Publications by authors named "Ho-Woo Nam"

Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) is a natural product commonly used in food preservation and pharmaceutical applications. Toxoplasmosis, caused by the protozoan pathogen Toxoplasma gondii, is prevalent globally while the impact of AITC on toxoplasmosis is unclear. We explored the effect of AITC on acute toxoplasmosis.

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Purpose: This study aimed to explore the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) among patients in Guangzhou city, South China, and to identify susceptible patient populations and analyze the causes of infection differences.

Methods: From May 2020 to May 2022, a total of 637 sera were collected from patients, and 205 sera were collected from health participants as health control.

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  • This study looked at how Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PcP) affected people with and without HIV in South Korea from 2010 to 2021.
  • It found that cases of PcP without HIV were increasing, especially in Seoul, while cases in people with HIV were decreasing.
  • The research helps understand these trends better, which can help in planning better healthcare and monitoring for PcP in the future.
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  • This study analyzes clonorchiasis (a parasitic infection) and cholangiocarcinoma (a type of cancer) in Korea from 2012 to 2020, using data from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service.
  • Regions like Gyeongsangnam-do and Seoul experienced the highest rates of both conditions, with specific areas identified as significant clusters for each disease.
  • The trends of clonorchiasis showed mixed changes in different regions, while cholangiocarcinoma incidence generally declined, and there was a weak positive correlation between the two diseases, particularly strong around river basins.
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This study was done to provide an overview of the latest trichomoniasis status in Korea by finding disease clusters and analyzing temporal trends during 2012-2020. Data were obtained from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA) of Korea. SaTScan and Joinpoint programs were used for statistical analyses.

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  • * Specific clusters for different malaria types were found in various regions, with Jeollanam-do for P. falciparum and Gangwon-do for P. ovale, among others.
  • * While malaria cases in most areas are decreasing due to effective health measures, Gwangju shows an increase in infections, underscoring the need for continued vigilance in controlling malaria.
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We find out the clusters with high toxoplasmosis risk to discuss the geographical pattern in Gyodong-myeon and Samsan-myeon of Ganghwa-gun, Cheorwon-gun, and Goseong-gun, Korea. Seroepidemiological data of toxoplasmosis surveyed using rapid diagnostic tests for the residents in the areas in 2019 were analyzed to detect clusters of the infection. The cluster was investigated using the SaTScan program which is based on Kulldorff's scan statistic.

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  • Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence is increasing in Korea, with a study assessing antibody levels in three regions: Ganghwa-gun, Cheorwon-gun, and Goseong-gun, involving 1,518 total participants in 2019.
  • The seroprevalence rates were found to be highest in Goseong-gun at 35.7%, followed by Ganghwa-gun at 28.1%, and Cheorwon-gun at 19.5%, indicating significant variation across the areas studied.
  • Findings suggest a need for further research on T. gondii in areas near the Korean demilitarized zone, along with the implementation of health policies to address
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This study was performed to find out the clusters with high parasite infection risk to discuss the geographical pattern. Clusters were detected using SatScan software, which is a statistical spatial scan program using Kulldorff's scan statistic. Information on the parasitic infection cases in Korea 2011-2019 were collected from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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  • Clonorchiasis, caused by the parasite Clonorchis sinensis, affects around 15 million people predominantly in East Asia.
  • Researchers expressed 607 proteins to identify potential antigens for diagnosing the infection, ultimately selecting 18 candidates based on how they reacted with infected human sera.
  • Among the tested proteins, CsAg17 showed the best performance with a sensitivity of 77.1% and specificity of 71.2%, making it a promising option for quick diagnostic tests for clonorchiasis.
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The purpose of this study is to find out the clusters with high toxoplasmosis risk to discuss the geographical pattern in 2 islands of Gyodong-myeon and Samsan-myeon in Ganghwa-gun, Korea. Seroepidemiological data of toxoplasmosis surveyed using rapid diagnostic tests for the residents in 2 islands from 2010 to 2013 were analyzed to detect clusters of the infection. The cluster was investigated using the SatScan program which is based on Kulldorff's scan statistic.

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Toxoplasma gondii, a ubiquitous, intracellular parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa, infects an estimated one-third of the human population as well as a broad range of warm-blooded animals. We have observed that some tyrosine kinase inhibitors suppressed the growth of T. gondii within host ARPE-10 cells.

