• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.22-31
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• 2019

Purpose: Campylobacter species are common causes of bacterial enteritis. There is limited knowledge on its prevalence and clinical features because of its fastidious culture conditions. The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical features of Campylobacter enteritis in children. Methods: We obtained stool specimens from patients diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis in the Department of Pediatrics, Nowon Eulji Medical Center (NEMC) and identified the pathogens by performing cultures or polymerase chain reactions (PCR). We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with Campylobacter enteritis at NEMC between January 2012 and December 2017. Results: Overall, 123 patients were diagnosed with Campylobacter enteritis (60 by culture and PCR in EnterNet and 110 by multiplex PCR). The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of patients was 12 years (IQR, 8 to 16 years). The disease occurred all year round, but 69.9% from June to September. Symptoms included diarrhea (97.6%), fever (96.7%), abdominal pain (94.3%), vomiting (37.4%), and headache (34.1%). Compared with other treatments, treatment with azithromycin was associated with a shorter hospitalization period (P<0.05). Conclusions: Campylobacter enteritis is common during summer and mostly infects adolescent patients. It causes severe abdominal pain and fever preceding the onset of diarrhea. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate use of antibiotics reduces the duration of the disease.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 2019

Purpose: We investigated the clinical features and epidemiology of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) from year 2006 to 2015 in Changwon city, Korea. Methods: We reviewed medical records of 69 patients diagnosed with SSSS from year 2006 to 2015. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by agar dilution method. Methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was phenotypically identified by oxacillin susceptibility testing and genotypically confirmed by the existence of the mecA gene. Results: The median age of patients was 2.0 years (range 0.2-6 years). Three (4.3%), 53 (76.8%), and 13 (18.9%) patients showed the generalized type, the intermediate type, and the abortive type, respectively. Patients occurred throughout the year, but most patients occurred between July and October. MRSA was isolated from 54 of the 60 patients regardless of the clinical types. All patients recovered without any complications. Conclusions: There was a constant occurrence of SSSS patients caused by MRSA in Changwon area during 2006 and 2015. It is needed to constantly monitor the occurrence of patients with SSSS.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.66-81
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• 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has been continuously spreading throughout the world. As of July 15, 2021, there have been more than 188 million confirmed cases and more than 4.06 million deaths. Although the incidence of severe infections is relatively low in children and adolescents compared to adults, a complication called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) may occur in some cases at approximately 2-6 weeks after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. MIS-C can be seen in patients of various ages, from young infants to adolescents, and may present with diverse clinical manifestations. While fever present in a great majority of patients, symptoms suggesting the involvement of the digestive or nervous system and the skin and mucous membranes (Kawasaki disease-like symptoms) also appear in many cases. Cardiac involvement may also be observed, including left ventricular dysfunction, myocarditis, coronary artery dilatation, and coronary aneurysm. In some cases, hypotension or shock can occur, and mechanical ventilation or treatment in the intensive care unit may be necessary. Fortunately, recovery is generally reported after appropriate treatment. MIS-C is a rare but important complication of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents. As such, it is important to recognize the clinical symptoms and provide appropriate treatment at an early stage. In this review, the epidemiology, clinical symptoms, suggested pathophysiology, diagnostic approach, and treatment of MIS-C will be discussed.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.67-77
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• 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the vaccination rate for pneumococcus among aged 65 or older, and at the same time to determine the reasons for vaccination or non-vaccination. Methods: The population of this study was aged 65 or older, with a total of 1,150 subjects to be analyzed and a computer assisted telephone interviewing was used. The survey included pneumococcal vaccination status, reasons of vaccination, sources of information on vaccination, reasons for not vaccination, and other related factors. Results: The vaccination rate for pneumococcus among aged 65 or older was 56.2 percent, lower than 69.0 percent in the U.S. (2017), and 69.2 percent in the U.K. (2019). Among the factors related to the pneumococcal vaccination, the groups with the high vaccination rate were women, low age groups, residents of urban areas, people without a job, people with high education, medical insurance subscribers, married people, and people who have family members. In addition, the groups with high vaccination rates were those with high awareness, those who received recommendations from doctors, those who had vaccination records, those who believed in vaccination effects, and those who saw public service advertisements. Conclusions: In the future, it is necessary to develop alternatives to accurately manage vaccination records for adults who are not eligible for state support, and regular adult vaccination rates should be calculated so that they can be used as evidence for the country's infection control policy.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.147-157
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• 2020

