• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.213-217
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• 2006

The halophilic bacterium Vibrio vulnificus is known to be a foodborne pathogen that causes septicemia in human. V. vulnificus infection is characterized by the high fatality rates and the primary attack against a person who have underlying diseases such as liver cirrhosis. However, there is no effective treatment for V. vulnificus septicemia except for classical treatments such as antibiotics. Recently, it has been known that lipoprotein (LDL) plays a major role in the protection against infection and inflammation. Consequently in this paper we analyzed the effects of LDL on V. vulnificus septicemia. We purified V. vulnificus cytolysin, a major virulent factor of V. vulnificus infection and measured inhibitory effects of mouse serum, cholesterol, and LDL on its hemolytic activity. Next experiments were performed to investigate whether LDL has a protective role against septicemia induced by V. vulnificus in mice. Intraperitoneal injection of LDL (1mg as protein) into mice 3hr before V. vulnificus $(1\times10^6\;CFU)$ injection, and V. vulnificus -induced lethality was determined. For the determination the relationship between LDL or cholesterol and prognosis, we determined serum levels of cholesterol and lipoprotein from V. vulnificus septicemia patients (n=15) who had visited the Chonbuk National University Hospital in Chonju. V. vulnificus cytolysin -induced hemolysis of mice erythrocytes was completely inhibited by serum, cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein. V. vulnificus- induced lethality of mice injected with LDL showed only 40% compared to 100% of control. In survival groups (n=4) of V. vulnificus septicemia patients (n=15), their serum LDL and cholesterol revealed normal levels ($153.3{\pm}40.7,\;LDL;\;190.8{\pm}16.3$, Total cholesterol). However, in death groups (n=11) showed very low levels ($35.6{\pm}13.9,\;LDL;\;59.2{\pm}15.1$, Total cholesterol). Our study indicates that cholesterol and LDL are a prognosis indicator of V. vulnificus septicemia as well as an inhibitor of virulent action of V. vulnificus cytolysin. We suggested that the serum levels of cholesterol or LDL would be major index in the treatment and prevention of V. vulnificus septicemia.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.621-623
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• 2017

Mariculture of rainbow trout Onchorhynchus mykiss has been initiated in or around olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus farms, where viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is often detected in some fish. In the present study, we investigated VHSV infection in seawater-reared rainbow trout because VHSV has never been detected in salmonids in Korea. A total of 104 adult fish were tested for the presence of VHSV by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, followed by virus isolation with the fathead minnow caudal trunk cell line. Cytopathic effects were observed in two samples but the virus was identified as infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus. Thus, VHSV was not isolated from seawater-reared rainbow trout.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.117-121
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• 2012

The pathogenicity of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) from olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus was investigated with masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou fry. The cumulative mortality of fish challenged with FYeosu05 isolate at $10^{6.5}$ $TCID_{50}$/fish was 60%. No mortality was observed in fish challenged with the isolates at $10^{5.5}$ $TCID_{50}$/fish and in mock-challenged fish. The affected fish showed darkening of the body, expanded abdomen, pale gills and enlarged spleen. VHSV from $10^{6.3}$ to $10^{7.8}$ $TCID_{50}$/g-tissue was re-isolated from the dead fish. These results suggest that the VHSV from olive flounder is pathogenic to masu salmon fry, although with low virulence.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.225-230
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• 2014

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an immune-mediated disease which is a leading cause of acquired cardiovascular disease in developed country. Recently, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) blocker, infliximab has been considered a promising option for patients with refractory KD. Although chronic use of a TNF-alpha blocker could increase risk of opportunistic infections, a few studies have documented that use of infliximab was safe without serious adverse effects in patients with KD. We observed serious bacterial infection after infliximab treatment in an infant with refractory KD. Our patient was a 5-month-old male infant diagnosed with KD who did not respond to repeated doses of intravenous immunoglobulin. We effectively treated him with a single infusion of infliximab (5 mg/kg), but gram-negative (Acinetobacter lwoffii) septicemia developed after infliximab infusion. Therefore, we report a case of serious septicemia after treatment with infliximab, and suggest considering the risk of severe infection when deciding whether to prescribe infliximab to an infant with refractory KD.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.126-128
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• 2013

Pyogenic liver abscess in patients with malignant disease is a fatal state and is easily diagnosed. We presented a rare case of sudden fatal septicemia following anticancer treatment for recurred gastric cancer due to multiple liver abscesses which could not be diagnosed. A 72-year-old male with recurred gastric cancer received anticancer agents. He had a history of distal gastrectomy with right hepatic lobectomy for hepatic metastasis. He received anticancer treatment in the outpatient's service center periodically, and his performance status was preserved with nothing in particular. After administrating docetaxel, he suddenly developed septicemia and multiple organ failure and died 5 days after strong medical supports. Pathological autopsy revealed that multiple minute abscesses of the liver which could not be detected macroscopically were the causes of fatal septicemia. The etiology, therapies and prognosis of rare entity are being discussed.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.666-674
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• 2012

