Usefulness and Limitations of PFGE Diagnosis and Nucleotide Sequencing Method in the Analysis of Food Poisoning Pathogens Found in Cooking Employees.

In the case of a food poisoning outbreak, it is essential to understand the relationship between cooking workers and food poisoning. Many biological diagnostic methods have recently been developed to detect food poisoning pathogens. Among these diagnostic tools, this study presents PCR-based pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and nucleotide sequencing diagnostic analysis results for diagnosing food poisoning outbreaks associated with cooking employees in Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea.

Validity of Rapid Antibody Testing for COVID-19 Vaccine in Homeless People.

(1) Background: There is a paucity of data regarding the validity of rapid antibody testing for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine response in homeless people worldwide. The objective of this study was to evaluate a rapid SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG antibody detection kit as a qualitative screen for vaccination in homeless people. (2) Methods: This study included 430 homeless people and 120 facility workers who had received one of BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, AZD1222/ChAdOx1, or JNJ-78436735/AD26.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on chlamydia infection in South Korea: a comparison between the pre-pandemic and during-pandemic periods.

Background: Prior to COVID-19 pandemic, a yearly upward trajectory in the number of chlamydia infection cases was observed in South Korea. However, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Korea implemented several public health and social measures, which were shown to have an impact on the epidemiology of other infectious diseases. This study aimed to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence and number of reported chlamydia infections in South Korea.

Diagnostic Laboratory Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients Infected by Fomites: COVID-19 Outbreak in a South Korean Public Administrative Facility.

There is a paucity of data regarding the differentiating characteristics of patients who were infected with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by fomites around the world. We conducted an event-based outbreak investigation, involving 795 public officers and 277 assistant staff, in the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) or the same building from March 2 to March 18, 2020. The SARS-CoV-2 patients were found to have more frequently touched fomites and used public toilets than those who were tested negative for the virus (cOR, 24.

Clinical and Laboratory Findings of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection.

There is a paucity of data regarding the differentiating characteristics of patients with laboratory-confirmed and those negative for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in South Korea. This hospital-based retrospective study compared MERS-CoV-positive and MERS-CoV-negative patients. A total of seven positive patients and 55 negative patients with a median age of 43 years (P = 0.

Predictors of job satisfaction and burnout among tuberculosis management nurses and physicians.

Objectives: This study examined job satisfaction, empowerment, job stress, and burnout among tuberculosis management nurses and physicians in public healthcare institutions.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study analyzing survey data collected from 249 nurses and 57 physicians in 105 public health centers, three public tuberculosis hospitals, and one tertiary hospital. The survey questionnaire comprised general characteristics, work-related characteristics, and four index scales (job satisfaction, empowerment, job stress, and burnout).

Assessing the impact of meteorological factors on malaria patients in demilitarized zones in Republic of Korea.

Background: The trend of military patients becoming infected with vivax malaria reemerged in the Republic of Korea (ROK) in 1993. The common explanation has been that infective Anopheles mosquitoes from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have invaded Republic of Korea's demilitarized zone (DMZ). The aim of this study was to verify the relationship between meteorological factors and the number of malaria patients in the military in this region.

Implementation and results of a survey on safe community programs in Gangbuk-gu, Korea: focusing on participants at a local public health center.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of and problems with the Safe Community Programs in Gangbuk-gu, one of the 25 districts of the capital city of Korea.

Methods: The study subjects were 396 individuals who were involved in Safe Community Programs between 2009 and 2011. We examined the effectiveness and willingness of respondents to participate as a safety leader of the Safe Community Program with a questionnaire.

Outbreak of febrile respiratory illness caused by adenovirus at a South Korean military training facility: clinical and radiological characteristics of adenovirus pneumonia.

Adenovirus often causes respiratory disease outbreaks in military training soldiers. Compared with adenovirus pneumonia in young military adults, symptoms arising from febrile respiratory illness (FRI) caused by adenovirus have not been previously evaluated in Korean soldiers. We conducted an event-based outbreak investigation involving 712 male soldiers aged 19 to 21 years from March 14 to 30, 2012 to evaluate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with pneumonia and FRI caused by adenovirus.

