Suboptimal Doses of Antimalarials Relative to Increasing Body Weight and the Risk of Recurrence in the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, 2012-2021.

Background: We aimed to analyze the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of malaria caused by among military members of the Republic of Korea (ROK).

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with malaria in 16 military hospitals in the ROK between 2012-2021, excluding other types of malaria, as well as imported cases and those treated in civilian hospitals.

Results: In total, 653 patients were treated for malaria.

Clinical and Laboratory Factors Associated with Symptom Development in Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients at the Time of Diagnosis.

In preparation for the surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is crucial to allocate medical resources efficiently for distinguishing people who remain asymptomatic until the end of the disease. Between January 27, 2020, and April 21, 2020, 517 COVID-19 cases from 13 healthcare facilities in Gyeonggi province, Korea, were identified out of which the epidemiologic and clinical information of 66 asymptomatic patients at the time of diagnosis were analyzed retrospectively. An exposure-diagnosis interval within 7 days and abnormal aspartate aminotransferase levels were identified as characteristic symptom development in asymptomatic COVID-19 patients.

Risk factors for poor outcome in community-onset infection.

Background: A substantial portion of infection (CDI) cases occur in communities, and community-onset CDI (CO-CDI) can lead to serious complications including mortality. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for a poor outcome in CO-CDI.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of all inpatients with CDI, in a 1300-bed tertiary-care hospital in Korea, from 2008 through 2015.

Effect of an intervention targeting inappropriate continued empirical parenteral vancomycin use: a quasi-experimental study in a region of high MRSA prevalence.

Background: Despite vancomycin use is a major risk factor for the emergence of vancomycin resistance, it is frequently inappropriately prescribed, especially as empirical treatment. We evaluated the effect of an antimicrobial stewardship intervention targeting for inappropriate continued empirical vancomycin use.

Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study comparing vancomycin use in a 6-month pre-intervention and 6-month intervention period.

Epidemiology and Clinical Characteristics of Zika Virus Infections Imported into Korea from March to October 2016.

Zika is a re-emerging, mosquito-borne viral infection, which has been recently shown to cause microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Since 2015 the number of infected patients has increased significantly in South America. The purpose of this study was to identify the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of patients with Zika virus (ZIKV) infections in Korea.

The purpose and appropriateness of carbapenem use in a single university hospital, 2009-2013.

This is a retrospective review study to investigate changes in carbapenem consumption and to evaluate the proportion of inappropriate empirical use of carbapenem in the months of September and October of 2009, 2011, and 2013 in a single university-affiliated hospital. Total carbapenem use was classified into 3 categories: prophylactic, directed, and empirical. If an empirical prescription was continued without documentation of any eligible etiologic microorganism, we defined this as 'inappropriate' use.

A Case of Statin-Induced Interstitial Pneumonitis due to Rosuvastatin.

Statins lower the hyperlipidemia and reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events and related mortality. A 60-year-old man who was diagnosed with a transient ischemic attack was started on acetyl-L-carnitine, cilostazol, and rosuvastatin. After rosuvastatin treatment for 4 weeks, the patient presented with sudden onset fever, cough, and dyspnea.

Factors influencing culture positivity in pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis patients with prior antibiotic exposure.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate factors influencing tissue culture positivity in patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis exposed to antibiotics before diagnosis. Tissue culture was positive in 48.3% (28/58) of the patients, and the median antibiotic-free period was 1.