Purpose: We report a case of permanent corneal opacity caused by unilateral chemical burns after exposure to a low-dose (0.12%) chlorhexidine antiseptic solution during a dental procedure.Case summary: A 33-year-old woman presented to our clinic with conjunctival injection, ocular irritation, and blurred vision in her right eye; all symptoms had been present for 2 weeks. These symptoms began several hours after a dental procedure, in which 0.12% chlorhexidine antiseptic solution had been splashed into the right eye. Initial examination revealed that the patient’s best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/200 in the right eye. Slit lamp examination and anterior segment optical coherence tomography revealed substantial corneal edema and stromal infiltration on the nasal side. The patient’s BCVA improved to 20/20 in the right eye after 3 months of treatment with topical corticosteroid. However, the stromal opacity was permanent and the corneal endothelial cell count was substantially reduced to approximately 550 cells/mm2. Conclusions Low-dose (0.12%) chlorhexidine on the ocular surface may cause irreversible corneal opacity and chemical burn-induced endothelial cell damage.

Stroke and cardiac disorders are difficult to approach separately. Stroke survivors commonly have cardiovascular comorbidities and vice versa. These patients often need both neurorehabilitation and cardiac rehabilitation; therefore, this is an important issue in the rehabilitation process. However, no consensus has been reached on the integration of cardiac rehabilitation and neurorehabilitation. We report the case of a 52-year-old male patient who had ischemic stroke after mitral valvuloplasty. The patient underwent 3 weeks of inpatient neurorehabilitation, and then transited to 6 weeks of outpatient cardiac rehabilitation and occupational therapy. After 9 weeks of well-integrated rehabilitation, the patient experienced neurologic recovery and improvement in his cardiopulmonary fitness. Like this case, successful integrated rehabilitation will contribute to enhancing patients' functional recovery.

Bovine parainfluenza virus type 5 (bPIV5) was isolated from cattle with downer cow syndrome in 2012, and included both respiratory and neurotropic pathogens from a variety of animals. In the current study, we conducted serosurveillance using sera obtained from seven Korean farms and optimized a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay to detect bPIV5. The overall seropositive rate for Korean cattle was 21.4% (163/760). A farm located near the city of Milyang in Gyeoungnam province had a markedly elevated seropositive rate for bPIV5 compared to that of the other six farms. The regional seropositive rates were 4.2% (8/192) for Haman, 19.5% (18/55) for Hwasung, 73.9% (65/88) for Milyang, 26.0% (50/192) for Namwon, 1.0% (1/96) for Uljin, 13.5% (13/96) for Yeongju, and 32.7% (8/41) for Yongin. The sensitivity and specificity of three RT-PCR primer sets used to amplify the conserved fusion gene of bPIV5 were also evaluated. An RT-PCR assay using the bPIVFR3 primer set was 10-fold more sensitive than the assays using the two other primer sets and did not result in non-specific amplification. These results demonstrated that the bPIFR3 primer set can be used to detect bPIV5.
Animals ; Cattle ; Gyeonggi-do ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Jeollabuk-do ; Parainfluenza Virus 5 ; Paramyxoviridae Infections* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Akabane and bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) viruses cause vector-borne diseases. In this study, inactivated Akabane virus (AKAV)+Bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) vaccines with or without recombinant vibrio flagellin (revibFlaB) protein were expressed in a baculovirus expression system to measure their safety and immunogenicity. Blood was collected from mice, guinea pigs, sows, and cattle that had been inoculated with the vaccine twice. Inactivated AKAV+BEFV vaccine induced high virus neutralizing antibody (VNA) titer against AKAV and BEFV in mice and guinea pigs. VNA titers against AKAV were higher in mice and guinea pigs immunized with the inactivated AKAV+ BEFV vaccine than in animals inoculated with vaccine containing revibFlaB protein. Inactivated AKAV+BEFV vaccine elicited slightly higher VNA titers against AKAV and BEFV than the live AKAV and live BEFV vaccines in mice and guinea pigs. In addition, the inactivated AKAV+BEFV vaccine was safe, and induced high VNA titers, ranging from 1 : 64 to 1 : 512, against both AKAV and BEFV in sows and cattle. Moreover, there were no side effects observed in any treated animals. These results indicate that the inactivated AKAV+BEFV vaccine could be used in cattle with high immunogenicity and good safety.
Animals ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Baculoviridae ; Cattle ; Cattle* ; Ephemeral Fever* ; Flagellin ; Guinea Pigs ; Mice ; Vaccines ; Vibrio

