First Case of Septic Shock Caused by Cetobacterium Somerae.

Background: Cetobacterium somerae rarely causes infection in humans. Most studies on C. somerae have analyzed its role in the intestinal system of freshwater fish.

Evaluation of humoral immune response after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination among health care workers.

We assessed the immunogenicity of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination by evaluating the levels of SARS-CoV-2 IgG after vaccination and investigated the effect of diverse factors such as gender, age, and adverse reactions after vaccination. The study included a total of 1028 serum samples from 452 healthcare workers. SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were assessed using the SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant assay.

Successful Treatment of Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura in a Patient with Mixed Connective Tissue Disease.

Background: Although the survival rate of thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) has increased significantly due to the introduction of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE). TTP in patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) has a very high mortality rate and a very small number of reported cases. In TTP, daily TPE is administered until a treatment response is achieved; however, in practice, TPE is often not performed for such long durations.

Anti-LW Confused with Anti-D: a Case Transfused RhD-positive RBCs and Literature Review.

Background: Anti-LW is rarely identified, and it is known to have little clinical importance. However, it is often difficult to differentiate anti-LW from anti-D.

Methods: Here, we report a case where anti-LW was identified for pretransfusion testing in a patient suspected of having lymphoma.

Verification and Establishment of Reference Intervals for Prothrombin Time and Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time for Children in a Clinical Laboratory.

Background: Prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) are routine coagulation tests. The absence of age-dependent reference interval (RI) may lead to abnormal results in children. In this study, we aimed to verify adult-based RIs in children and establish pediatric RIs for PT and aPTT.

Septic shock caused by Slackia exigua in a patient with diabetes.

We report a case of septic shock caused by Slackia exigua, an obligatory anaerobic gram-positive rod, in an 82-year-old woman with diabetes. Dental assessment revealed a palatal lesion and untreated periodontitis. Although a resident species in the oral cavity and associated with localized disorders, S.

Need for Confirmatory Neutralization Tests for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Tests in Populations with Intermediate Prevalence.

Objective: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is known as the hallmark of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This study aimed to determine whether an HBsAg neutralization test is necessary to accurately interpret HBsAg test results.

Methods: Initially reactive HBsAg specimens from a 5-year period, with cutoff index values between 1.

Bacteremia Caused by Moraxella Osloensis: a Fatal Case of an Immunocompromised Patient and Literature Review.

Background: Moraxella osloensis rarely causes infection in humans, and most of the reported cases are not fatal. It is often difficult to identify M. osloensis using conventional biochemical methods.

Introduction of a Borderline Range for the Interpretation of QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube Results in Korean Healthcare Workers.

Background: South Korea is the only Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country with a high incidence of tuberculosis (TB). Healthcare workers (HCWs) have an increased risk of TB infection. QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) testing is performed for occupational health screening to detect latent TB infection (LTBI).

Evaluation of HCV RNA by PCR and Signal-to-Cutoff Ratios of HCV Antibody Assays for Diagnosis of HCV Infection.

Objective: In this study, we assessed whether a hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA test could replace recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) and reduce unnecessary supplemental tests as the signal-to-cutoff (S/Co) ratio from anti-HCV antibody (Ab) tests.

Methods: Anti-HCV Ab tests were performed to screen for HCV infections, and RIBA and real-time polymerase chain reaction were performed for HCV RNA to confirm HCV infection. Receiver operating characteristic curves were evaluated to determine the optimal S/Co ratios for predicting HCV infection.

Etest Methods for Screening Heterogeneous Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) strains.

The importance of heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) as a preceding stage for the development of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus is growing. We analyzed the prevalence of hVISA among bacteremia with methicillin-resistant S.

Clinical Aspects of the Dense Fine Speckled Pattern in Indirect Immunofluorescence-Antinuclear Antibody Screening and Its Association with DFS70 Autoantibodies.

Goals: The existence of anti-dense fine speckled (DFS) 70 autoantibodies are considered an exclusionary biomarker for systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs). Several tests to confirm the presence of anti-DFS70 autoantibodies have been introduced, and the use of them in specimens with a DFS pattern in indirect immunofluorescence-antinuclear antibody (IIF-ANA) testing has been suggested. However, these additional tests have only been evaluated in a small number of samples; their clinical usefulness therefore requires further evaluation.

Device-Related Error in Patient-Controlled Analgesia: Analysis of 82,698 Patients in a Tertiary Hospital.

Background: Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is one of the most popular and effective methods for managing postoperative pain. Various types of continuous infusion pumps are available for the safe and accurate administration of analgesic drugs. Here we report the causes and clinical outcomes of device-related errors in PCA.

Clinical use of anti-DFS70 autoantibodies.

