• 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.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.2001-2006
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to investigate the diagnostic significance of EBV antibody combined detection for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in a high incidence region of southern China. Two hundred and eleven untreated NPC patients, 203 non-NPC ENT patients, and 210 healthy controls were recruited for the study. The titers of VCA/IgA and EA/IgA were assessed by immunoenzyme assay, and the levels of Rta/IgG and EBNA1/IgA were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The levels of VCA/IgA, EA/IgA, Rta/IgG and EBNA1/IgA demonstrated no association with gender or age (p>0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve and the area under the curve were used to evaluate the diagnostic value. The sensitivity of VCA/IgA (98.1%) and the specificity of EA/IgA (98.5%) were the highest. When a logistic regression model was used to combine the results from multiple antibodies to increase the accuracy, the combination of VCA/IgA+Rta/IgG, whose area under the curve was 0.99, had the highest diagnostic efficiency, and its sensitivity, specificity and Youden index were 94.8%, 98.0% and 0.93 respectively. The data suggest that the combination of VCA/IgA+Rta/IgG may be most suitable for NPC serodiagnosis.

• 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.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2577-2581
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• 2012

Objective: To conduct a meta-analysis to investigate the value of EBV DNA in diagnosis of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) in Asian populations, and provide important evidence for screening. Methods: Prospective or respective case-control or cohort studies regarding the detection role of EBV DNA for NPC were included in our study. We conducted a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM database between January 1980 and March 2012. Results: A total of 18 studies with 1492 NPC cases and 2641 health controls were included. Almost of the included studies were conducted in China, and only one other conducted in Thailand. The overall results demonstrated that the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood (+LR) and negative likelihood (-LR) were 0.73 (0.71-0.75), 0.89 (0.88-0.90), 8.84 (5.65-13.84) and 0.19(0.11-0.32), respectively. The overall EBV DNA detection showed the largest area of 0.932 under the summary receiver operator curve (SROC). The accuracy of detection by plasma for NPC (0.86) was higher than in serum (0.81), with largest areas under the SROC of 0.97 and 0.91, respectively. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated the EBV DNA detection in plasma or serum has high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosis of NPC, especially in Chinese populations with a high risk of cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3411-3416
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• 2016

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a malignancy arising from the epithelial lining of the nasopharynx, is distinct from others cancers in terms of its epidemiologic features. It is rare in most parts of the world except for a few regions with populations of Mongoloid origin. Objectives: To study the expression pattern of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) encoded oncoproteins EBNA1 and LMP1 in different histological types of NPC and to correlate expression patterns with sex, age and histological types. Materials and Methods: A total of 40 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded NPC biopsy samples and tissues from 20 healthy controls were collected to study the expression level of EBNA1 and LMP1 using immunohistochemistry. Results: EBNA1 and LMP1 expression was found in 92.5% and 90% respectively, of the cases and none of the control specimens. The expression patterns of EBNA1 and LMP1 were determined to be statistically significant (p<0.05) when correlated with sex, age and histological distributions. Also immunohistochemistry was found to be a sensitive technique in the detection of EBV. Conclusions: The study reveals that the potent oncoproteins EBNA1 and LMP1 were over expressed in our population cohort. Our findings are to some extent inconsistent with earlier reports as our population showed a higher expression of both EBNA1 and LMP1 compared to other studies.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 1996

Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) is associated with a wide spectrum of benign and malignant disorders including leukoplakia, Hodgkln's lymphoma, central nervous system lymphoma, peripheral T cell lymphoma and nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma. There are several distinctive aspects of biology of the virus that are important in investigation of virus in clinical specimens. The abundant expression of the EBER mRNA transcripts makes possible the sensitive detection of latent expression in EBV-associated tumors. Although there has been a dramatic increased interest in the direct characterization of EBV in clinical specimens, there have been few studios about the effective and reliable positive controls in performing in situ hybridization technique for EBV, especially on paraffin-em bedded tissue. We applied Burkitts lymphoma ceil line as positive control in EBV in situ hydridization using Oncor Kit. The cell block of Burkitt lymphoma cell line(CCL85 EB-3) showed strong and specific positivity for EBER in situ in nuclei of EBV infected cells.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.55 no.12
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• pp.470-473
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this prospective case-control study was to survey the detection rate of respiratory viruses in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) by using multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and to investigate the clinical implications of the prevalence of respiratory viruses during the acute phase of KD. Methods: RT-PCR assays were carried out to screen for the presence of respiratory syncytial virus A and B, adenovirus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza viruses 1 to 4, influenza virus A and B, metapneumovirus, bocavirus, coronavirus OC43/229E and NL63, and enterovirus in nasopharyngeal secretions of 55 KD patients and 78 control subjects. Results: Virus detection rates in KD patients and control subjects were 32.7% and 30.8%, respectively (P=0.811). However, there was no significant association between the presence of any of the 15 viruses and the incidence of KD. Comparisons between the 18 patients with positive RT-PCR results and the other 37 KD patients revealed no significant differences in terms of clinical findings (including the prevalence of incomplete presentation of the disease) and coronary artery diameter. Conclusion: A positive RT-PCR for currently epidemic respiratory viruses should not be used as an evidence against the diagnosis of KD. These viruses were not associated with the incomplete presentation of KD and coronary artery dilatation.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.207-213
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• 2014

