BACKGROUND: Canine scabies is caused by an infestation of Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis (S. canis) in dogs and they can be transmitted to humans. Recently pet raising has been increasing in Korea and various parasitic infestations contracted from them have also been increasing including canine scabies. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical and histopathological features of experimental canine scabies. METHODS: Two dogs experimentally infested were observed for a year. They were examined physically and the numbers of S. cans were counted from scraping samples of the ear, leg and abdomen every 3 to 7 days and skin biopsies were taken. One was given systemic corticosteroids(Dogl) and the other was observed in its natural course(Dog2). RESULTS: Dogl-Clinically severely pruritic, markedly thick hyperkeratotic scales, crust and generalized erythema on the whole body developed with huge numbers(up to 754.9/100mg from scales of the abdomen) of mites, and histopathologically showed features similar to human crusted scabies. Dog2-Clinically showed milder features than Dogl including the number of S. canis(up to 242.6/100mg from scales of the ear), but histopathologically showed similar features with Dogl. Dog2 also showed a prompt response to one topical application of 20% benzyl benzoate solution. CONCLUSIONS: 1) The number of S. canis increased markedly in both normal and corticosteroidtreated dogs, although it was more significantly increased in the corticosteroid-treated one. 2) Histopathology showed features similar to classical scabies in the early stage but features of human crusted scabies in the full-blown stage. 3) Morphologically Sarcoptes canis differs from Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis.
Abdomen ; Animals ; Benzoates ; Biopsy ; Dogs ; Ear ; Erythema ; Humans ; Korea ; Leg ; Mites ; Sarcoptes scabiei ; Scabies* ; Skin ; Weights and Measures

Protothecosis is a rare cutaneous soft tissue infection caused by the genus prototheca, most commonly Prototheca wickerhatmii. An 80-year-old woman has had a painful or tender, non-healing, eczematous plaque on the extensor surface of the left forearm for 4 years. A biopsy specimen revealed the characteristic thick-walled morulalike sporangia in the dermis. P. wickerha mili was isolated in the culture and the biochemical studies. Electron microscopic examination showed the thick-walled spores containing dark dense bodies and amyloplasts. Oral itraconazole therapy for 4 weeks resulted-in a marked improvement of the skin lesion.
Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy ; Dermis ; Female ; Forearm ; Humans ; Itraconazole ; Plastids ; Prototheca ; Skin ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Sporangia ; Spores

We present a series of 97 patients with spinal cord injury. Those patients were treated at Soonchunhyan University Chonan Hospital during six-year-period(January 1986-December 1992), and followed up for at least 3 months. They were divide into four groups ; complete-surgical, complete-conservative, partial-surgical, and partial-conservative. Male to female ratio was 3.6:1, and the peak age was the fifth decade. Passenger's traffic accident(46%) was the most common cause of injury and fall/slip(39%) followed next. Level of spinal injury was cervical in 51%, thoracic in 29%, lumbar in 13%, and others in 7%. Type of injury was fracture-dislocation in 31%, dislocation in 19%, compression fracture in 19%, burst fracture in 18%, cord injury without bony lesion in 7%, and others in 7%. Cord injury was complete in 36 patients(37%) and partial in 61 patients(63%). Surgery was performed in 20 patients with complete cord injury and 34 patients with partial injury. Majority of operations were performed for spinal stability, and posterior instrumentation was the most commonly used operative method. The mean neurotrauma motor index on admission was 44.1 in the complete-surgical group, 39.5 in complete-conservative group, 70.1 in partial-surgical group, and 63.2 in partial-conservative group. It improved to 52.5, 50.3, 90.4, 80.3 at 3 months, and 53.4, 51.7, 91.8, 82.0 at final examination(mean follow-up period was 182.2 days), respectively. The mean values of the final index were higher in the surgically treated groups than the conservatively treated groups, but these differences were not statistically significant(student t-test p>0.1) The mean recovery rate was 14.2% in the complete-surgical group, 17.7% in complete-conservative group, 66.1% in partial-surgical group, and 46.1% in partial-conservative group at 3 months. It improved to 16.6%, 19.3%, 70.0%, and 48.7% at final examination, respectively. The mean recovery rates were higher in the partially injured groups than the completely injured groups(student t-test, p<0.01), regardless the methods of treatment. The final neurotrauma motor index was significantly(regression analysis, p<0.01) related to the initial index except the partial-surgical group. Neurotrauma motor index was a useful method for assessing the injury severity, comparing the recovery rate and predicting prognosis.
Chungcheongnam-do ; Dislocations ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Male ; Prognosis* ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Spinal Injuries

