A study was carried out to figure the cases and to observe the endemic status of clonorchiasis and metagonimiasis in endemic areas in Korea. Total 13,373 inhabitants living in 40 villages along 7 main rivers and 9 small streams were subjected to stool examination. They were selected randomly among the riverside population. Their specimens were examined both by cellphane thick smear method and Stoll's egg countung technique. This study was performed during the period from May 1979 to April 1980. The results obtained are as follows: The egg positive rate of any kind of helminths was 58.7% out of 13,373 examned cases, and the egg positive rates by each helminth were; Clonorchis sinensis 21.5%, Metagonimus yokogaqai 4.8%, large type Metagonimus eggs 0.4%, Ascaris lumbricoides 22.9%, Trichuris trichiura 35.2%, hookworm 0.2%, Taenia sp. 0.5%, Hymenolepis nana 0.07%, Paragonimus westermani 2 cases, Fasciola sp. 4 cases, Echinostoma sp. 1 case and Hymenolepis diminuta 1 case respectively. Many endemic foci of clonorchiasis were revealed along the 7 major rivers. The egg positive rates of each river basin differed from each other significantly; Nagdonggang 40.2%, Yeongsangang 30.8%, Seomjingang 17.3%, Hangang 15.7%, Tamjingang 15.9%, Geumgang 12.0% and Mangyeonggang 8.0%. The cases of clonorchiasis were estimated in range 830,000 to 890,000 in riverside areas of the 7 rivers. By grading the infection intensity, 64.7% was in Grade I(EPG 0-900), 28.6% in Grade II (EPG 1000-9,900), 5.5% in Grade III (EPG 10,000-29,900) and 1.3% in Grade IV (EPG over 30,000). The proportion of the cases in Grade III and IV was 6.8% among positive cases. Therefore 60,000 cases at least were regarded to suffer from it clinically. Males of 30-60 years of age showed higher positive rate and heavier burden of infection. This makes clonorchiasis more important socially because the patients lose their social productivity. A few endemic foci of metagonimiasis were detected newly by egg detection; Samcheong 28.5% egg positive rate, Uljin 21.3%, Yeuongdeog 46.3%, Milyang 6.7%, Yeongil 9.2% and Geoje 18.2%. The mean EPG values were in range of 320-7, 120 by the focus. The egg positive rate and proportion of EPG Grade varied greatly by the area, and mean proportion of the positive cases were 69.7% in Grade I, 24.1% in Grade II, 5.0% in Grade III and 1.2% in Grade IV. Males of 30-60 years were infected in higher rate also. The large sized eggs of Metagonimus were found also in upper basin of Hangang and Geumgang mainly. They were regarded as eggs of M. takahashii which is mediated by the cyprinid fishes. Its significance should be studied further. Clonorchiasis and metagonimiasis should be realized as important public health problems in Korea by their wide distribution, high prevalence rate and heavy infection intensity. Comprehensive measures against them are needed urgently.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; clonorchiasis ; metagonimiasis ; Clonorchisis sinensis ; Metagonimus yokogawai ; epidemiology

Primary biliary cirrhosis and autoimmune hepatitis are the two main immune-mediated liver diseases. They are generally differentiated easily on the basis of clinical, biochemical, serological, and histological findings. Occasionally, the normally distinctive features overlap and classification of a given patient's chronic liver disease is difficult. Series of such patients with Primary biliary cirrhosis-autoimmune hepatitis overlap syndrome were reported. We report a case of primary biliary cirrhosis-autoimmune hepatitis overlap syndrome proven by clinicopathology. The patient showed hepatitic features including easy fatigability, icteric sclera. Markers of hepatitis B and C virus were absent. The liver biopsy showed chronic hepatitis with piecemeal necrosis, infiltration of inflammatory cell surrounding bile duct. The clinical data of high titers of antinuclear antibodies and antimitochondral antibodies, elevated serum IgM, suggest mixed features of primary biliary cirrhosis-autoimmune hepatitis. The patient as given only ursodeoxycholic acid (600 mg/day), then was observed follow-up regularly.
Antibodies ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Bile Ducts ; Biopsy ; Classification ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis, Autoimmune* ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary* ; Liver Diseases ; Necrosis ; Sclera ; Ursodeoxycholic Acid

