionals. Methods : Data from domestic journals, government websites, computerized newspapers, etc. were reviewed. The data were arranged into four categories (governmental policies on hepatitis B control, hepatitis B mass immunization program in school, using process of hepatitis B vaccine, and policies on medical equipments surveillance, including disposable syringes, which is considered as source of blood mediated infection), and the periodic changes on each subjects in policies were reviewed. Results : Due to growing social concerns on hepatitis B in early 1980s, swift introduction and production of hepatitis B vaccine was made. After establishment of "5 year project for eradication of hepatitis B" in late 1983, number of vaccinated population jumped up to 6 million within 2 years (1984-85). However, since the immunization targets were mainly adult, not infant, this project was annulled in late 1985. Following this project, hepatitis B mass immunization program in school was carried out. In year 1995, hepatitis B vaccine was included in national immunization program. The use of disposable syringe was recommended from year 1980 but legislated in year 1985, finally. Conclusion : The mainstay in controlling hepatitis B in Republic of Korea was coordination of prompt introduction of vaccine, mass immunization, high vaccination coverage rate, or use of disposable syringes. However, since there is lack of official data available, it is urgent to arrange and computerize all government data related to infectious diseases.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.69-76
• /
• 2015

Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer in women worldwide and there is a significant association between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer. Certain HPV groups, labeled high-risk (HR) HPV groups, are strongly associated with malignancies of the human cervix. HPV prevalence and genotype distribution were analyzed using the REBA $HPV-ID^{(R)}$ (YD Diagnostics, Yongin, Korea) assay based on the reverse blot hybridization assay (REBA) with a total of 324 liquid-based cytology samples from women in Western Shandong Province, East China and results were compared with cytological diagnosis. Most of the HPV genotypes that were detected in high-grade cervical lesions were HR-HPV genotypes such as HPV 16, 18, 33, 53, and 58. The prevalence of these HR-HPV genotypes increased in high-grade cervical lesions. However, from low- to high-grade cervical lesions, the ability to detect LR-HPV genotypes decreased. Additionally, in general, the single HPV genotype infection rate increases in proportion to the severity of the lesion. The study findings suggest that a currently available preventive vaccine against HPV 16 and 18 may have limited effectiveness for prevention of all HPV infection in this province. Finally, based on these findings, these data could guide national or regional vaccination programs in the Western Shandong Province of East China to substantially reduce the burden of cervical lesions.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.365-371
• /
• 2006

Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture (BVA) simultaneously exerts pharmacological effects of biologically active compounds, existed in the whole bee venom, and medicinal effect of the stimulation of acupuncture points. BVA has been considered as a promising therapeutic method for treating various chronic diseases, mainly accompanying severe pain and inflammation. As a painless injection device, jet injectors have been commercially marketed for various clinical applications including insulin injection and vaccination. Among them, a pressure-driven jet injector system could be used for intradermal delivery of a variety of drugs. The aim of this study was to investigate the analgesic effects of the BVA using a needle-free injector (Biojector $2000^{\circledR}$, Bioject Inc., OR, USA), compared to the conventional BV aqua-acupuncture using a typical syringe. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with bee venom $(0.08mg/kg,\;50{\mu}l)$ using Biojector $2000^{\circledR}$ (BVA-B) or a syringe (BVA-5) into the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint, 30 minutes before plantar injection of 2% formalin. It was found that BVA-B-, or BVA-5-treated rats, compared to controls, exhibited significantly less licking behavior during the late phase in the rat formalin test, when compared to controls. During early phase, however, those effects were not significant but substantial. The analgesic effect of BVA-B was also compatible with that of the conventional BVA-5. In the immunohistochemical studies, BVA-B significantly suppressed the expression of formalin-evoked c-fos, a biomarker of neuronal activity, in the lumbar dorsal horn of the spinal cord. These results indicated that BVA-B waseffective in the modulation of pain in the rat formalin test, compared to BVA-5. Taken together, the needle-free jet injector system could be substituted for the conventional aqua- acupuncture with the advantage of little pain.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.10
• /
• pp.5973-5981
• /
• 2013

