No abstract availabe.
Communicable Diseases*

No abstract available.
Malaria* ; Republic of Korea*

BACKGROUND: The measurement of carbon monoxide concentration in expired air is used as an objective method to analyze the smoking status. This method has been proven to be reliable and is used throughout the world but it has been only recently accepted in Korea. Therefore the purpose of this study was to examine if measuring the concentration in expired air accurately reflects the Korean's smoking status. METHODS: The subjects were from ages of 19 through 75 healthy people including smokers and nonsmokers. The smokers had their carbon monoxide measured after answering a questionnaire. This questionnaire was formed to obtain information concerning smoking status, smoking habit and factors that influence carbon monoxide measurement. Micro II smokerlyzer (Bedfont Instruments Ltd., England) was used to analyze CO concentration in expired air. The method used for measuring CO concentration was to deeply inhale and hold one's breath for 15 seconds and measure CO concentration while exhaling. RESULTS: The total number of subjects was 148(143 males, 5 females) consisting of 114 smokers, 34 non smokers(never smokers 23, ex smokers 11). The average CO concentration in exhaled air in smokers was 17.247.30 ppm, in nonsmokers 6.031.06 ppm(in ex smokers 6.361.29 ppm, in never smokers 5.870.92 ppm). A significant difference was evident between smokers and non smokers(P<0.0001). The CO concentration values compared among the groups divided in terms of daily smoking rate were as the following 11.885.57 ppm in subjects smoking less than 10 cigarettes/day, 17.356.48 ppm in those smoking 11 20 cigarettes/day, 20.006.35 ppm in the 21 30 cigarettes/day group, and 24.889.70 ppm in the 31 cigarettes/day group (p<0.0001). In addition, the CO concentration was influenced by the change of the degree of inhalation and the elapsed time since last smoking. CONCLUSION: The measurement of CO concentration in exhaled air among the Koreans proved to be an accurate and reliable method reflecting the present smoking status.
Carbon Monoxide* ; Carbon* ; Exhalation ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Korea ; Male ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Since 1997, the annual case occurrence of vivax malaria in the Republic of Korea have exceeded 1,000 cases since 1997. The military is thought to be an important source of the current outbreak. We collected various informations about malaria cases (soldiers, veterans and civilians) which occurred in 2000, and analyzed the characteristics of the current outbreak. METHODS: Informations about malaria cases of soldiers, veterans and civilians, including name, age, sex, day of onset, region, etc., were collected through the National Institute of Health. RESULTS: Out of total 4,141 cases, 1,288 (31.1%) occurred in the military, 1,273 (30.7%) occurred among the veterans, and 1,580 (38.2%) occurred among civilians. The monthly case occurrence reached its peak in early August. Areas such as Cheolwon, Yeoncheon and Paju showed the highest prevalence. CONCLUSION: It is considered that the current malaria outbreak has escaped from the exponential growth phase, however, more attention should be paid to prevent further spreading of malaria infection.
Humans ; Malaria ; Malaria, Vivax* ; Military Personnel ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea* ; United Nations ; Veterans

PURPOSE: In Korea, vivax malaria re-emerged in 1993 and the outbreak continued in several areas near the DMZ until now. This study was conducted to define the epidemiologic pattern of malaria in Korea and to examine the changes comparing to the one in 1999. METHODS: We collected information about civilian, veteran patients through the National malaria surveillance system and soldier from the Ministry of National Defense. We analyze epidemiological characteristics of malaria by groups (civilian, veteran, soldier). RESULTS: The reported cases of malaria in 2000 were 4,142 that number is an increase of 14% in numbers compared with those of 1999's. Most of cases occured in 17 counties nearby DMZ and from May to October(98.7%) seasonally. The incidence rates (per 100,000) in 2000 by residence were 17.0 in Gangwon-Do, 15.5 in Incheon Metropolitan city, 10.3 in Gyeonggi-Do was dereased. The risk area in 2000 were 17 counties located nearly DMZ and the high risk area were 5 counties where the incidence rate greater than 100. In case of civilian and veteran, the time required to diagnosis from onset of symptom was 8.1 days on the average. CONCLUSION: Epidemiologic pattern of malaria in 2000 did not differ from the one in 1999. Et showed regional spread (increasing risk area) but incidence rate was lowered in the high risk area of 1999. And it is necessary that we pay more attention to Gangwon-Do and Incheon metrocity to reduce the incidence rate in 2001.
Diagnosis ; Epidemiology* ; Gangwon-do ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Incheon ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Malaria* ; Malaria, Vivax ; Military Personnel ; Seasons ; Veterans

PURPOSE: A field investigation was done to evaluate the level of the epidemic of Shigellosis in Jeju Island during the first half of year 2000. METHODS: Confirming the Shigellosis was done by the structured questionnaire and the result of rectal swab for the residents having a diarrhea. RESULTS: As the confirmed patients with Shigella sonnei were 933 from 25 April to 14 August 2000, the crude incidence rate was 174 per 100,000 persons. The highest incidence rate was shown in 5-9 year-old group. Especially the south area of Jeju Island, called as Namjejugun, had the major epidemic occurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The huge and chronic epidemic of Shigellosis was confirmed. The nature of this epidemic suggested that the endemic occurrence had been existed in Jeju Island.
Diarrhea ; Disease Outbreaks ; Dysentery, Bacillary* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Shigella ; Shigella sonnei ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Hypoglycemic effects of exo-biopolymers (EBP) produced by submerged mycelial cultures of Coriolus versicolor, Cordyceps sinensis, Paecilomyces japonica, Armillariella mellea, and Fomes fomentarius were investigated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The rats from each experimental group were orally administered with EBPs (100 mg/kg BW) daily for 2 weeks. Though the hypoglycemic effect was achieved in all the cases, however, C. versicolor EBP proved as the most potent one. The administration of the C. versicolor EBP substantially reduced (29.9%) the plasma glucose level as compared to the saline administered group (control). It also reduced the plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels by 9.22, 23.83, 16.93, and 27.31%, respectively. The sugar and amino acid compositions of this EBP were also analyzed in detail.
Agaricales ; Alanine Transaminase ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Cholesterol ; Cordyceps ; Coriolaceae ; Glucose ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Paecilomyces ; Plasma ; Rats ; Streptozocin

