Parricide, the crime of murdering a parent, accounts for about 5% of all homicides. Filicide is the crime of murdering one's own child. This study aimed to review demographic features and criminal characteristics of individuals who committed parricide and filicide in Republic of Korea (ROK). This study is based on data from the Korea Police Crime Analysis System, from 2006~2013. We assessed the diverse characteristics of both victims and perpetrators. Over the selected period, 381 parents were killed by their children and 230 children were killed by parents in the ROK. Parricides caused by schizophrenic murders accounted for 39.6% of all cases. Moreover, approximately 44.4% of the perpetrators attempted suicide following the maternal filicide. In our findings, psychiatric illness was a very important predictor in parricide, and these further suggest that young mothers with severe mental illness require careful monitoring by mental health support service.
Child ; Crime ; Criminals ; Homicide ; Humans ; Korea ; Mental Health ; Mothers ; Parents ; Police ; Republic of Korea ; Schizophrenia ; Suicide, Attempted

We report a case of infective endocarditis after flexible sigmoidoscopy. In addition to persistent bacteremia with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), we found an oscillating intracardiac mass on the tricuspid valve in this patient. The patient had no underlying heart disease or risk factor for the infection due to MRSA. Vancomycin treatment for 42 days was adequate for this case. The pathogen might colonize the patient's rectum and then invade through intestinal mucosa during the endoscopic procedure.
Bacteremia ; Colon ; Endocarditis* ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Intestinal Mucosa ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Rectum ; Risk Factors ; Sigmoidoscopy* ; Tricuspid Valve ; Vancomycin

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to evaluate the risk factors for infection and clinical outcomes of bacteremic spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) due to ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae, in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis. METHODS: The ESBL production was determined by NCCLS guidelines and/or double-disk synergy tests, on stored E. coli and K. pneumoniae blood isolates collected between 1998 and 2002. Of the patients with advanced liver cirrhosis, 15 case patients, with SBP due to ESBL-producers, were compared with 30 matched controls, with SBP due to non-ESBL-producers. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, sex, Child-Pugh scores, or APACHE II scores between the two groups. Significant factors associated with infection by ESBL-producing organisms, according to univariate analysis, were: ICU care, indwelling urinary catheter, central venous catheterization, an invasive procedure within the previous 72 hours, and prior use of antibiotics within the previous 30 days. When assessing the clinical response at 72 hours after the initial antimicrobial therapy, the treatment failure rate was significantly higher in the ESBL group (73.3% vs. 16.7%, p< 0.001). Also, overall 30-day mortality rates were 60% (9/15) in the ESBL groups and 23.3% (7/30) in the control group (p=0.015). CONCLUSION: Among patients with advanced liver cirrhosis, bacteremic SBP due to ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae was associated with adverse outcomes, and significantly higher mortality.
Bacteremia/*complications/microbiology ; Case-Control Studies ; Escherichia coli Infections/*complications ; Female ; Humans ; Klebsiella Infections/*complications ; Korea ; Liver Cirrhosis/*complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Peritonitis/*microbiology

BACKGROUND: Strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have emerged as important pathogens affecting primarily hospitalized patients. However, some investigators reported an increase in the frequency of community-acquired MRSA infections among persons who did not appear to have any of the recognized risk factors associated with nosocomial acquisition of MRSA. We designed this study to assess the proportion of MRSA in S. aureus bacteremia in the community and risk factors for MRSA bacteremia. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 334 cases during 1991~1992 and 1996~1997 and 93 cases in the emergency room of the Seoul National University Hospital during 1993~1995, in which S. aureus was isolated from blood samples. We retrospectively analyzed 210 cases (154 and 56 cases, respectively), which satisfied the definition of clinically significant bacteremia and of which medical records were available. RESULTS: Of 154 bacteremia cases reviewed, 32 (20.8%) were community-acquired and 122 (79.2%) were nosocomial during 1991~1992 and 1996~1997. MRSA occupied 18.8% (6 of 32) in community- acquired S. aureus bacteremia and 44.3% (54 of 122) in our hospital cases. We could not find a statistically significant increase in the rate of methicillin resistance in the community and our hospital. All of 15 cases classified as community-acquired MRSA bacteremia during 1991~1997 had more than one predisposing risk factor for MRSA infection. Nosocomial MRSA bacteremia were more frequently observed among the patients treated in the intensive care unit. (32.4% vs 10.2%, P=0.001). CONCLUSION: MRSA bacteremia occupied 18.8% of community-acquired S. aureus bacteremia. All cases with community-acquired MRSA bacteremia had more than one predisposing risk factor for MRSA infection. We did not observe a statistically significant increase in the proportion of MRSA bacteremia in S. aureus bacteremia.
Bacteremia* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Epidemiology* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Medical Records ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Research Personnel ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Seoul ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus*

