We compared the performance of three screening kits for the detection of anti-HIV in 187 samples; Enzygnost Anti-HIV 1/2 Plus, ABBOTT TESTPACK HIV- 1/HIV-2 & SERODIA. HIV- 1/2. Four samples, 3 serums and 1 CSF, from 2 patients were repeatedly reactive in all three screening kits and 2 serum specimens were confirmed positive(HIV-1) by the western blot assay. The sensitivity and specificity of all three screening kits were 100% and 98.9%, respectively. In Korea, the cause of AIDS is mostly HIV-1 and the prevalence is very low. So, all three screening kits were useful for the detection of anti-HIV from patients and blood donors. But the use of screening kit for the detection of anti-HIV-1, anti-HIV-2 and anti-HIV-I subtype O will be needed for the decrement of false negative rate because HIV infection has been increased, especially, HIV-2 infection and pediatric AIDS patient by vertical transmission were also reported, currently.
Antibodies* ; Blood Donors ; Blotting, Western ; HIV Infections ; HIV* ; HIV-1 ; HIV-2 ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening* ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity

We report two cass of HIV infection associated with condyeloma acuminatum. Two patients were healthy men who showed multiple pinkish verruc ous papules on the perianal area. Anti-HIV antibodies were detected in the patients' secatory particle agglutination test and confirmed by Western blot assay.
Agglutination Tests ; Antibodies ; Blotting, Western ; HIV Infections ; HIV* ; Humans* ; Male

We report a case of HIV, infection associated with syphilis. A 40-year-old heterosexual man presented with headache, malaise, and a cutaneous lesion consisting of a whitish patch and petechiae on the hard palate. The serum VDRL titer wss positive at 1:64 and the cerebrospinal fluid VDRL titer was negative. Anti-HIV antibodies were detected in the patient sera by particle agglutination test and confirmed by Western blot test.
Adult ; Agglutination Tests ; Antibodies ; Blotting, Western ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Headache ; Heterosexuality ; HIV* ; Humans* ; Palate, Hard ; Purpura ; Syphilis*

BACKGROUND: Because of the differences in dermatophytoses by ographic distribution in Korea, we studied the incidence of dermatophytoses in the Kyongju area. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the recant clinical and mycological features of dermatophytoses in the Kyongju area. METHODS: We evaluated the clinical and mycological aspects flermatophytoses in 431 patients from September 1992 to August 1994 in the Kyongju area. RESULTS: 1) The incidence of dermatophytoses was 7.8% out of a total of 5,549 out patients. 2) The incidence of dermatophytoses was Tinea(T.) pedis (36%), T. unguium (30.2%), T. corporis (12.0%), T. cruris, (11.5%), T. manus (7.3%), T. faic (2.2%), T. capitis (0.6%) in order of decreasing frequency. 3) Among the age groups, the in idence rate was highest in the third decade (21.3%). 4) The ratio of male to female patients was 1.5: l.5) Coexisting fungal infections were found in 1 patients (41.0%), and the cases of T. pedis with T. unguium was the most common. 6) In dercimatophytoses, the positive rate of KOH mount examination was 95.7 %, and the positive rate of culture was 77.6%. 7) Trichophytone T. rubrum was the most common causative organism of dermatophytoses (91.8%), T. mentagrophages (4.3%), T. verrucosum (2,3%), Microsporum(M.) canis (1.0%), M. gypseum (0.3%). Epidermoplyte floccosum (0.3%), presenting in order of decreasing freqiency. CONCLUSION: We find that the incidence rate of T. veriosum infection & coexisting dermatophytosis in the Kyongju area are higher than previous studies in Korea
Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Outpatients ; Tinea* ; Trichophyton

BACKGROUND: Microalbuminuria is the main parameter used in diabetic patients for clinical evaluation of early diabetic nephropathy and other complications. The most common method for quantitative urinary protein relies on a 24-hour urine collection or overnight urine collection; however, this method is time consuming and sometimes obtains inaccurate results. This study is aimed to test whether the microalbumin to creatinine ratio (Uma/Ucr) in the first-morning urine samples correlates with the microalbumin content in the 24-hour urine collection. METHODS: 59 urine samples from 59 type 2 diabetic patients were analyzed for Uma/Ucr, and for 24-hour urine microalbumin that were successively collected. RESULTS: Daily microalbumin excretion varied from 2.4 to 168.7 mg/24 hr with a median value of 22.9 mg, and Uma/Ucr ranged from 3.4 to 200 g/mg with a median value of 29.0 g/mg. An excellent correlation was found between the microalbumin excretion measured from the 24-hour urine collections and the first-morning urine Uma/Ucr ratio (R=0.93, P<0.001). All patients that excreted more than 30 mg albumin in the 24-hour urine samples also had an Uma/Ucr of more than 30 g/mg. Patients who had less than 30 g/mg of Uma/Ucr were unlikely candidates for microalbuminuria. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that measurements of Uma/Ucr in first-morning urine samples are a simple and reliable alternative to measurements of the urinary albumin excretion rate in the 24-hour urine collections.
Creatinine* ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Humans ; Urine Specimen Collection