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the association between respiratory virus infection and pneumococcal colonization in children. Methods: From May 2009 to June 2010, nasopharyngeal (NP) aspirates were obtained from patients under 18 years old who visited Seoul National University Children's Hospital for respiratory symptoms. NP samples were used to detect respiratory viruses (influenza virus A and B, parainfluenza virus 1, 2 and 3, respiratory syncytial virus A and B, adenovirus, rhinovirus A/B, human metapneumovirus, human coronavirus 229E/NL63 and OC43/HKU1) by RT-PCR and pneumococcus by culture. Results: Median age of the patients was 27 months old. A total of 1,367 NP aspirates were tested for respiratory viruses and pneumococcus. Pneumococcus was isolated from 228 (16.7%) of samples and respiratory viruses were detected from 731 (53.5%). Common viruses were rhinovirus (18.4%), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A (10.6%), adenovirus (6.9%), influenza virus A (6.8%). Pneumococcal isolation rate was significantly higher in the cases of positive virus detection than negative detection [21.3% (156/731) vs. 11.3% (72/636), P <0.001]. For individual viruses, pneumococcal isolation rate was positively associated with detection of influenza virus A [24.7% (23/93) vs 16.1% (205/1274), P=0.001], RSV A [28.3% (41/145) vs 15.3% (187/1222), P=0.001], RSV B [31.3% (10/32) vs 16.3% (218/1335), P=0.042], rhinovirus A/B [22.6% (57/252) vs 15.3% (171/1115), P=0.010]. Conclusion: The study revealed that pneumococcal isolation from NP aspirates is related with respiratory virus detection. The result of this study could be used to investigate how respiratory viruses and pneumococcus cause clinical diseases.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.14-19
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• 2000

Objectives: Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) is a B-lymphotrophic virus with a tumorigenic potential. EBV infection has been recognized as the main cause of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and Burkitt's lymphoma. Bcl-2 protein expression is known to be up-regulated by the EBV-latency associated antigen latent membrane protein(LMP). The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of EBV in squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx and the relationship between the presence of EBV and bcl-2 expression. Patients and Methods: From January 1994 to December 1977, 35 patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx were studied. EBV genome DNA was surveyed by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) assay and then compared the results of in situ hybridization(ISH) for EBER1 using digoxigenin-tailed oligonucleotide probe. The expression of bcl-2 protein was studied by immunohistochemistry(IHC) using bcl-2 monoclonal antibody. Results: By PCR, EBV genome was detected in 22 of 35(62.9%) squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx. Nineteen of 35 cases(54.3%) showed a positive nuclear staining for EBER1 in tumor cells by ISH. Three cases showed positivity in inflammatory cells by ISH and one of them showed a positive staining of both tumor cells and inflammatory cells. Eighteen of 32 specimens(62.5%) were positive for bcl-2 protein. There was no significant correlations between the presence of EBV DNA and bcl-2 expression. Conclusions: It could be concluded that high incidence of EBV in the laryngeal cancer tissue may indicate a probable role of EBV in the development of laryngeal carcinoma.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.145-152
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• 2009

Novel influenza A virus, subtype H1N1 of swine-lineage, has been transmitted rapidly to many regions of the world. Rapid detection of the virus is essential to instigate appropriate patient care and public health management and for disease surveillance. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus in Korea using reverse-transcription real time polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). Novel H1N1 virus was detected in a total of 8,948 nasopharyngeal samples from patients with influenza-like illness throughout Korea from August to September 2009. RNA was extracted from $300{\mu}l$of sample using an RNA extraction kit (Zymo Research, CA, USA). In the present study, Genekam kit (Genekam, Duisburg, Germany) was used to detect novel H1N1 virus. Novel H1N1 virus was found in 1,130 samples from a total of 8,948 samples (12.6%). The highest frequency was found in 10- to 19-year-olds (M: 29.3% vs. F: 16.4%), followed by 20- to 29-year-olds (M: 17.9% vs. F: 15.4%), 40- to 49-year-olds (M: 6.5% vs. F: 8.1%), 50- to 59-year-olds (M: 6.0% vs. F: 5.5%), and 30- to 39-year-olds (M: 4.6% vs. F: 3.8%). The mean positive rate was higher in men than in women (M: 14.7% vs. F: 7.4%). Novel H1N1 virus showed the lowest prevalence in patients over 60 years old. The positive rate increased daily and showed a significant high peak in mid-September 2009. In 19 provinces of Korea, Cheonan (41.1%), Busan (37.3%), Gangneung (33.3%), Jinju (32.1%), Ulsan (24.6%), Deajeon (23.7%) areas showed high frequencies and other provinces were found less than 10% of novel H1N1 virus. Since reverse-transcription real time PCR assay is rapid, accurate, and convenient, it may assist public health laboratories in detecting novel H1N1 virus. Moreover, these data could be useful for the management of patients with influenza-like illness.