At present, the most common cause of cancer-related death in women is breast cancer. In a large proportion of breast cancers, there is the overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). This receptor is a 185 KDa growth factor glycoprotein, also known as the first tumor-associated antigen for different types of breast cancers. Moreover, HER2 is an appropriate cell-surface specific antigen for passive immunotherapy, which relies on the repeated application of monoclonal antibodies that are transferred to the patient. However, vaccination is preferable because it would stimulate a patient's own immune system to actively respond to a disease. In the current study, several bioinformatics tools were used for designing synthetic peptide vaccines. PEPOP was used to predict peptides from HER2 ECD subdomain III in the form of discontinuous-continuous B-cell epitopes. Then, T-cell epitope prediction web servers MHCPred, SYFPEITHI, HLA peptide motif search, Propred, and SVMHC were used to identify class-I and II MHC peptides. In this way, PEPOP selected 12 discontinuous peptides from the 3D structure of the HER2 ECD subdomain III. Furthermore, T-cell epitope prediction analyses identified four peptides containing the segments 77 (384-391) and 99 (495-503) for both B and T-cell epitopes. This work is the only study to our knowledge focusing on design of in silico potential novel cancer peptide vaccines of the HER2 ECD subdomain III that contain epitopes for both B and T-cells. These findings based on bioinformatics analyses may be used in vaccine design and cancer therapy; saving time and minimizing the number of tests needed to select the best possible epitopes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.58-90
• /
• 1989

This study was attempted to contribute to the development of school health by providing the basic data about the distribution basis and distribution aspect of teachers holding additional school health that are in charge of school health business in parimary schools, middle schools and high schools without any nurse-teacher. This study analyzed literatures about the history, related laws, organization and professional manpower of school health. The emphasis was set on the distribution basis of theachers holding additional school health. The results of this study are as following: 1. The school health of the world dates to the late 18th century in Europe where was free supplying with food for poor children. The school health of Korea orginated from smallpox vaccination which was executed with appearance of modern schools in the late 19th century. 2. The related laws of school health began as a part of Education Law with was constituted in 1949. By the School Health Law constituted in 1967 and the enforcement ordinance of School Health made firm the legal basis of school health. 3. The administrative organs of school health are the Ministry of Education in center and each Board of Education in cities and provinces. For the first time in 1979, the department of school health was established in the organization of the Ministry of Education. And at about the same time of establishment of the department of school health, health section was established in the department of social physical-training in locality. 4. In the manpower of school health which was presented in the related statute of school health, there are the ward chief of education, the superintendent of educational affair, of cities and districts, the mayors, the governors of provinces, the school managers, the principals, the school doctors, the school pharmacists, and the nurse-teachers, including teachers holding additional school health as the practical manpower of school health. 5. In order to get some information on distribution aspect of teachers additional school health, this study made up a questionnaire from August 3 to August 11, 1988. The subjects of this study were 212 leachers who took part in the yearly training for teachers holding additional school health from Kyunggi province, Chungbuk province and Jeonbuk province. The results of the questionnaire are as following: 1. The distribution percentages of teachers holding additional school health according to each Board of Education wich schools are subject to, are as following:70.1% (Kyunggi), 76.5% (Chungbuk), and 81.4% (Jeonbuk). There was a significant difference. The distribution percentages of teachers holding additional school health according to the school levels of 3 provinces are as following: 74.1% (Primary schools), 77.8% (Middle schools), 76.7% (High schools). There were little significant differences. 2. The distribution according to the general characteristics of the subject schools: There were 64.2 percent of primary schools and 35.8 percent of middle schools among 212 schools. 91. 5 percent of schools were located in districts. Public schools formed 55.7% and then national schools were higher in percentage than private schools. 58.5 percent of schools had 1-9 classes, 64.6 percent of schools had 101-500 students, and 90 percents of schools had 1-20 teachers. In considering student sex, the coed school showed the high distribution percentage (Primary schools : 100%, Middle schools: 81.6%). 3. The distribution according to the characteristics of teachers holding additional school health: 93.3 percent of teachers were female, and more than 60 percent of teachers were 20-29 years old. As the age got higher, the percentage became lower. There were little significant differences by marital status. In considering their educational status, 86.8 percent of teachers in primary schools were from teacher's colleges, and 64.5 percent of teachers in middle schools were from education colleges. In considering teaching career, 46.7 percent of teachers had teaching career of less than 2 years. 73.6 percent of teachers had held additional school health for less than one year. More than 80 percent of teachers had participated in the training one time or twice. More than 70 percent of teachers had 1-2 additional jobs except for the school health business. The motivation to hold additional school health is most caused by mandatory order, which accounts for more than 80.0 percent. In considering interesting degree concerning school health, lukewarm answer is the highest of 62.7 percent, followed by affirmative answer of 23.6 percent. In considering their contentment degree respecting additional school health job, "discontent or very discontent"is the highest of 47.6 percent. As a descontent reason of additional school health job, overwork is the highest factor of 37.9 percent. Among addiitional school health job, the most difficult affair is nursing service to be 34.0 percent, followed by health education of 31.6 percent. It testify the need of professional. The source of knowledge about school health has been acquired from masscommunication or private health experience, which account for as much as 56.1 percent. It shows seriousness of lack of professionalism. With regard to neccessity of school health experts, 95.8 percent represents absolute need. With above consideration of study results, I propose as follows : 1. I propose that the authorities concerned unify and improve statute respecting current school health which has not been steadfastly supporting school health business by ambiguity of expression and dualization. 2. I propose that the authorities concerned give the school manager, school staffs and parents of students educational chance with which they can acknowledge the importance of school health and in which they can participate as well as set up alternative policy plan to be albe to vitalize school health committee. 3. I propose that administrative organization practicable to taking totally charge of school health business is established within the Ministry of Education. 4. I propose that the authorities concerned back up and cooperate in an attempt by make school health better and desirable toward development by way of appointing qualitied health teachers on the basis of legally regular teacher staffs.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.51 no.10
• /
• pp.1077-1084
• /
• 2008