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Chagas disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, and is endemic in many Latin American countries. Diagnosis is based on serologic testing and the WHO recommends two or more serological tests for confirmation. Acidic ribosomal P protein of T.

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Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan parasite that can cause toxoplasmosis in a wide range of warm-blooded animals including humans. In this study, we analyzed seroprevalence of T. gondii among 467 school children living in the rural areas of Pyin Oo Lwin and Naung Cho, Myanmar.

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A rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kit was developed to detect non-structural protein 1 (NS1) of yellow fever virus (YFV) using monoclonal antibody. NS1 protein was purified from the cultured YFV and used to immunize mice. Monoclonal antibody to NS1 was selected and conjugated with colloidal gold to produce the YFV NS1 RDT kit.

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To investigate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in pork on the market in Korea, an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for tissue fluid (CAU-tf-ELISA) was developed using a soluble extract of T. gondii RH strain tachyzoites. As the standard positive controls, the piglets were experimentally infected with T.

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Background: Supplemental feeding of free-roaming animals, including wildlife and feral or stray animals, is well known to have a substantial impact on various aspects of animal ecology including habitat use, activity patterns, and host-pathogen interactions. Among them, an increased population density (PD) of animals receiving supplemental food raises concerns regarding the transmission of pathogens in these host populations. The primary aim of this study was to investigate how supplemental feeding is associated with host PD and prevalence of pathogens with different transmission modes in urban stray cats.

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We developed a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) kit for detecting IgG/IgM antibodies against Zika virus (ZIKV) using monoclonal antibodies to the envelope (E) and non-structural protein 1 (NS1) of ZIKV. These proteins were produced using baculovirus expression vector with Sf9 cells. Monoclonal antibodies J2G7 to NS1 and J5E1 to E protein were selected and conjugated with colloidal gold to produce the Zika IgG/IgM RDT kit (Zika RDT).

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The effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) were evaluated on growth inhibition of intracellular Toxoplasma gondii in host ARPE-19 cells. The number of tachyzoites per parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (PVM) was counted after treatment with TKIs. T.

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Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among the residents of Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea, which partly includes the demilitarized zone (DMZ), were surveyed for 4 years and evaluated by RDT using recombinant fragment of major surface antigen (SAG1A). Sera from 1336, 583, 526, and 583 adult residents were collected on a yearly basis from 2010 to 2013, respectively. The total positive seroprevalence was 19.

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ELISA has been used for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, but it is being gradually replaced by a rapid diagnostic test (RDT). We compared and analyzed ELISA and RDT results using the sera collected during 4 consecutive years from residents of Gyodong-do (Island), Incheon-city, Korea. Sera from 921, 993, 940, and 838 adult residents were collected on a yearly basis (2010-2013).

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Article Synopsis
  • A four-year seroprevalence study for toxoplasmosis infection was conducted on Seokmo-do Island, Korea, using a rapid diagnostic test on serum samples collected yearly from residents.
  • The overall positive seroprevalence increased from 29.2% in 2010 to 45.3% in 2013, with a notable gender disparity showing higher rates in males compared to females.
  • The unique environment of the relatively isolated island, along with its connectivity to the mainland, may have influenced the increased rates, suggesting a need for further research on symptomatic cases and risk factors.
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Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a tropical pathogen, has re-emerged and has massive outbreaks abruptly all over the world. Containing many dominant epitopes, the envelope E2 protein of CHIKV has been explored for the vaccination or diagnosis. In the present study, the antigenicity of a recombinant expressed intrinsically disorder domain (IUD) of E2 was tested for the detection of the antibody against CHIKV through western blot method.

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Specific gene expressions of host cells by spontaneous STAT6 phosphorylation are major strategy for the survival of intracellular Toxoplasma gondii against parasiticidal events through STAT1 phosphorylation by infection provoked IFN-γ. We determined the effects of small molecules of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) on the growth of T. gondii and on the relationship with STAT1 and STAT6 phosphorylation in ARPE-19 cells.

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Mouse models of chronic toxoplasmosis and atopic dermatitis (AD) were combined to clarify the effect of opportunistic Toxoplasma gondii infection on the development of AD. AD was induced as a chronic contact hypersensitivity (CHS) with repeated challenge of 2,4,6-trinitro-1-chlorobenzene (TNCB) on the dorsal skin of mice. TNCB induced skin thickness increases in both normal and toxoplasmic mice.

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