Spirochetes were isolated from the midgut of Ixodes persulcatus ticks captured at Chungju, Korea and identified as Borrelia afzelii strains by polymerase chain reaction. To determine the pathogenicity of the B. afzelii strains isolated in Korea, the microbiological and pathological features of Lyme disease were observed in C3H/He mice after intraperitoneal inoculation of the fresh isolate of B. afzelii strain. The results are summarized as follows 1) The Borrelia were detected in the tissues of heart, spleen, kidney, urinary bladder and knee joint within 7 days after inoculation of infection by dark field microscopic examination. The isolation rate from heart, urinary bladder and joint was significantly higher than the rate from spleen, kidney, and blood samples. 2) The Borrelia was detected in heart muscle by indirect immunofluorescent antibody test. 3) Antibody to the Borrelia was detected as early as one week after inoculation. 4) The marked tropism of the Borrelia was observed in myocardial, urinary tract and joint tissue. The main pathological features are inflammation in tissues of heart, kidney, joint and urinary bladder. From these results, the Borrelia afzelii strain isolated in Korea were determined as pathogenic strain.
Animals ; Borrelia burgdorferi Group* ; Borrelia burgdorferi* ; Borrelia* ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Heart ; Inflammation ; Ixodes ; Joints ; Kidney ; Knee Joint ; Korea* ; Lyme Disease ; Mice ; Myocardium ; Pathology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Spirochaetales ; Spleen ; Ticks ; Tropism ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Tract ; Virulence*

In the past decades, numerous markers and strategies for Down syndrome screening have been developed. With the recent acceptance of first trimester and integrated screening as a part of routine clinical practice, there are now a variety of accepted screening protocols for Down syndrome. These choices can be confusing both to patients and clinicians. First trimester screening is at least as accurate as traditional second trimester screening and provides results earlier. Combining first and second trimester results increases the sensitivity and specificity of screening and reduces the number of women requiring invasive testing. However, the decision to screen and to perform invasive confirmative testing is a personal one that may be influenced by the presence or absence of a family history of aneuploidy or genetic disorders and by the woman's obstetrical and medical history, attitudes and beliefs about termination of pregnancy, education, religious beliefs, and economic concerns. The purpose of this article is to outline the various options in prenatal screening, and their individual advantages and disadvantages.
Aneuploidy ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Religion ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Humans ; Molecular Epidemiology* ; Oxalobacter formigenes* ; Seoul*

Congenital midline cervical cleft is a rare congenital anomaly of the ventral neck. Less than 100 cases have been reported in the literature. This anomaly is part of a spectrum of midline branchiogenic syndromes resulting from abnormal migration of cells derived from the branchial arches. It presents as a small skin tag superiorly with a linear, ventrically oriented atrophic patch. We present a case of congenital midline cervical cleft associated with congenital cardiac anomaly.
Branchial Region ; Neck ; Skin

No abstract available.
Glycerol* ; Hearing*

No abstract available.
Blood Platelets* ; Fetal Growth Retardation* ; Platelet Count* ; Pregnancy*

OBJECTIVES: Bacterial colonization on toothbrushes can cause stomatitis and other oral diseases such as dental caries and periodontitis. In this study we tested 18 toothbrushes, of which six were left exposedto the air, six were stored in a plastic bag, and six in a toothbrush case. METHODS: ATP (RLU: relatively light unit) values measured by ATP Luminometer were compared with APC (CFU: colony forming unit) by swabbing culture method using 3M™ petrifilm™ aerobic count plates. RESULTS: Swabs from toothbrushes left exposed in the air developed an average of 651.67±261.94 CFU, while the “In plastic bag” and the “In toothbrush case” specimens developed 593.17±354.33 and 120.83±68.87 CFU, respectively. CONCLUSION: The best option is to rinse the toothbrush well with water and to keep them dry in a well-ventilated area in order to reduce the growth of bacteria in a public bath.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Bacteria ; Baths* ; Colon* ; Dental Caries ; Methods ; Periodontitis ; Plastics ; Stomatitis ; Water

No abstract available.
Cervical Ripening* ; Female ; Pregnancy

We report a case of alopecia mucinosa in a 9-year-old girl. She presented with several papules on an erythematous patch on the right side of the ala nasi, a hairless nodular lesion on the same side of the nasal canal. Histopathologic findings obtained from the nasal canal revealed typical features of alopecia mucinosa, such as reticular degeneration, cystic space formation and mucin deposition in the pilosebaceous follicle. The case displayed no evidence or clinical features of any malignant changes, and we suspect the case to be an acute form of alopecia mucinosa.
Alopecia* ; Child* ; Female ; Humans ; Mucinosis, Follicular* ; Mucins

Recently, we experienced the conservative management of ovarian cyst torsion using transvaginal ultrasonography-guided aspiration in 39 years old woman at 9 weeks of gestational age. The patient had a 7.3 cm-sized ovarian cyst suspected torsion. The symptom was acute lower abdominal pain. Transvaginal cyst aspiration was performed twice. The symptom was resolved after the procedures. The full term delivery was done by vaginal route and the ovarian cyst disappeared.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Ovarian Cysts* ; Pregnancy*