Purpose: We investigated the trend of antibiotic susceptibility of Haemophilus influenzae over 5 consecutive years. Methods: We analyzed the antibiotic susceptibility of H. influenzae isolated from children aged <18 years, who were admitted to the Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital from March 2014 to April 2019. Antibiotic susceptibility of H. influenzae was determined by the disk diffusion test according to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing guidelines. Results: Excluding duplicates, 69 isolates were obtained over the past 5 years. The median age of the patients was 5 years (range, 2.8-8.6 years). The antibiotic susceptibility patterns were as follows: ampicillin (AMP)-susceptible/amoxicillin-clavulanate (AMC)-susceptible (AS/ACS; n=15 [21.7%]), AMP-resistant/AMC-susceptible (AR/ACS; n=21 [30.4%]), and AMP-resistant/AMC-resistant (AR/ACR; n=33 [47.8%]). The prevalence of isolates with AR/ACR phenotype tended to increase from 42.1% in 2014-2015 to 54.5% in 2018-2019 (P=0.342). Compared to 2014-2015, the resistance rates to cefuroxime and ceftriaxone in 2018-2019 increased from 31.6% to 77.3% and from 0.0% to 59.1%, respectively (P=0.003 and P<0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Over the last 5 years, H. influenzae isolates with AR/ACR phenotype and ceftriaxone resistance were frequently observed at our institute. The incidence of resistance to cefuroxime and ceftriaxone has increased significantly.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.198-204
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• 2020

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is rare in children who receive anticancer chemotherapy and have no history of stem cell transplantation (SCT). We report a case of CMV retinitis that developed during maintenance chemotherapy for acute leukemia. A 7-year-old boy developed decreased visual acuity and persistent pancytopenia during maintenance chemotherapy. Laboratory investigations initially showed significant CMV antigenemia (51 positive cells/200,000 leukocytes); however, antiviral therapy was not deemed necessary in this patient who had no history of SCT. CMV antigenemia worsened to 170 positive cells/200,000 leukocytes over 3 weeks. Ophthalmological examination revealed multiple bilateral retinal infiltrates and granular lesions. He was diagnosed with CMV retinitis and was treated with a 4-week course of intravenous ganciclovir and intravitreal injection of ganciclovir 6 times, followed by a 1-month course of orally administered valganciclovir. A CMV antigenemia assay showed negative results, and follow-up fundoscopy revealed lesser retinal infiltration after the sixth intravitreal ganciclovir injection. Future studies should focus on the development of standardized screening methods and preemptive therapeutic strategies for CMV disease in high-risk children.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.73-83
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• 2021

Although many swine farms continuously vaccinated to sow to prevent Porcine epidemic diarrhea(PED), PED has occurred annually in swine herds in Jeonbuk province, Korea. In the present study, the small intestine and feces samples from 17 farms where severe watery diarrhea and death of newborn piglets occurred in 2019 were collected, amplified by RT-PCR and determined the complete nucleotide sequences of the spike (S) glycoprotein genes of nine Jeonbuk PEDV isolates. The spike (S) glycoprotein is an important determinant for molecular characterization and genetic relationship of PEDV. These nine complete S gene isolates were compared with other PEDV reference strains to identify the molecular diversity, phylogenetic relationships and antigenicity analysis. 9 field strains share 98.5~100% homologies with each other at the nucleotide sequence level and 97.3~100% homologies with each other at the amino acid level. The nine Jeonbuk PEDV isolates were classified into G2b group including a genetic specific signal, S-indels (insertion and deletion of S gene). In addition, comparisons the neutralizing epitopes of S gene between 9 field strains and domestic vaccine strains of Korea mutated 12-15 amino acids with SM-98-1 (G1a group) and mutated 0-3 amino acids with QIAP1401 (G2b group). Therefore, the development of G2b-based live vaccines will have to be expedited to ensure effective prevention of endemic PED in Korea. In addition, we will need to be prepared with periodic updates of preventive vaccines based on the PEDV variants for the re-emergence of a virulent strain.