BACKGROUND: Because of recent concern about occurrence of otomycosis in otolaryngologic practice, we studied them. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical and mycological features of otomycosis. METHOD: We evaluated the clinical and mycological aspects of otomycosis in 38 patients from March 1996 to February 1998 in Dongguk University Hospital. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Otomycosis showed high incidence in the twenties (23.7%). The ratio of male to female patient was 1:1.5. The seasonal prevalence was highest in autumn. Most common symptoms were otorrhea (39.4%) followed by itching, obstruction sensation, otalgia, and hearing disturbance. The common causative organisms of otomycosis were Aspergillus(A.) niger (36.8%) followed by A. terreus (26.3%), A. flavus (21.1%), A. fumigatus (7.9%), Candida albicans (5.3%), and Mucor sp. (2.6%).
Candida albicans ; Earache ; Female ; Hearing ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Mucor ; Niger ; Otomycosis* ; Prevalence ; Pruritus ; Seasons ; Sensation

A large body of evidence indicates that Helicobacter pylori is involved in the pathogenesis of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcers. Several techniques are currently used for detecting H. pylori. Recently the immunohistochemical method was introduced for rapid detection of H. pylori. To compare the result of the immunohistochemical method with those obtained by microbiologic methods, we glean formalin fixed, paraffin embbeded gastric and duodenal biopsy specimens from 85 patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms. We set fifty cases which H. pylori was cultivated and identified by Gram stain as Group I, and thirty-five cases without H. pylori in Gram stain and culture as Group II. The results were as follows. 1) The sensitivity and the specificity of immunohistochemical method were 94% and 80% compared with the microbiologic method. Positive and negative predictive value of the immunohistochemical method were respectively 87% and 90%. However, in seven cases of Group II, H. pylori were identified by immunohistichemical method. 2) Immunohistochemical staining exhibited bacteria that were present in the mucus layer, the surface of the gastric mucosa and metaplastic gastric epithelium in duodenum. With reference to the distribution and density of H. pylori in Group I and II, a significant correlation existed between microbiologic results and bacterial load of the biopsy specimen (p<0.01). 3) Chronic inflammation of gastric biopsies were seen in all 45 H. pylori-positive cases(100%) and 16 out of 19 H. pylori-negative cases(84%). The degree of chronic inflammation was more severe in positive cases than negative cases. Activity of inflammation was seen 98% of H. pylori-positive cases and 16% of H. pylori-negative cases. Intestinal metaplasia was seen 40% of H. pylori-positive cases and 58% of H. pylori-negative cases. Lymphoid follicles and aggregates were seen in 47%(27 cases) of H. pylori-positive cases. Among 47%, cases with lymphoid follicles were 9%(4 cases) and cases with lymphoid aggregates were 38%(17 cases). In H. pylori-negative cases, lymphoid follicles and aggregates were seen in 16%(3 cases). It is possible to obtain samples from most of the individuals who underwent the endoscopy in Korea. And this method is simple, rapid and sensitive. We conclude that the immunohistochemical method is another useful diagnostic tool for detection of Helicobacter pylori.
Predictive Value of Tests ; Biopsy

No abstract available.
Chromosome Aberrations*

No abstract available.
Hedgehogs ; Tinea ; Trichophyton

Plesiomonas shigelloides with positive reactions of oxidase and indole production is a species of facultative anaerobic gram-negative bacilli. It is an inhabitant of fresh surface water and has been isolated from surface water, fresh water fish, oysters, and various animals. It is not considered to be a part of normal human intestinal flora. In human, P. shigelloides has been associated with gastroenteritis and extraintestinal infection. There have been no previous reports of extraintestinal disease due to P. shigelloides in Korea. Rare extraintestinal infections include neonatal meningitis and septicemia, cellulitis pyometra and acute cholecystitis. The patients may take fatal courses even though they receive antiboiotic therapy. We report a case of sepsis caused by P. shigelloides in a 60-year-old male with diabetes mellitus who had undergone subtotal gastrectomy 8 years before. The patient presented with diarrhea, abdominal cramps, high fever and jaundice. Enlargement of the gallbladder was noted in an abdominal ultrasonogram. He had a history of drinking surface water 5 days ago. P. shigelloides was isolated from his blood, but he recovered after cephalosporin and aminoglycoside infusion and supportive therapy. To our knowledge, this is the first report of septicemia due to P. shigelloides in Korea.
Animals ; Cellulitis ; Cholecystitis, Acute ; Colic ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diarrhea ; Drinking ; Fever ; Fresh Water ; Gallbladder ; Gastrectomy ; Gastroenteritis ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Korea ; Male ; Meningitis ; Middle Aged ; Ostreidae ; Oxidoreductases ; Plesiomonas* ; Pyometra ; Sepsis* ; Ultrasonography ; Water