The present study investigated the prevalence rate of Cryptosporidium parvum as a cause of diarrhea. We examined 942 stools of unidentified reasons occurring in patients in whom no immunosuppression had been detected. We examined the stools for Cryptosporidium parvum via modified acid-fast staining. The clinical records of all of the positive patients were then analyzed. Nine (1%) of the stools among the 942 diarrheal patients were positive for C. parvum. The positive rate in the males was 1.1% (6/522) and the positive rate of the females was 0.7% (3/420). Age distribution revealed that the highest positive rates were in patients in their sixties, with a positive rate of 2.5% (4/158). In the clinical tests, levels of c-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rates, and neutrophil proportions were normally increased in the peripheral blood, whereas the lymphocyte proportion exhibited a tendency towards decrease. The pathological findings were compatible with an inflammatory reaction in the host.
Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Child, Preschool ; Cryptosporidiosis/*epidemiology/immunology ; *Cryptosporidium/isolation & purification ; Cryptosporidium parvum/isolation & purification ; Diarrhea/*epidemiology/immunology/parasitology ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; HIV Seronegativity ; Humans ; Immunocompetence ; Korea/epidemiology ; Lymphocyte Count ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Staining and Labeling

To investigate the occurrence and distribution of serotype, specific virulence genes, and pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns in Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from Jeonnam, Korea, we tested 87 strains which were identified with V. parahaemolyticus from diarrheal episode patients in 2005. In this study, 16 different O:K serotype combinations of V. parahaemolyticus were determined. The distributions of O and K serotypes were O4:K68 (51.72%), O1:K70 (18.39%), O3:K6 (5.74%), O1:K68 (4.60%) and O3:K57 (4.60%) respectively. Serotype O4:K68 was the regional dominant specific serotype of V. parahaemolyticus in Sinan of Jeonnam, Korea. For the detection of thermostable direct hemolysin (tdh) and TDH-related hemolysin (trh) gene of V. parahaemolyticus, PCR was performed. The tdh gene was detected in all of the V. parahaemolyticus isolates from diarrheal patients, but trh gene was not detected. Analysis of PFGE patterns of 30 V. parahaemolyticus isolates showed 3 groups and 20 types. Among 14 O4:K68 serotypes which were isolated in Sinan, PFGE patterns of 12 strains were closely related (100%), but 2 strains were related by 58.3% and 45.4%, respectively. Also two strains of O1:K4 serotype in Gurye and two strains of O3:K6 serotype in Yeosu were closely related (100%), respectively. Although serotypes (O1:K4, O1:K70, O3:K6 and O4:K68) were different, PFGE patterns were related for more than 80.9%. Therefore, the epidemiological surveillance of V. parahaemolyticus is required by PFGE typing scheme as a further diagnostic tool.
Bacterial Toxins ; Electrophoresis ; Hemolysin Proteins ; Humans ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Serotyping ; Vibrio ; Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) drugs are often co-prescribed with other medications to prevent GI complications. This study aimed to evaluate the prescribing pattern of potentially unnecessary GI drugs in patients with acute cystitis who were prescribed oral antibiotics and investigate the influencing factors affecting this. Methods: We identified female patients ≥20 years with acute cystitis who visited the outpatient clinic and were prescribed oral antibiotics between July and December by analyzing Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA)-National Patients Sample (NPS)-2019 data. Patients with no prior history of GI disorders within 180 days prior to acute cystitis, excluding or including the date of diagnosis of acute cystitis, were selected (Group A and B). Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the factors affecting the prescription of potentially unnecessary GI drugs. Results: A total of 1,544 in Group A and 552 patients in Group B were included for the final analysis. Potentially unnecessary GI drugs were presc ribed in 1,176 patients in Group A (76.2%) and 231 patients in Group B (41.8%). Third generation cephalosporines and sulfonamides showed the lower odds ratio for prescribing GI drugs than penicillins. Prescribers from Urology clinics showed more than twice odds ratio for the prescription of GI drugs compared to prescribers from internal medicine clinics. Conclusion The results of this study showed that potentially unnecessary GI drug prescriptions for patients with acute cystitis were high in South Korea. The positive risk factors affecting the prescription of unnecessary GIs were not patient-related factor but healthcare facility and prescriber-related factors.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is firstly reported in China in 2011. Thereafter it is reported an infectious disease in Japan and Korea. It is caused by bunyavirus, called SFTS virus (SFTSV). The main vector of SFTS is Haemaphysalis longicornis tick. We investigated the distribution and detection of SFTSV in ticks collected from the environment using the dragging method and dry ice fogging method from May to November 2014 in Jeollanam-do, Korea. Sampling was taken from the province Suncheon, Gokseong, Boseong, Goheung where patients have occurred in 2013 and Gurye as control. Among the total 3,048 ticks collected, 3,030 ticks were H. longicornis (99.4%) and 18 were Amblyomma testudinarium. H. longicornis was collected 1,330 ticks in Gokseong, 1,188 ticks in Boseong, 240 ticks in Suncheon, 150 ticks in Goheung and 140 ticks in Gurye. Developmental stages by month of H. longicornis were revealed that nymph (92%) was collected from May to June, adult (30%) and nymph (70%) in July, and 93% of larvae from September to October. These results showed the different dominant stage of ticks according to seasons. However, no SFTSV-specific gene was detected in 3,030 ticks of H. longicornis.
Adult ; China ; Communicable Diseases ; Dry Ice ; Fever* ; Humans ; Japan ; Jeollanam-do* ; Korea* ; Larva ; Methods ; Nymph ; Orthobunyavirus ; Seasons ; Thrombocytopenia* ; Ticks* ; Weather

Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the frontal and temporal bone is very rare. Rhabdomyosarcoma is usually a relentless, progressive which results in death of patients in a relatively short time. The authors report a case of rhabdomyosarcoma arisen right frontotemporal bone and reviewed the literatures.
Humans ; Rhabdomyosarcoma* ; Temporal Bone

Tuberculoma, once the most frequent cause of intracranial mass lesion, are now rare. Except in cases in which meningitis develops owing to extension to the subarachnoid space, the symptoms of them are those of an expanding cerebral or cerebellar mass. A 18 years old female was admitted to Chungnam National University Hospital complaining of headache and severe vomiting. Neurological examination showed severe papilledema, trunkal ataxia and mild ataxic gait. Chest P-A and skull X-rays showed non specific finding. Total removal of mass in right cerebellar hemisphere after exploration of posterior fossa was done and it was confirmed of tuberculoma histologically. Postoperative course was uneventful and discharged with good health.
Adolescent ; Ataxia ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Female ; Gait ; Headache ; Humans ; Meningitis ; Neurologic Examination ; Papilledema ; Skull ; Subarachnoid Space ; Thorax ; Tuberculoma* ; Vomiting

Tuberculoma, once the most frequent cause of intracranial mass lesion, are now rare. Except in cases in which meningitis develops owing to extension to the subarachnoid space, the symptoms of them are those of an expanding cerebral or cerebellar mass. A 18 years old female was admitted to Chungnam National University Hospital complaining of headache and severe vomiting. Neurological examination showed severe papilledema, trunkal ataxia and mild ataxic gait. Chest P-A and skull X-rays showed non specific finding. Total removal of mass in right cerebellar hemisphere after exploration of posterior fossa was done and it was confirmed of tuberculoma histologically. Postoperative course was uneventful and discharged with good health.
Adolescent ; Ataxia ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Female ; Gait ; Headache ; Humans ; Meningitis ; Neurologic Examination ; Papilledema ; Skull ; Subarachnoid Space ; Thorax ; Tuberculoma* ; Vomiting

Heterophyid metacercarial infections in brackish water fishes, i.e., perch, shad, mullet, redlip mullet, and goby, of Jinju-man (Bay), Kyongsangnam-do, Korea, were investigated using a digestion technique. Among 45 perch (Lateolabrax japonicus), the metacercariae of Heterophyopsis continua were found in 55.6% (18.5 metacercariae per fish), Stictodora spp. in 28.9% (3.6), and Metagonimus takahashii in 6.7% (17.0). The metacercariae of H. continua were detected in 23 (65.7%) of 35 shad (Konosirus punctatus). Among 15 mullet (Mugil cephalus), the metacercariae of Pygidiopsis summa were found in 100% (105.9 metacercariae per fish), Heterophyes nocens in 40.0% (8.5), H. continua in 13.3%, and Stictodora spp. in 6.7%. Among 12 redlip mullet (Chelon haematocheilus), the metacercariae of P. summa were detected in 91.7% (1,299 metacercariae per fish), H. nocens in 16.7%, and Stictodora spp. in 16.7%. Among 35 gobies (Acanthogobius flavimanus), the metacercariae of Stictodora spp. were found in 82.9% (44.5 metacercariae per fish), and H. continua in 25.7% (2.8). The adult flukes recovered from a cat experimentally infected with metacercariae from perches were compatible with M. takahashii. The results confirm that the estuarine fish in Jinju-man (Bay) are heavily infected with heterophyid metacercariae. Furthermore, it was found for the first time that the perch acts as a second intermediate host for M. takahashii.
Trematode Infections/epidemiology/parasitology/*veterinary ; Seawater ; Prevalence ; Life Cycle Stages ; Korea/epidemiology ; Heterophyidae/anatomy & histology/*isolation & purification ; Fishes ; Fish Diseases/*epidemiology/*parasitology ; Cats ; Animals

Congenital intradural intramedullary ependymal cysts of the spinal canal are very rare. The following case history is presented to emphasize the clinical features and to lead to a discussion of the origin of these cysts. We report our case with the brief review of the articles.
Spinal Canal

Swine is a common source of Campylobacter coli human gastroenteritis, for the treatment of which erythromycin and fluoroquinolones are recommended. The prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant C. coli differs significantly depending on countries. We investigated the prevalence of C. coli in swine from a farm in Buan-gun, Korea in 2010, and determined antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates. Rectal swab specimens were used to inoculate Campylobacter Preston media and incubated microaerophilically at 42degrees C for 48 h. The species were identified by phenotypic tests and by detecting hipO and glyA genes. PCR was used to detect mutations of A2074C in 23S rRNA gene, and quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of gyrA, which are associated with high level resistance to erythromycin, and with ciprofloxacin, respectively. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the disk diffusion and agar dilution tests. Of the 100 specimens, 55 (55%) yielded C. coli, and 23 of them (41.8%) had A2074G mutation. A2074G mutated isolates showed the lowest MIC90 of imipenem, while those of ampicillin and clindamycin were relatively low. The majority of both A2074G mutation-positive and -negative isolate were susceptible to ampicillin, cefotaxime, and chloramphenicol. All isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, and had mutation in QRDR of gyrA. In conclusion, C. coli was detected in 55% of swine, and A2074G mutation was detected in 41.8% of the isolates. All isolates had gyrA mutation-mediated ciprofloxacin resistance.
Agar ; Ampicillin ; Campylobacter ; Campylobacter coli ; Cefotaxime ; Chloramphenicol ; Ciprofloxacin ; Clindamycin ; Diffusion ; Erythromycin ; Fluoroquinolones ; Gastroenteritis ; Genes, rRNA ; Humans ; Imipenem ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; Swine