Purpose : Despite the seriousness of bacterial meningitis in children, there is little information on the incidence, causative organisms, mortality rate and age distribution. We studied the frequency by age group and causal pathogens, and clinical characteristics in children with bacterial meningitis in the private sector in Korea. Methods : The medical records containing the data on bacterial meningitis patients under 18 years of age confirmed by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings were retrospectively analyzed from September, 1993 to August, 2006 at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital. Results : Eighty-one cases of bacterial meningitis were observed. Overall the most common organism was Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus, GBS) (30 cases, 37.0%) followed by Haemophilus influenzae (22 cases, 27.2%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (12 cases, 14.8%), Escherichia coli (3 cases, 3.7%), Neisseria meningitidis (1 case, 1.2%) and others (13 cases, 16.0%). In neonates and young infants under 2 months, the most common organism was GBS. In children between 3 months, and 5 years, the most common organism was H. influenzae. S. pneumoniae was the most common organism in children over 5 years of age. Thirty-one patients (38.3%) had complications. Of all ages, the mortality rate of bacterial meningitis markedly decreased compared with the previously reported rate. Conclusion : In neonates, GBS meningitis was most common. The frequency of H. influenzae meningitis decreased after the introduction of H. influenzae type b vaccination. A strategy for the prevention of GBS meningitis in neonates should be established. The influence of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on S. pneumoniae meningitis should be studied.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.83-97
• /
• 1983