A total of 131 Pasteurella (P.) multocida strains were isolated from the lungs of 1,064 pigs with respiratory clinical signs nationwide during 2009-2010 and 2013-2014. The strains of P. multocida comprised 77.1% serotype A and 22.9% serotype D. Analysis of a recent P. multocida outbreak in Korean pigs showed that the isolation rate of serotype D decreased annually. The incidence of antimicrobial resistance, as measured using minimal inhibitory concentration values, has decreased recently. Overall, further studies to characterize P. multocida isolated from pigs in Korea are needed to prevent P. multocida infection in the Korean swine industry.
Incidence ; Korea* ; Lung ; Pasteurella multocida* ; Pasteurella* ; Swine*

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a zoonosis that affects the nervous system of humans and other animals. The genotype of JE virus (JEV) has shifted recently from genotype 3 (G3) to genotype 1 (G1) in Asia, including Korea. Thus, a rapid differential assay is required to make an accurate diagnosis of JEV genotype. In this study, we designed common and differential primer sets for JEV G1 and G3 to detect the JEV envelope (E) gene. The specific primer sets for JEV G1 and G3 specifically amplified the target gene. The detection limits of the three primer sets were 10(1.0), 10(2.0), and 10(2.0) TCID₅₀/reaction, respectively. No cross-reactivity was detected with non-JEV reference viruses. The multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay specifically differentiated JEV G1 from G3. Thus, a one-step multiplex RT-PCR assay was established to rapidly and differentially detect JEV. This assay will be useful for confirming JEV infections in animals and checking the JEV genotype in veterinary biological products.
Animals ; Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Biological Products ; Diagnosis ; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese* ; Encephalitis, Japanese* ; Genotype ; Humans ; Korea ; Limit of Detection ; Nervous System