PURPOSE: Hydrogen peroxide has been implicated as a causative factor of various cellular dysfunction, cell death, transformation. In addition, oxidative stress has been suggested as a crucial inducer of cataract formation not only the nuclear-type cataract but also anterior polar type cataract. Transformation of lens epithelial cells accompanying accumulation of extracellular matrix molecules, and cell migration is observed in the cataract forming area of lens. In the present study, we investigated in the migration of lens epithelial cells and the activation of focal adhesion kinase(FAK), because there have been many reports showing that activation of FAK increased cell migration. METHOD: After treatment hygrogen peroxide in a dose-dependent on HLE B-3 cell line, we have performed immuno fluorenscence staing of actin stress fiber and migration assay, and then isolated total RNA to identify expression of MMP-2 from the cell line. To examine FAK activity, we are performed Phosphotyrosine Immunoblot analysis. RESULT: We observed the increased cell migration in response to hydrogen peroxide in a dose dependent manner. In addition, we observed that the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase was increased with the treatment of hydrogen peroxide. Also, we examined the expression of the matrix metalloproteinases-2(MMP-2) which disintegrates extracellular matrix and participates in cell migration. The result showed that the mRNA level of MMP-2 did not increase by hydrogen peroxide. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that hydrogen peroxide enhanced migration of lens epithelial cell, and that FAK may play a role in the process of cell migration. In conclusion, migration of lens epithelial cell and phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase was increased by treatment of hydrogen peroxide. Thus oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the transformation of lens epithelial cells and anterior polar type cataract formation.
Actins ; Cataract ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; Cell Movement ; Epithelial Cells* ; Extracellular Matrix ; Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Focal Adhesions ; Hydrogen Peroxide* ; Hydrogen* ; Oxidative Stress ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotyrosine ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Stress Fibers

OBJECTIVES: This study estimated the magnitude of malignant mesothelioma and its epidemiologic features in Korea. We collected data on 160 cases for the 5-year period from 2001 to 2005. METHODS: We established a surveillance system for malignant mesothelioma in 2001. The important participants were pathologists, and respiratory and occupational physicians. We reclassified these cases according to the date of diagnosis and calculated fatality by comparing National Mortality Data. We actively surveyed 18 cases which were diagnosed in 2004 and 2005 to evaluate their work-relatedness. RESULTS: Among 160 cases, 18 were initially diagnosed before 1995, 57 from 1996 to 2000, 11 in 2001, 18 in 2002, 11 in 2003, 29 in 2004 and 16 in 2005. After 2001, 17cases were reported annually. Among the 86 cases which were diagnosed before 2003, 60 cases (69.8%) had died and 46(53.5%) had died within 1 year. Among the 18 cases which we surveyed, 5 were related with the construction industry, 2 with asbestos textile manufacturing industries and 1 with asbestos painting. There was no evident work relatedness in the other 10 cases, but 6 were related to environmental exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Although this surveillance system revealed the magnitude of malignant mesothelioma in Korea, it needs to be supplemented by an active surveillance system using death certificate data and cancer registry data etc.
Asbestos ; Construction Industry ; Death Certificates ; Diagnosis ; Environmental Exposure ; Korea* ; Mesothelioma* ; Mortality ; Paint ; Paintings ; Textiles

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Despite of increasing numbers of reports on intraductal papillary mucinous tumor (IPMT), there is still difficulty in its' diagnosis, treatment and prediction of prognosis. The purpose of this multicenter study was to evaluate the clinico-pathological features of IPMT in Korea and suggest the prediction criteria of malignancy in IPMT. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinico-pathological data of 208 patients who underwent operations with IPMT between 1993 and 2002 at 28 institutes in Korea. RESULTS: Of the 208 patients with a mean age of 60.5+/-9.7 years, 147 were men and 61 were women. 124 patients underwent pancreatoduodenectomy, 42 distal pancreatectomy, 17 total pancreatectomy, 25 limited pancreas resection. Benign cases were 128 (adenoma (n=62), borderline (n=66)) and malignant cases were 80 (non-invasive (n=29), invasive (n=51)). A significant difference in 5-year survival was observed between benign and malignant group (92.6% vs. 65.3%; p=0.006). Of the 6 factors (age, location, duct dilatation, tumor appearance, main duct type, and tumor size) that showed the statistical difference in univariate analysis between benign and malignant group, we found three significant factors (tumor appearance (p=0.009), tumor size (p=0.023), and dilated duct size (p=0.010)) by multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Although overall prognosis of IPMT is superior to ordinary pancreatic cancer, more curative surgery is recommended in malignant IPMT. Tumor appearance (papillary), tumor size (> or =30 mm) and dilated duct size (> or = 12 mm) can be used as preoperative indicators of malig-nancy in IPMT.
Academies and Institutes ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Mucins* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pancreas* ; Pancreatectomy ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies