• BMB Reports
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• 제55권11호
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• pp.571-576
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• 2022

Advancements in the field of proteomics have provided opportunities to develop diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against various diseases. About half of the world's population remains at risk of malaria. Caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium, malaria is one of the oldest and largest risk factors responsible for the global burden of infectious diseases with an estimated 3.2 billion persons at risk of infection. For epidemiological surveillance and appropriate treatment of individuals infected with Plasmodium spp., timely detection is critical. In this study, we used combinations of depletion of abundant plasma proteins, 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), image analysis, LC-MS/MS and western blot analysis on the plasma of healthy donors (100 individuals) and vivax and falciparum malaria patients (100 vivax malaria patients and 8 falciparum malaria patients). These analyses revealed that α1-antichymotrypsin (AACT) protein levels were elevated in vivax malaria patient plasma samples (mean fold-change ± standard error: 2.83 ± 0.11, based on band intensities), but not in plasma from patients with other mosquito-borne infectious diseases. The results of AACT immunoblot analyses showed that AACT protein was significantly elevated in vivax and falciparum malaria patient plasma samples (≥ 2-fold) compared to healthy control donor plasma samples, which has not been previously reported.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.129-143
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• 1999

Plasmodium vivax malaria, which was highly prevalent in the Republic of Korea, disappeared rapidly since 1970s. However, malaria re-emerged with the first occurrence of a patient in 1993 near the demilitarizd zone (DMZ), the border between South Korea and North Korea. Thereafter, the number of cases increased exponentially year after year, totaling 6,142 cases (6,249 if United States Army personnels were included) by the end of 1998. Interestingly enough, the majority of cases (3,743; 61%) was soldiers aged 20-25, camping around the northern parts of Kyonggi-do or Gangwon-do (Province) just facing the DMZ. Among 2.399 civilian cases, 1,144(47.%) were those who Provinces. The re-emerging malaria characteristically revealed a combination type of short and long incubation periods with predominance of the long type. The course of illness was relatively mild, and the treatment was successful in most patients. Vector mosquitoes are Anopheles sinensis and possibly A. yatsushiroensis. Wide-scale preventive and control measures should be operated to eradicate this re-emerging disease. It has been suggested by many authors that the initial source of the re-emerging malaria was infected mosquitoes which had flown from the northern part of the DMZ.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.223-226
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• 2001

In South Korea, the north border area has been under vivax malaria epidemic since 1993. However, Jeollabuk-do, which is about 300 kms from the border, has not experienced the same epidemic. 1 investigated a total of 58 notified cases of malaria in Jeollabuk-do in the year 2000. All of the cases had an exposure history in the epidemic area. Among them were 49 ex-soldiers, 3 soldiers who served near the border area and 6 civilians who traveled there. The causal agent of all cases was Plasmodium vivax. Except the civilians, the soldiers and ex-soldiers were aged in their twenty's. In the present study, the incubation period was from 6 to 520 days with a median of 157 days, and the latent onset type (92%) was more prevalent than the early onset type. illness onset of most cases (86%) peaked during the summer season (June to September) despite of variable incubation periods. The time lag for diagnosis ranged from 2 to 42 days with a median of 11 days. Jeollabuk-do has not been an area of epidemic untill now, but incidences have been increasing annually since 1996. In Jeollabuk-do, early diagnosis and treatment can be a feasible disease control measure to prevent spreading from the epidemic area.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.282-287
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• 1997

Malaria due to Plasmodium vivax had been known as an indigenous protozoan disease in Korea. However, massive use of insecticides and improvement of sanitation for several decades have led to rapid reduction of malaria incidence, then it was recognized to have been almost eradicated in recent years. However in 1993, one case was reported in Phajoo, Kyungki-do, and then, reported cases have been increasing annually. Recently we encountered one case of malaria in a 3 year old male child living in Dorim-dong, Seoul, who had never been abroad and had no history of transfusion, drug abuse, and travel to endemic area in Korea. He had characteristic fever, chill and splenomegaly and was confirmed as Plasmodium vivax malaria with peripheral blood smear finding. He was successfully treated with hydroxy chloroquine and primaquine. We report this case with brief review of related literature.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제57권4호
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• pp.405-409
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• 2019

In malaria, splenic rupture is a serious complication potentially leading to death. Subcapsular hemorrhage of spleen is thought to be an impending sign of splenic rupture; however, the characteristics of subcapsular hemorrhage are not well known. We report 3 cases of subcapsular hemorrhage of the spleen in vivax malaria, with varying degrees of severity. Case 1 showed subcapsular hemorrhage without splenic rupture, was treated by antimalarial drug without any procedure. The healing process of the patient's spleen was monitored through 6 computed tomography follow-up examinations, over 118 days. Case 2 presented subcapsular hemorrhage with splenic rupture, treated only with an antimalarial drug. Case 3 showed subcapsular hemorrhage with splenic rupture and hypotension, treated using splenic artery embolization. They all recovered from subcapsular hemorrhage without any other complications. These 3 cases reveal the process of subcapsular hemorrhage leading to rupture and a potentially fatal outcome. The treatment plan of subcapsular hemorrhage should be determined carefully considering the vital signs, changes in hemoglobin, and bleeding tendency.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제59권6호
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• pp.585-593
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• 2021

This study was done to provide an analytical overview on the latest malaria infection clusters by evaluating temporal trends during 2010-2019 in Korea. Incheon was the most likely cluster (MLC) for all cases of malaria during the total period. MLCs for P. falciparum, vivax, malariae, ovale, and clinically diagnosed malaria without parasitological confirmation were Jeollanam-do, Incheon, Gangwon-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, and Jeollabuk-do, respectively. Malaria was decreasing in most significant clusters, but Gwangju showed an increase for all cases of malaria, P. vivax and clinically diagnosed cases. Malaria overall, P. falciparum and P. vivax seem to be under control thanks to aggressive health measures. This study might provide a sound scientific basis for future control measures against malaria in Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.241-248
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• 1998

1993년 외국여행 경험이 없는 말라리아 환자가 발견된 이래 1997년까지 총 2,198명의 환자가 발생하였다. 대부분은 휴전선 근처에서 복무한 군인이었으며, 민간인 환자는 총 650명으로 1994년 3례, 1995년 19례, 1996년 71례, 1997년 557례였다. 그 중 239명은 경기도의 파주, 연천, 김포, 강화, 동두천 및 강원도 철원에서 복무한 경험이 있는 제대군인이었으며, 308명은 유행지역에 거주하는 주민이었다. 72명은 모기 활동기에 유행지역을 방문한 적이 있었으며, 32명은 유행지역에 간 적이 없는 사람이었다. 전체적으로 보아 20대 남자가 가장 많았다. 연중 말라리아 발생지수는 높지 않았지만 1993년 이후 유행지역에서 꾸준히 증가하였다. 한국에서 말라리아는 일년 내내 발생하였으며, 8월에 가장 많았다. 제대군인들의 경우 153일에서 452일에 달하는 지연형 잠복기를 나타냈다. 발병에서 진단에 이르는 시간은 1995년 23.6일에서 1997년 13.7일로 단축되었다. 삼일열말라리아의 발생이 휴전선 부근에서 시각되어 일부 지역에서는 이미 정착되었을 가능성이 높다.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제58권6호
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• pp.609-617
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• 2020

Plasmodium vivax reemerged in 1993. It has been sustained for more than 25 years and become one of the important indigenous parasitic diseases in northern and western parts of the Republic of Korea near the demilitarized zone. In particular, relapse is a significant concern for the control of malaria, as short- and long-term incubation periods vary among those infected in Korea. In this study, the prevalence of asymptomatic carriers was examined among residents of high endemic areas of vivax malaria during nonseasonal transmission of mosquitoes. Blood samples from 3 endemic regions in northwestern Korea were evaluated by microscopic examination, rapid diagnostic testing, and nested PCR to identify asymptomatic patients carrying malaria parasites in the community. However, no positive malaria case among residents of endemic areas was detected. Additionally, serological analysis was carried out to measure antibodies against 3 antigenic recombinant proteins of P. vivax, merozoite surface protein 1-19, circumsporozoite surface protein-VK210, and liver-stage antigen (PvLSA-N), by the protein array method. Interestingly, seropositivity of sera between previous exposure and samples without exposure to malaria was significantly higher using the PvLSA-N antigen than the other antigens, suggesting that PvLSA-N can be used as a serological marker to analyze the degree of exposure for malaria transmission in endemic areas. This indicates a very low asymptomatic carrier prevalence during the nonmalaria season in the endemic areas of Korea.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.148-153
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• 2005

말라리아는 세계적으로 다시 발생하는 감염성 질환으로 모기에 의해 옮겨지는 말라리아 원충에 의해서 발병한다. 말라리아 원충을 검출하기 위하여 혈액 도말법 등 여러 가지 정량적인 assay가 활용 되고 있다. Real time PCR 은 반응이 일어나는 동안 PCR 산물의 생성을 계속적으로 모니터링 할 수 있는 방법으로서 최근 많은 환자들의 말라리아 원충을 한번에 탐지 하는데 적용되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 말라리아 원충 중 한국에서 질환을 일으키는 Plasmodium vivax를 탐지하기 위해 26명의 환자 혈액에서 분리 정제한 genomic DNA를 가지고 SYBR Green based-real time PCR을 수행하였다. 특히, 기존의 real time PCR에 사용한 18S rRNA와는 달리 DBP 유전자를 사용하여 새로운 말라리아 검출방법을 정량적이면서도 간편하고 경제적인 방법으로 개발하였다. 특히, real time PCR로 나온 결과를 임상적인 titer로 바꾸어 주기 위해서 reference 유전자로는 말라리아 환자의 상태와 관계없이 ACTB이 안정하다는 것을 real time PCR로 입증하였고 ACTB 유전자를 reference 유전자로 사용하였다. 본 연구에서는 real time PCR assay에 DBP라는 유전자를 처음 사용하였을 뿐 아니라 titer 보정을 위한 reference 유전자, ACTB를 real time PCR assay을 통해 확보하여 더 정확한 titer 값을 얻고자 했다. 이런 결과를 바탕으로 Taqman based-real time PCR과 본 연구의 결과를 정량비교를 하였다. 특히, 26명의 말라리아 환자 샘플을 3 group(Group I, II, III)로 나누어서 그 결과 정량적인 경향성 일치를 나타내었다. 특히, 높은 titer을 갖는 말라리아 샘플(Group I)에서 가장 많은 정량적인 차이를 보였지만, 간편하고 경제적인 SYBR Green-based real time PCR을 이용하여 DBP 유전자를 증폭하는 새로운 방법으로 말라리아를 Semi-quantitative 하게 검출할 수 있음을 보였다.

• 한국건강관리협회지
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.77-83
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• 2004

Recently, peoples of travelling to endemic area of parasitit diseases are rapidly increased and the imported parasitic diseases by tourists have become a public health problem. Here author describess briefly about the imported parasitic in Korea. The 15 kinds of parasitic diseases, I.e., malaria, babesiosis, cutaneous leishmaniasis, visceral leishmaniasis, ancylostomiasis, cutaneous larva migrans, angiostrongylosis, gnathostomiasis,loiasis, heterophyiasis, urinary schistosomiasis, hydatis disease, pentastomiasis, cutaneous myiasis and syngamosis were imported during last thirty years. The most prevalent imported parasitic disease was malaria. Indigenous vivax malaria has been eradicated since 1970s. However imported malaria(1970~1985) was reported 107 cases of patient with a history of travel abroad. Futhermore a case of reemerging vivax malaria was patient were occurred in 2000.These parasitic disease are sometimes overlooked or misdiagnosed. There is a need to concern about travel medicine and imported parasitic diseases.