BACKGROUND: Leukemia cutis is readily recognized and documented by biopsy, in contrast. to leukemic involvement in more occult sites. Nine cases of leukemia cutis have been reported in the Korean literatures. However no collective clinical studies have been reported in Korea. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the differences in patient age and sex, the clinical appearences and distributions of the skin lesions, interval between diagnosis of systemic leukemia and skin involvement, clinical course, and prognosis according to the type of leukemias. METHODS: We carried out a retvospective study of 22 cases of leukemia cutis. Clinical information was obtained from the records of of 22 patients diagnosed at St. Mary's Hospital from 1988 to 1995. All the included cases were well evaluated for their clinical and histopathologic findings. RESULTS: 1. Among 22 patients with leukemia cutis, male patients outnumbered female by 2 to 1 and the mean age was 25.8 years. 2. The clinical appearance of leukemia cutis includes papules, macules, nodules, plaques in all types of leukemia. Ulcerative lesions and vesicles were seen infrequently in leukemia cutis. Leukemia cutis often involved saultiple location of the skin, with no specific predilection of the site. There were no differences in distribution of lesions depending on the types of systemic leukemia. 3. In 68% of the patients with leukemia cutis, the skin lesions developed after the systemic leukemia was diagnosed, and 14% of patients had concomitant, involvement. 18% of patients had skin lesions preceding the diagnosis of systemic leukemia, howevere cytochemical and cytomorphologic studies of bone marrow and peripheral blood smear were not employed at the time of the skin biopsy. 4. Fourteen of 22 patients(64%) did not achieve a complete remission following the diagnosis of leukemia cutis and two of 14 patients without having complete remission could achieve complete remissions with proper anticancer therapy after the diagnosis of leukemia cutis. Total eight patients(36%) achieved a complete remission, then they had a relapse of leukemia in the skin, without having had any skin involvement at the time of the diagnosis of leukemia. 5. Seventeen of 22 patients(77% ) who were being followed up in our series died after leukemia cutis was diagnosed. The mean intervals between diagnosis of leukemia cutis and death was 3.8 months and they died mostly within 1 year. CONCLUSION: The presence of leukemic infiltration in the skin may help the clinician suspect the early diagnosis and relapse of systemic leukemia. It appears that leukemia cutis is associated with a grave prognosis.
Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Leukemia* ; Leukemic Infiltration ; Male ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: This study was to identify the death recognition, meaning in life, and death attitude of participants in the death education program. METHODS: A survey was conducted, and 205 data were collected. Descriptive statistics, chi-square-test, ANOVA, and Duncan test were used. RESULTS: 1) The followings were the characteristics of death recognition shown by the participants. Over half of the participants said that they had given some thoughts on their deaths, that they had agreeable view on death acceptance, and that diseases and volunteer works made them think about their deaths. Moreover, suffering, parting with family and concerns for them, etc. were the most common reasons for the difficulty of accepting death. As for 'the person whom I discuss my death with', spouse, friend, and son/daughter were the most chosen in this order. Lastly, the funeral type that most of the participants desired was cremation. 2) The means of meaning in life and death attitude were 2.92+/-0.29 and 2.47+/-0.25, respectively. There were significant differences between health status, meaning in life and death attitude. 3) A significant positive corelationship was found between meaning in life and death attitude (r=0.190, P=0.001). CONCLUSION: For an effective death education program that would fit each individual's situation, an educational content that can make a person understand the meaning of his or her life and death, includes knowledge to lessen the fear and anxiety of death, and helps a person heal from the loss of a family member is absolutely necessary.
Anxiety ; Cremation ; Friends ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; Spouses ; Stress, Psychological