We examined the cause of a disease outbreak in adult olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus, which occurred at a Korean aquaculture farm in Korea in 2011. The principal signs included an expanded abdomen and congested liver, with persistent mortality (a little over two months). At the beginning of the outbreak, farm administrators misjudged the disease as bacterial in origin, because of the aforementioned signs, persistent mortality, and the detection of bacterial species, including Vibrio spp. and Streptococcus spp. Moreover, the detection of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) by reverse trasnscription-PCR analysis was complicated by use of the VHS-VN primer set, which has been in general use recently, because it produced weak bands in some samples. Therefore, we recommend the use of at least two different primer sets in the diagnosis of VHSV. Our histopathological findings indicate that necrotizing myocarditis could be considered a pathogenic sign of VHSV infection.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.393-402
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• 1987

The halophilic bacterium Vibrio vulnificus, previously called lactose-positive(L+) Vibrio and Beneckea vulnifica, causes acute, fulminating wound infections and septicemia in humans. Septicemia is very serious infection with a fatality rate of about 50%. Most patients with primary septicemia due to V. vulnificus have preexisting liver disease. V. vulnificus also cause severe wound infections usually after trauma and exposure to marine animals or the marine environment. The mortality rate is not nearly as high as in primary septicemia caused by this organism. In most cases human disease results from ingestion of contaminated seafood or from infection of a wound, frequently of seawater or crab origin. The author made an attempt to isolation of the V vulnificus from seawater, seamud, fish, shellfish, and algae on the southern sea of Korea from January to September in 1987, using for the purpose of vaccine preparation. The author investigated for bacteriological identification, hemolysis and determination of serotypes of isolated V. vulnificus strains. Eighty-five strains(5.9%) out of 1450 specimens collected of V. vulnificus were isolated. The distribution of the 85 isolates were as follows: 21 strains from seawater, 11 strains from seamud, 28 strains from fish, 19 strains from shellfish, and 6 strains from algae, respectively. All 85 isolates were positive reaction on human blood agar. The distribution of serotypes of V. vulnificus isolates were O1 to O8: 13 strains of O1, 6 strains of O2, 11 strains of O3, 9 strains of O4, 10 strains of O5, 7 strains of O6, 15 strains of O7, and 10 strains of O8, respectively. Eighty-one strains showed agglutination with O antisera, but 4 strains failed to show agglutination. In this study, the author suspected that serotypes of V. vulnificus isolates distributed also in the seaside of Korea as well as in most seaside of the world, and new serotypes were in existence in the seaside of Korea except reported up to now.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.11-24
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• 2017

The current investigation dealing with the causative agent of mass mortalities in cultured Oreochromis niloticus. The diseased fish showed external hemorrhage, unilateral and bilateral eye opacity, ended by blindness and fish death. The postmortem lesions revealed congested friable kidney and spleen, and liver has yellow nodules. Obtained isolates were identified as Aeromonas hydrophila (the causative agent of Motile Aeromonas Septicemia) and found to be highly pathogenic as they contained hemolysin virulence gene causing mortality reached to 100 and 70% in intraperitoneal and intramuscular infection. The prevalence of MAS was 80% among the surveyed O. niloticus. Blood and serum were collected from naturally diseased, intraperitoneal and intramuscular injected O. niloticus for hematological and biochemical examination. Similarly, gills, musculature, kidney, liver and spleen were collected for histopathological evaluation, and micropathomorphological analysis of spleen was done. Macrocytic hypochromic anemia was recorded in the intraperitoneal infection. Serum protein, albumin and globulin were decrease only in naturally diseased fish. Leucocytosis with heterophilia and lymphocytosis were observed in naturally diseased and intraperitoneal infected fish. There were severe degenerative changes and hemorrhagic necrosis in the examined tissues which were more obvious in intraperitoneal than intramuscular infection. Activation and proliferation of melanocytes macrophages centers with severe hemosiderosis were recorded in spleen of naturally diseased and experimentally infected fish.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2018

Tendency of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) detection from 2001 to 2016 in Korea was studied based on 15 reported cases. Since the VHSV was first detected from cultured olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) in Pohang in 2001, it has been continuously reported from olive flounder farms in various regions of the Korean coastal area. So far, the virus has been detected from 2 farmed fishes, 12 wild marine fishes and 2 marine bivalves. All the 67 isolates were belong to VHSV genotype IVa. The predisposing factor analysis from different olive flounder farms revealed that the VHSV were highly detected from the juveniles under 40 g in body weight, in the temperature range from 9.5 to $17^{\circ}C$ and during the period of March to June. Therefore, we recommend that farmers, need to exercise caution against VHSV infection in Spring.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.231-238
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• 2019

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is an inflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in the inflammatory response through the activation of neutrophil cells. The expression of IL-8 was investigated in early developmental stages of the olive flounder and in tissues of 8-month-old individuals. The expression of IL-8 increased after the initiation of the immune system rather than at the early stage of development, and high expression was observed in the gills and spleen, the organs associated with immunity and metabolism. In addition, IL-8 expression after infection by viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus significantly increased in the fin, gill, muscles, and spleen. These results suggest that IL-8 is closely related to inflammation and immune regulation in the immune response of the olive flounder and may be used as a basis for studies on the immune systems of other fish.