Usefulness of plasma epigenetic changes of five major genes involved in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of present study was to investigate the methylation status of the promoter region in five genes (mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 4, fragile histidine triad protein, death-associated protein kinase 1, adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), and E-cadherin), which are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) and its clinicopathological significance.

Methods: The study subjects were 60 CRC patients, 40 patients with adenomatous colorectal polyp and 60 healthy control individuals. We further enrolled a total of 16 patients (two patients with Crohn's disease, two patients with ulcerative colitis, one patient with serrated adenoma, and 11 patients with colorectal cancer).

Comparison of the adverse events associated with MF59-adjuvanted and non-adjuvanted H1N1 vaccines in healthy young male Korean soldiers.

The first large-scale outbreaks of respiratory disease in the 21st century were caused by the influenza A (H1N1) virus in 2009, which affected mostly young adults. The M59 vaccine was developed to control pandemic influenza A (H1N1). However, the complications arising from the use of the non-adjuvanted and adjuvanted vaccines in young male Korean soldiers have not previously been evaluated and compared.

The positive association between peripheral blood cell counts and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.

Purpose: Accumulating evidence has shown a close connection between hematopoiesis and bone formation. Our aim was to evaluate the association between peripheral blood cell counts and bone mineral density (BMD) in a sample of postmenopausal women.

Materials And Methods: Three hundreds thirty eight healthy postmenopausal women who underwent BMD measurement during their health check-up were investigated.

The adverse events of influenza A (H1N1) vaccination and its risk factors in healthcare personnel in 18 military healthcare units in Korea.

In this study, we characterized adverse events related to influenza A (H1N1) vaccination and studied the factors that influence the occurrence of these events. A total of 4,302 personnel in 18 military healthcare units in Korea received 0.5 ml of inactivated H1N1 vaccine.

Elevated peripheral blood monocyte fraction in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

An elevated white blood cell (WBC) count is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, a leukocyte subtype that is involved in the pathogenesis of NAFLD is not known. This study was conducted to investigate the association between NAFLD and WBC subtype fractions (%) among healthy elderly Koreans. A total of 794 subjects who underwent a health check-up were investigated.

A decline in renal function is associated with loss of bone mass in Korean postmenopausal women with mild renal dysfunction.

This study was conducted to assess the relationship between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and bone mineral density (BMD) in Korean postmenopausal women with mild renal dysfunction. A total of 328 postmenopausal women who underwent BMD measurement during health check-up was investigated. BMD was measured in lumbar spine (L1-L4), femoral neck, total proximal femur and femoral trochanteric areas by dual energy radiography absorptiometry and renal function was estimated by eGFR using Cockcroft-Gault equation.

[Prognostic impact of Charlson comorbidity index obtained from medical records and claims data on 1-year mortality and length of stay in gastric cancer patients].

Objectives: We tried to evaluate the agreement of the Charlson comorbidity index values (CCI) obtained from different sources (medical records and National Health Insurance claims data) for gastric cancer patients. We also attempted to assess the prognostic value of these data for predicting 1-year mortality and length of the hospital stay (length of stay).

Methods: Medical records of 284 gastric cancer patients were reviewed, and their National Health Insurance claims data and death certificates were also investigated.

[Usefulness of comorbidity indices in operative gastric cancer cases].

Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the usefulness of the following four comorbidity indices in gastric cancer patients who underwent surgery: Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), Cumulative Illness rating scale (CIRS), Index of Co-existent Disease (ICED), and Kaplan-Feinstein Scale (KFS).

Methods: The study subjects were 614 adults who underwent surgery for gastric cancer at K hospital between 2005 and 2007. We examined the test-retest and inter-rater reliability of 4 comorbidity indices for 50 patients.

[The effect of the cost exemption policy for hospitalized children under 6 years old on the medical utilization in Korea].

Objectives: The Korean government in January 2006 instigated an exemption policy for hospitalized children under the age of six years old. This study examines how this policy affected the utilization of medical care in Korea.

Methods: A total of 1,513,797 claim records from the Health Insurance Review Agency were analyzed by complete enumeration methods.