PURPOSE: This study is to understand how community members perceive past life recollection and preparation for death. METHODS: Using a questionnaire, we surveyed 160 adult residents of one of the districts (gu) in Seoul, Korea. Descriptive statistics were used. RESULTS: Participants chose their 30s and 40s as the most difficult time in their lives. The most painful experience was "an illness of a family member", followed by "trouble with a spouse", and "trouble with children". As for the most difficult social experience, "sense of loss in life" was ranked the highest. Personally, the happiest time was "accomplishment of a goal", while it was "happiness through children" in family relationship and "contribution to society through my career" in social life. As for the most regrettable experience, personally "having lived without purpose" was the highest, "not meeting my parents' expectation more" in family relationship; "not providing sufficient education" in relationship with children; "not having an occupation that I wanted" in work life, and "lack of social skills" in social life. More than 87% of the surveyed showed a positive attitude about the system of the do not resuscitate (DNS) order. For a situation where participants were supposed to have an incurable disease, "I want to be notified of the true condition" and "I want to write a will and advanced directives" ranked high, receiving more than 3.1 points out of 4. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate the need for death education to provide people with an opportunity to accept their regrettable experiences in the past as part of their life. Also, this study suggests the importance of writing advanced directives for people to prepare for"death with dignity" how it can help their decision to be better respected.
Adult ; Family Relations ; Humans ; Korea ; Occupations ; Writing ; Surveys and Questionnaires

We report a case of a tick bite by Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann. The tick was found on the left knee of a 75-year-old male and captured alive. We observed its process of laying eggs and becoming larvae after human blood sucking. Our data include the size and weight of the female tick (8.2 X 6.2mm, 138mg) after blood sucking, preoviposition period(4 day), oviposition period(21 day), number of eggs(1486) and size of unfed larva(0.40-0.44 x 0.58-0.60 mm). It had a 2n number of 22 chromosomes which showed chromosomal pattern of bisexual clones but its life cycle, especially oviposition to hatching period, showed that of pathenogenetic clones. This is the first Korean report of a tick bite by Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann and the laboratory observation of the causative tick laying eggs and becoming larvae.
Aged ; Bisexuality ; Clone Cells ; Eggs ; Female ; Humans ; Knee ; Larva ; Life Cycle Stages ; Male ; Oviposition ; Ovum ; Tick Bites* ; Ticks*

The authors studied the strabiEmus of 50 cases in children under six years of age. A total of 50 cases were screened in out patient department from April 1972 to July 1973. The results are as followings: Among them, 28 cases of exotropia, 18 cases of exotropia and 4 cases of hypertropia were observed. Generally, there were more female than male. According to the refractive status, there were more hypertropia among esotropia and more myopia among exotropia. There were only 3 cases those visual acuity were below 0.1 and the remainder were above 0.1. According to the age, there were 11 cases under the 2 yrs of age, 15 cases in the age 3 yrs to 4 yrs and 20 cases over 6 yrs. The onset of 36 cases were so incidious that were unknown and those of 8 cases were gradual. The strabismus were markedly detected under the 1 year of age (26 cases) and 31 cases were alternating type and 15 cases were monocular. And it \vas interesting fact that 19 cases were first child.
Child* ; Esotropia ; Exotropia ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Myopia ; Strabismus* ; Visual Acuity

Cervical spondylolysis is a rare condition, and less than 100 cases have been reported in the world literature. Cervical spondylolysis is defined as a well corticated defect in the posterior element of a cervical vertebra. Although the etiology of cervical spondylolysis is unknown, its association with dysplastic changes and spina bifida occulta suggest that the lesion is congenital. Here, we describe the radiographs and CT images of cervical spondylolysis involving four levels in a 9 year old boy.
Child* ; Humans ; Male ; Spina Bifida Occulta ; Spine ; Spondylolysis*

Extraadrenal pheochromocytomas developed from the paraganglia other than adrenal medulla are uncommon tumors. Such lesions have been reported that as much as 10% of retroperitoneal paragliomas arise outside the adrenal gland. But their incidence and prognosis are changing partly as a result of progression in developmental mechanism, diagnostic tools and concepts including ultrastructure, immunohistochemistry. The ultrastructure of chromaffine neoplasm from adrenal and extraadrenal tissues has been studied with chrarnaffine granule specificity and type of catecholamine content. With rare exceptions, extraadrenal chrornaffine tumor mainly has high concentration of norepinephrine which is suggested as dict relationship to numoruos electrone dense granular bodies in the cell cytoplasrn. High or intermediate level of epinephrine in tissue is associated with cytoplasmic granular bodies of much less density, Recently we experienced the exception, a case of norepinephrine secreting pheochrom-ocytoma in the organ of Zuckerkandl with epinephrine granules in cytoplasm and this discrepancy probably due to the plasticity
Adrenal Glands ; Adrenal Medulla ; Cytoplasm ; Epinephrine ; Immunohistochemistry ; Incidence ; Norepinephrine ; Para-Aortic Bodies ; Pheochromocytoma ; Plastics ; Prognosis ; Sensitivity and Specificity