We conducted this study to compare clinical features, outcomes, and clinical implication of antimicrobial resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremia acquired as community vs. nosocomial infection. A total of 377 patients with K. pneumoniae bacteremia (191 community-acquired and 186 nosocomial) were retrospectively analyzed. Neoplastic diseases (hematologic malignancy and solid tumor, 56%) were the most commonly associated conditions in patients with nosocomial bacteremia, whereas chronic liver disease (35%) and diabetes mellitus (20%) were the most commonly associated conditions in patients with community-acquired bacteremia. Bacteremic liver abscess occurred almost exclusively in patients with community-acquired infection. The overall 30-day mortality was 24% (91/377), and the mortality of nosocomial bacteremia was significantly higher than that of community-acquired bacteremia (32% vs. 16%, p<0.001). Of all community-acquired and nosocomial isolates, 4% and 33%, respectively, were extended-spectrum cephalosporin (ESC)-resistant, and 4% and 21%, respectively, were ciprofloxacin (CIP)-resistant. In nosocomial infections, prior uses of ESC and CIP were found to be independent risk factors for ESC and CIP resistance, respectively. Significant differences were identified between community-acquired and nosocomial K. pneumoniae bacteremia, and the mortality of nosocomial infections was more than twice than that of community-acquired infections. Antimicrobial resistance was a widespread nosocomial problem and also identified in community-acquired infections.
Treatment Outcome ; Risk Factors ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Male ; *Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Klebsiella Infections/*drug therapy ; Humans ; Female ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Cross Infection/*drug therapy/mortality ; Community-Acquired Infections/*drug therapy/mortality ; Ciprofloxacin/therapeutic use ; Cephalosporins/therapeutic use ; Bacteremia/*drug therapy/mortality ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aged ; Adult ; Adolescent ; APACHE

BACKGROUND: To identify specific risk factors for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and evaluate the relationship between the mortality rate and P. aeruginosa bacteraemia in bloodstream infections, we compared the clinical features and outcomes of patients with P. aeruginosa bacteremia with the patients with Klebsiella pneumoniae or Enterobacter bacteremia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 190 patients with P. aeruginosa bacteremia were identified from January 1998 to December 2002 and included in this retrospective analysis. During the same period, 377 patients with K. pneumoniae bacteremia and 183 patients with Enterobacter bacteremia were identified and compared with those with P. aeruginosa bacteremia. RESULTS: Factors associated with P. aeruginosa bacteremia in the multivariate analysis included pneumonia, soft tissue infection, nosocomial acquisition, neutropenia, and prior invasive procedure (All P<0.05). The 30-day mortality rate was 37.9% (72/190) in patients with P. aeruginosa bacteremia, 24.1% (91/377) in those with K. pneumoniae, and 25.7% (47/183) in those with Enterobacter bacteremia (P<0.001). However, in the analysis including patients who had received appropriate initial antimicrobial therapy (n=552), the mortality rate of P. aeruginosa bacteremia was not significantly higher than that of non-pseudomonas bacteremia (28.6% [18/63] vs. 22.5% [110/489]; P=0.282). Inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy was found to be one of the significant independent predictors of mortality. P. aeruginosa bacteremia as a risk factor for mortality did not reach statistical significance (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 0.73-2.32; P=0.371), after adjusting for underlying illness and adequacy of antimicrobial therapy. CONCLUSION: An initial empirical antimicrobial coverage of P. aeruginosa should be seriously considered in patients with pneumonia, soft tissue infection, neutropenia, and prior invasive procedure, when gram-negative sepsis was suspected in nosocomial infection.
Bacteremia* ; Cross Infection ; Enterobacter* ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae* ; Klebsiella* ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neutropenia ; Pneumonia ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa* ; Pseudomonas* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sepsis ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to evaluate risk factors for infection and treatment outcome of bloodstream infection due to extended spectrum beta-lactamases(ESBL)-producing K. pneumoniae. METHODS: ESBL production was evaluated by NCCLS guidelines and/or double-disk synergy test in K. pneumoniae blood isolates stored from January, 1998 to April, 2002. Sixty patients with bloodstream infection due to ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae (case patients) were compared with 159 matched control patients with bloodstream infection of non-ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae. Retrospective case-control study was performed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, sex, APACHE II score, and the primary site of infection between the case and control groups. In multivariate analysis, significant independent risk factors associated with bloodstream infection due to ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae were urinary catheterization, invasive procedure within previous 72 hours, and the number of antibiotics administered within previous 30 days. In clinical response at 72 hours after initial antibiotic treatment, complete response rate was higher in the controls (13.3% vs. 40.3%, respectively, P<0.001), however, treatment failure rate was higher in the cases (33.3% vs. 11.9%, respectively, P<0.001). Overall 7- day mortality rates in the cases and the controls were was 20% (12/60) and 15.7% (25/159) (P= 0.451), respectively, and overall 30-day mortality rates were 30% (18/60) and 24.5% (39/159), respectively (P=0.410). When the patients with bloodstream infection of ESBL-producing organism were evaluated and the patients who received inadequate definitive antibiotic treatment were excluded, delayed effective antibiotic treatment was found to be not associated with higher mortality. CONCLUSION: In patients infected with ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae bacteremia, clinical response rate at 72 hours after antimicrobial therapy was lower, but the increase of mortality rate was not significant. Delayed effective antibiotic treatment was not associated with higher mortality, when definitive appropriate antibiotic treatment was prescribed.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; APACHE ; Bacteremia ; beta-Lactamases* ; Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae* ; Klebsiella* ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pneumonia ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Treatment Failure ; Treatment Outcome* ; Urinary Catheterization ; Urinary Catheters