BACKGROUND: In 2000~2001 there was a nationwide outbreak of measles in the Republic of Korea. Since supplementary vaccination program was implemented in 2001, the control strategy of this measles outbreak has been stepped up from the control phase to the elimination phase. We here present the result of survey for the epidemiologic characteristics of the nationwide outbreak of measles in 2000~2001. METHODS: Using the data based on the sheet of epidemiologic investigation, incidences rates per 100,000 population and distributions of cases with vaccination history were investigated by the age. The seasonal or regional distribution were also studied with the onset days of cases. RESULTS: In 2000~2001, a measles outbreak occurred with 52,897 reported cases. The incidence rate per 100,000 population of measles was 111.9 cases and that of geopolitical unit (province) was high nationwide, 35.9~386.3 cases. The incidence rates were very high in less than 12 months and 10 years of age, 954.4 and 714.9, respectively. The 1st vaccination rate of measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) in 1~3 years old was 26.3~77.1%, and especially, that of 1 year old showed very low coverage, 26.3%. However, there was no special propensity in the 1st vaccine coverage in the age of 7~15 years, which had 87.7~91.4%. On the other hand, the 2nd MMR vaccination rate of the cases was very low, 17.7% at the age of 7~10 years. From the 21st May, 2001 a mass catch-up campaign with measles/rubella (MR) vaccine was launched, resulting in prominent reduction in the incidence of measles case. CONCLUSION: This survey showed that the measles outbreak in 2000~2001 had a high incidence nationwide from October 2000 to April 2001 and in less than 12 month and 10 years of age. Our results also showed that no routine immunization made the age group under 1 year vulnerable to measles infection. In cases of school-age group after 7 years of age, some cases with vaccination history were also infected. The characteristics of recent outbreaks indicates the need for the introduction of a specific vaccination programme at that age group. This survey was helpful to establish the effective vaccination strategy and it would be used as reference data on survey continuously for the epidemiologic characteristics of measles case for elimination of indigenous measles transmission in Republic of Korea.
Disease Outbreaks ; Epidemiology ; Hand ; Humans ; Immunization ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Measles* ; Republic of Korea ; Seasons ; Vaccination

BACKGROUND: This study reports the incidences of measles in Koea and the epidemiologic characteristics for the incidence reported for the period 1980~1999. It provides the epidemeologic adta for measles before implementing the catch-up campaign in 2001. METHODS: We obtained information for the survey from the data for the incidence reported from health centers. Incidences per 100,000 population were calculated for the 1963~1999. And the following variables were studied: seasonal or regional distribution for the 1980~1999. RESULTS: The incidence rate of measles declined after the systemic immunization in 1990, the outbreak of measles occurred periodically and incidences per 100,000 population increased from 8.4 cases in 1990 to 17.7 in 1994. In 1990 and 1994, measles cases centered around the 5~6th month. On the other hand, in non-epidemic year measles cases were scattered around the year. The incidence rates of measles by the province were greatly defferent whenever the outbreak of measles occurred. CONCLUSION: In 1990s, the outbreak of measles occurred periodically at the interval of 4 years until 1994. The seasonal distribution may be caused by Iimitation of transmission due to the increased measles immunity in outbreak region. Our results showed that the measles outbreak did not occur in the specific province, but it occurred nationwide whenever measles outbreak occurred, even though the incidence rates of the provinces were different.
Epidemiology ; Hand ; Immunization ; Incidence* ; Korea* ; Measles* ; Seasons

OBJECTIVES: Two related cases of Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome (HUS) were reported to the Korea National Institute of Health in May, 2001. Shiga toxin 2 genes were detected in both stool samples. We suspected an enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) infection as the cause of the HUS, and conducted an investigation to find the source of the infection and its route of transmission. METHODS: We performed case investigations on these two related HUS cases, and obtained interviews and rectal swabs form the family members and other close contacts. Additionally, we performed rectal swabs on the cattle raised by the household of the index patient. RESULTS: We found a 20 month old index patient and a 6 year-old cousin had developed HUS, where there had been a 2 day history of contact with the index, and bacteriological examinations for these two patients revealed, indistinguishably, the same E. coli O171. The grandmother of the index patient was found to be asymptomatic, but E. coli O26 was isolated. We also found a probable case in the mother of the cousin. She reported a history of contact with the index, and developed bloody diarrhea of 3 days duration. The test results for the cattle revealed E. coli O26 in one cow, and E. coli O26 and O55 in another. E. coli O26, which was isolated in both cows and the grandmother of the index, were indistinguishably the same. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the E. coli O26 in the grandmother had originated from the cows, and that the E. coli O171 found in the index patient had been transmitted to the cousin through person-to-person contact.
Animals ; Cattle ; Diarrhea ; Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli* ; Family Characteristics ; Grandparents ; Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mothers ; Shiga Toxin 2 ; Zoonoses