• Journal of Korean Society of Disaster and Security
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.23-40
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• 2021

In the era of the global coronal 19 pandemic, there is a risk of cross-infection in hospitals at the stage where treatments and vaccines are currently being developed and marketed, so individuals should enhance their acquired immunity and generalize their living systems by the performance of copper ions in the social environment. In order to prevent the spread of infection, the need for anti-bacterial film and its efficacy were analyzed through anti-viral performance tests based on research and development cases of worldwide and immemorial time. he Korea Construction Research Institute (KCL) has received anti-bacterial performance certification and anti-viral test scores from the "National Approval Performance Certification Agency." At the time, NCCP 43326 Human Corona virus (BetaCoV/Korea/KCDC03/2020), which was approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was introduced to ensure that the activity rate of infected cells was satisfied in the anti-viral performance test. Anti-proliferation measures for the Corona 19 virus require a quality clinical trial study comparing the experimental group within the glass space where the antiviral copper film is constructed with the comparator of the same condition without copper film.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.171-179
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• 2020

Purpose: In Korea, seasonal influenza is an important respiratory illness afflicting children every year. We aimed to investigate the childhood epidemiology in Jeju during the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons. Methods: Children aged <13 years, who were tested for influenza at the Jeju National University Hospital during the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 influenza seasons, were included. Demographics and the influenza test results were retrospectively reviewed from their medical records. Results: This study included 5,219 cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) (2017-2018: n=2,279; 2018-2019: n=2,940). The mean age of the eligible children was 2.85±2.79 years, and the most common age among ILI patients in each season was 1 year group. There were 902 (17.3%, 902/5,219) confirmed influenza cases during the 2 seasons. The rate of influenza confirmed by rapid influenza diagnostic test or polymerase chain reaction among ILI patients in the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons was 10.4% (236/2,279) and 10.3% (303/2,940) for influenza A, and 9.1% (208/2,279) and 5.3% (155/2,940) for influenza B, respectively. The mean age of influenza-confirmed cases was 4.09 years and 5.05 years in the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons, respectively (P<0.05). Weekly distribution of influenza was similar to that of ILI in the clinical sentinel surveillance system in both seasons. Conclusion: The difference in the influenza epidemic trend and age-group distribution between the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons was distinct in Jeju. Steady epidemiological studies on influenza in Jeju are needed for comparison with other regions of Korea.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.465-482
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• 2021

Lipids, which along with carbohydrates and proteins are among the most important nutrients for the living organism, have a variety of biological functions that can be applied widely in biomedicine. A fatty acid, the most fundamental biological lipid, may be classified by length of its aliphatic chain, and the short-, medium-, and long-chain fatty acids and each have distinct biological activities with therapeutic relevance. For example, short-chain fatty acids have immune regulatory activities and could be useful against autoimmune disease; medium-chain fatty acids generate ketogenic metabolites and may be used to control seizure; and some metabolites oxidized from long-chain fatty acids could be used to treat metabolic disorders. Glycerolipids play important roles in pathological environments, such as those of cancers or metabolic disorders, and thus are regarded as a potential therapeutic target. Phospholipids represent the main building unit of the plasma membrane of cells, and play key roles in cellular signaling. Due to their physical properties, glycerophospholipids are frequently used as pharmaceutical ingredients, in addition to being potential novel drug targets for treating disease. Sphingolipids, which comprise another component of the plasma membrane, have their own distinct biological functions and have been investigated in nanotechnological applications such as drug delivery systems. Saccharolipids, which are derived from bacteria, have endotoxin effects that stimulate the immune system. Chemically modified saccharolipids might be useful for cancer immunotherapy or as vaccine adjuvants. This review will address the important biological function of several key lipids and offer critical insights into their potential therapeutic applications.