The present study is to provide information for the improvement of school health services through research on the current condition of its organization and practice in universities, colleges and junior colleges. The scope of this study is consisted of four components including health organizations/units, school health services, environmental sanitation and health education for the 30 universities, the 20 colleges and the 32 junior colleges in Korea. The major findings are summarized as follows: (1) Among the sampled schools, around 73% of them have the health service organization/unit. When we break down health service organization/unit into the types by the level of school, around 73% of the universities have formal organization called "health center" and 20.0% of them have an informal organization called "health room". For the colleges level, 30.0% of them have the "health center" and 40.0% of them have the "health room". The figure of junior colleges is a quite different from universities and colleges, 56.3% of junior colleges have the "health room" only but the other have no service organization at all. (2) It was found that only 22.0% of 82 schools have the health committee for the school health services. It might be necessary to have a kind of expert committee to establish an annual health service program, budget and health policy in the school. (3) Approximately 29% of those schools having formal health organizations/units appointed directors as a medical persons. 13.4% of the sampled schools are appointed doctors (including the dentists) at health service organization/unit, 9.8% are appointed pharmacist and 65.9% are appointed nurses. Therefore, the data imply that the school health services are depending mainly on nurses. (4) The major activities of school health services are covering primary medical care (84.1%), health counseling (72.0%), physical examination (68.3%), vaccination (58.5%), tuberculosis control (54.9%), parasite control (29.3%) and dental health case(9.8%). Also 69.5% of the schools have the program on the environmental sanitation and the health education program. (5) In regard to health budget taking account of 34 schools, approximately 92% of them have less than 5,000 won per students and only 8.8% of them have more 10,000 won per students. At the average health budget per students is 4089.8 won in universities, 1617.1 won in colleges and 475.0 won in junior colleges. (6) The students enjoy the benifit of medical insurance at 11.0% of 82 schools surveyed. They are all universities. (7) The study found that 56 universities, colleges and junior colleges provide the annual physical examination. Only 21.4% of them have provided it for all students and school employees. (8) 64.3% of the 56 schools surveyed keep a record of the regular physical examinations. Records must be utilized as the basic data for the evaluation of the student's health condition and so the individual student is encouraged to take care of his own health. (9) At the 59 schools which practice health counseling, the main concerns of the counsellees are venereal disease, tuberculosis and psychoneurosis. This shows the need to practice health education in the area of preventive medicine. (10) 69.5% of the 82 universities, colleges and junior colleges surveyed are concerned with supervision of the environmental sanitation in their school, but non-professionals are in charge at 70.1% of them. This indicates negligence in environmental sanitation. (11) 53.7% of the 82 schools responded that they have no special instructive measure for the students' health and 54.9% are found to be negative in the use of a health education method. This reveals a problem. They are not positive to the recognition of their function as the initiative organization for the students' health. (12) The supplementary education for the faculty of the school health services is executed only at 8.5% of all the schools surveyed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.2515-2519
• /
• 2015

Purpose: To determine knowledge levels of working and student nurses about cervical cancer and prophylactic cancer vaccines. Materials and Methods: This study was performed on 259 nursing students in the Department of Nursing and 137 nurses working in Health Research and Practice Center, approved to participate in the study between April-June 2012. The study was performed universally without selecting a sample. A questionnaire that was prepared for evaluating participants' knowledge and attitudes about human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine was distributed to the nurses and data obtained from the forms were transferred to SPSS 15.00 program and statistically analyzed. Results: It was found that 54.8% of the student nurses were between 21-24 years old and 13.1% of working students were between 25-28 years old. When student nurses and working nurses were compared in terms of their knowledge about the causes of cervical cancer, their ideas about prevention from cervical cancer with HPV vaccine, their ideas about possible risks of HPV vaccine and conservation ratios of HPV vaccine, it was observed that there were no statistically significant differences (p>0.05). When student nurses and working nurses were compared in terms of the information-source about HPV, ways of HPV contamination, awareness about people who are susceptible to HPV contamination and age of HPV vaccination, it was determined that there was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusions: It was found that all nurses had some knowledge about cervical cancer and HPV vaccine, but this was not sufficient. Therefore; it is recommended to use verbal, written and visual communication tools intensively in order to have topics on cervical cancer, early diagnosis and prevention in bachelor and master programs for nurses, to inform society about cervical cancer and HPV vaccine for public health and to teach precautions for its prevention.