PURPOSE: The IL-4 and IL-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Ralpha) genes are the key candidate genes for atopy and asthma susceptibility. Exposure to wheat flour can cause IgE sensitization and respiratory symptoms in bakery workers. Therefore, we hypothesized that IL-4 and IL-4Ralpha single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may be involved in the pathogenic mechanism of baker's asthma. METHODS: Clinical and genetic data from 373 bakery workers were analyzed. A survey questionnaire, spirometry, and skin prick tests with wheat flour were performed. Serum-specific IgE, IgG1, and IgG4 to wheat flour were determined using ELISA. Five candidate IL-4 (-729 T>G, 589 T>C, and 33 T>C) and IL-4Ralpha (Ile75Val A>G and Gln576Arg A>G) SNPs were genotyped and analyzed. RESULTS: Workers with the G allele of IL-4Ralpha Ile75Val A>G had a significantly higher prevalence of work-related lower respiratory symptoms than those with the AA genotype (P=0.004, 16.0% vs. 2.9%). In the skin prick test, workers with the AA genotype of IL-4Ralpha Gln576Arg A>G had a significantly higher positive rate to wheat flour (P=0.015, 8.2% vs. 1.1%) than those with AG/GG genotype. No significant associations were found in the three genetic polymorphisms of IL-4. For the predicted probabilities, workers with the AA genotype of Gln576Arg A>G had a higher prevalence of IgG1 and IgG4 in response to wheat flour, according to increased exposure intensity (P=0.001 for IgG1 and P=0.003 for IgG4). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the IL-4Ralpha Ile75Val and Gln576Arg polymorphisms may be associated with work-related respiratory symptom development.
Alleles ; Asthma ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Flour ; Genotype ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Interleukin-4 ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Prevalence ; Receptors, Interleukin-4 ; Skin ; Spirometry ; Triticum ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The IL-4 and IL-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Ralpha) genes are the key candidate genes for atopy and asthma susceptibility. Exposure to wheat flour can cause IgE sensitization and respiratory symptoms in bakery workers. Therefore, we hypothesized that IL-4 and IL-4Ralpha single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may be involved in the pathogenic mechanism of baker's asthma. METHODS: Clinical and genetic data from 373 bakery workers were analyzed. A survey questionnaire, spirometry, and skin prick tests with wheat flour were performed. Serum-specific IgE, IgG1, and IgG4 to wheat flour were determined using ELISA. Five candidate IL-4 (-729 T>G, 589 T>C, and 33 T>C) and IL-4Ralpha (Ile75Val A>G and Gln576Arg A>G) SNPs were genotyped and analyzed. RESULTS: Workers with the G allele of IL-4Ralpha Ile75Val A>G had a significantly higher prevalence of work-related lower respiratory symptoms than those with the AA genotype (P=0.004, 16.0% vs. 2.9%). In the skin prick test, workers with the AA genotype of IL-4Ralpha Gln576Arg A>G had a significantly higher positive rate to wheat flour (P=0.015, 8.2% vs. 1.1%) than those with AG/GG genotype. No significant associations were found in the three genetic polymorphisms of IL-4. For the predicted probabilities, workers with the AA genotype of Gln576Arg A>G had a higher prevalence of IgG1 and IgG4 in response to wheat flour, according to increased exposure intensity (P=0.001 for IgG1 and P=0.003 for IgG4). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the IL-4Ralpha Ile75Val and Gln576Arg polymorphisms may be associated with work-related respiratory symptom development.
Alleles ; Asthma ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Flour ; Genotype ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Interleukin-4 ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Prevalence ; Receptors, Interleukin-4 ; Skin ; Spirometry ; Triticum ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Pheochromocytoma during pregnancy is very rare tumor, and this condition is life threatening to both mother and fetus. We describe a case of pheochromocytoma antenatally diagnosed at the midtrimester in gestation. A patient was transferred to National Medical Center during gestational week 24 with severe hypertension, generalized edema. Pheochromocytoma caused by a left adrenal mass was diagnosed. The patient was treated with titrated dose of phenoxybenzamine, propranolol, and intravenous nicardipine, but, intermittent severe hypertension was developed. At 33 weeks gestation, fetal distress was developed, and emergent c-sec was done. Two weeks after delivery, she underwent a successful left adrenalectomy. Two months after surgery, all antihypertensive medications were discontinued and her blood pressure have remained normal range.
Adrenalectomy ; Blood Pressure ; Edema ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Fetus ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Mothers ; Nicardipine ; Phenoxybenzamine ; Pheochromocytoma* ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy* ; Propranolol ; Reference Values

OBJECTIVE: This study is designed to help pregnancy and delivery of mid-teenager mothers by analyzing the clinical features of pregnancy and delivery of mid-teenager mothers ranging from 13 to 16 years old. METHODS: This study includes 77 mothers aged 16 years and younger among the 3,863 mothers who delivered in our hospital from January 1998 to December 2005. We selected 100 mothers who aged between 17 and 19 years, 100 mothers who aged between 20 and 29 years as control groups respectively during the same period and statistical analysis is applied to compare the results. RESULTS: In this study, mid-teenagers constitutes 1.99% of all pregnant women. The number of antenatal care, the number of women experienced abortion, and age of menarche were significantly low in the mid-teenager mothers. Especially, the risks of anemia and meconium staining were significantly higher and the rate of cesarean section was significantly lower than those of the mothers in twenties. The risks of prematurity, low birth weight infant, preterm labor, and birth canal injury were higher than those of control groups, but there were no significant differences in three groups. CONCLUSION: Mid-teenager mothers were known to be high risk mothers in obstetrics due to immaturity in physics and low socioeconomic status. However, the risks can be decreased by adequate prenatal care, sufficient nourishment and maintenance of good habits based on medical and socioeconomic supports.
Adolescent ; Anemia ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Meconium ; Menarche ; Mothers* ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Obstetrics ; Parturition ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Care ; Social Class ; Statistics as Topic*