The dense fine speckled (DFS) nuclear pattern is one of the most common indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) patterns detected during routine anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) screening. There is a negative association between anti-DFS70 status and systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD), especially in the absence of concomitant SARD-specific autoantibodies. The purpose of this study was to determine the need for confirming anti-DFS70 status when a DFS pattern is observed in IIF-ANA.

Neutrophil-to-Monocyte-Plus-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Potential Marker for Discriminating Pulmonary Tuberculosis from Nontuberculosis Infectious Lung Diseases.

Objective: To determine whether NMLR has more statistical strength than NLR in discriminating TB from non-TB infectious lung diseases.

Methods: Among patients who underwent 3 or more TB culture tests with molecular study between January 2016 and December 2017, 110 patients with TB, and 159 patients diagnosed with non-TB infectious lung diseases were enrolled. The original complete blood count (CBC) parameters and modified CBC indices, including NLR and NMLR, were analyzed.

Bell Palsy and the Risk of Cardio-Cerebrovascular Disease: A Population-Based Follow-Up Study.

Objective: To evaluate the risk of cardio-cerebrovascular disease (CCVD), such as ischemic stroke and acute myocardial infarction (AMI), in patients diagnosed with Bell palsy STUDY DESIGN: Population-based follow-up study.

Methods: We used the National Sample Cohort 2002 to 2013 data from the Korea National Health Insurance Service. The Bell palsy group comprised all patients diagnosed with Bell palsy (n = 730).

Clinical Characteristics and Management of Saccular Cysts: A Single Institute Experience.

Objectives: A saccular cyst is defined as a dilated saccule of the larynx, filled with mucus, and is located between the false vocal cords and the thyroid cartilage. Although this uncommon laryngeal condition is benign in nature, it could lead to dyspnea, stridor, and airway obstruction, depending on its size and location. Furthermore, some saccular cysts have been associated with laryngeal carcinoma.

Urinary exosomal viral microRNA as a marker of BK virus nephropathy in kidney transplant recipients.

Objective: Bkv-miR-B1-5p, one of the microRNAs encoded by BK virus, was recently reported to be elevated in the blood among the patients with BK virus nephropathy (BKVN). Urinary exosome was suggested to be a possible source of biomarker for kidney diseases, but it was unknown whether it could contain viral microRNA as well as human microRNAs. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether urinary exosomal BK viral microRNA were expressed during replication and could be used to diagnose BKVN in kidney transplant recipients.

Modified Complete Blood Count Indices as Predicting Markers of Preeclampsia from Gestational Hypertension: Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio, Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio, and Platelet to Neutrophil Ratio.

Background: To evaluate modified complete blood count (CBC) indices as a predicting marker of preeclampsia (PE) from gestational hypertension (GH), we analyzed the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and platelet to neutrophil ratio (PNR). PNR was a newly designed index in this study based on results of PE patients having a tendency toward higher neutrophil count and lower platelet count compared to normal pregnant women in previous studies.

Methods: We recruited 86 normal pregnant women, 33 patients with GH and 68 patients with PE.

Misidentification of Acinetobacter baumannii as Alcaligenes faecalis by VITEK 2 System; Case Report.

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is widely known as an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that causes infection more frequently among immunocompromised individuals. Our case demonstrated the limitation of the current VITEK 2 system for the idendification of A.

Limitations of Preoperative PFA-200 as a Predictor of Postoperative Blood Loss in Total Knee Arthroplasty: According to Use of Tranexamic Acid.

Background: Recently, anti-fibrinolytic agents (tranexamic acid) have been used to reduce blood loss or and the need for transfusion. We evaluated the clinical utility of PFA-200 as a predictor of postoperative blood loss in a clinical setting, where hemostasis can be affected by variables such as existing comorbidities and medication use.

Methods: We analyzed retrospectively 243 TKA patients having PFA-200 results between March 2014 and May 2016.

Diagnostic Utility of New Equation for Active Tuberculosis Based on Parameters of Interferon-γ Release Assay.

Background: We derived a new equation to include interferon-γ (IFN-γ) levels in the QuantiFERON-Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) assay to discriminate active tuberculosis (ATB) infection from latent TB, and compared the diagnostic performance of the QFT-GIT assay and the new equation.

Methods: From January 2013 through May 2015, we retrospectively enrolled 159 and 408 patients with and without ATB, respectively, in this study. Discriminant analysis was performed to derive an equation to distinguish the ATB group from the non-ATB group.

Acute Hemiparesis in a Healthy Elderly Woman: Where and What Is the Lesion?

Hemiparesis may be the result of lesions in the contralateral pyramidal tract in the brain or, less frequently, in the ipsilateral pyramidal tract in the upper cervical spinal cord. However, although rare, multiple lesions that simultaneously occur in both of these regions may be the cause of acute hemiparesis, and the clinical symptoms can often be misdiagnosed as a stroke. In addition, the correct diagnosis of these multiple central nervous system (CNS) lesions is very challenging if they are caused by infection from an unexpected microorganism.