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic option is limited for the infections caused by organisms producing plasmid- mediated AmpC beta-lactamases, increasingly identified worldwide. Two sporadic patients with bacteremia caused by K. pneumoniae possessing an unusual inducible beta-lactam resistant phenotype were found in a university hospital. RESULTS:We conducted antibiotic susceptibility test according to NCCLS guideline. Also, we characterized beta-lactamase by isoelectric focusing. RESULTS: DHA-1 gene conferred the resistant phenotype. The patients had experienced treatment failure when treated with extended-spectrum cephalosporin. For the isolates the cephalosporin resistance was induced by clavulanic acid (and cefoxitin). CONCLUSION: Theses results suggest that the extended-spectrum cephalosporins might not provide optimal therapeutic option for inducible DHA-1-producing K. pneumoniae infection, even when the pathogens are susceptible in vitro.
Bacteremia ; beta-Lactamases* ; Cephalosporin Resistance ; Cephalosporins ; Clavulanic Acid* ; Humans ; Isoelectric Focusing ; Klebsiella pneumoniae* ; Klebsiella* ; Phenotype ; Pneumonia ; Treatment Failure

BACKGROUND: Nation-wide outbreak of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis occurred in the summer, 2002 in South Korea. We identified the causative agent of this outbreak through virus culture and molecular biological techniques. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out with direct conjunctival swab samples and cell culture supernatants. Conjunctival swab was done at a community based-eye clinic in Seoul, September 2002. Initial screening for adenovirus and enterovirus was performed. Nested PCR for adenovirus was done with adenovirus common primers using direct swab sample, and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) for enterovirus was done with enterovirus common primers. RT-PCR with primer 188/222 for VP1 region of enterovirus was done, if initial screening test was positive. PCR product was sequenced, and homology searching, compared to prototype strains, was done for serotyping. Protease 3C region of coxsackievirus A24v was amplified and sequenced with primer D1/U2. The sequence of this region was compared to those of viral isolates, which had been obtained from several Asian outbreaks since 1970. RESULTS: Conjunctival swabs were performed in 88 patients. Thirty nine (44%) samples out of the 88 were culture positive on HeLa or MRC-5 cells. Nine (100%) out of 9 culture supernatants, randomly selected from 39 culture positve samples, were positive for coxsackievirus A24v-specific RT-PCR. Phylogenetic analysis showed that sequences from 14 culture positive supernatants, randomly selected from 39 culture positive samples, clustered into a time-related, but distinct lineage, with Asian strains. CONCLUSIONS: We identified the causative agent of the epidemic hemorrhagic conjunctivits in year 2002 as coxsackievirus A24v.
Adenoviridae ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Conjunctivitis, Acute Hemorrhagic* ; Disease Outbreaks ; Enterovirus ; Enterovirus C, Human* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcription ; Seoul ; Serotyping

BACKGROUND: Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae are major Gram-negative pathogens causing bloodstream infection. Antibiotic-resistant mutant strains that produce extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) have emerged among E. coli and K. pneumoniae and are increasingly being recognized. METHODS: The database at the Clinical Microbiology Department was retrospectively reviewed in order to identify the patients with E. coli and K. pneumoniae bacteremia. The archived blood isolates of E. coli and K. pneumoniae, isolated and stored from Jan 1998 to Dec 2002, were tested for ESBL production using the NCCLS guidelines and/or double-disk synergy test, and antimicrobial susceptibility by disk diffusion method using NSSCL guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 1045 strains of E. coli and 535 strains of K. pneumoniae were analyzed. The antimicrobial susceptibility of E. coli strains were as follows; cefotaxime 91%, ceftazidime 93%, imipenem 100%, amikacin 97%, gentamicin 75%, tobramycin 79%, and ciprofloxacin 75%. The antimicrobial susceptibility of K. pneumoniae strains were as follows; cefotaxime, 84%, ceftazidime, 87%, imipenem, 100%, amikacin, 94%, gentamicin, 87%, tobramycin, 84%, and ciprofloxacin, 87%. The overall prevalence of ESBL-producing organisms was 8.6% in E. coli and 14.2% in K. pneumoniae. In ESBL-producing organisms, all strains were susceptible to imipenem, whereas 40% of K. pneumoniae strains and 30% of E. coli strains were susceptible to ciprofloxacin. CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of ESBL-producing organisms was 8.6% in E. coli blood isolates and 14.2% in K. pneumoniae blood isolates. Among the ESBL-producing strains, only 40% of K. pneumoniae strains and 30% of E. coli strains were susceptible to ciprofloxacin.
Amikacin ; Bacteremia ; beta-Lactamases ; Cefotaxime ; Ceftazidime ; Ciprofloxacin ; Diffusion ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Escherichia coli* ; Escherichia* ; Gentamicins ; Humans ; Imipenem ; Klebsiella pneumoniae* ; Klebsiella* ; Pneumonia ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Tobramycin