Infectious disease consultation contributes to optimal antibiotic use as well as improved treatment outcomes in many infectious diseases, especially severe infections like bacteremia. However, communication and language matter in consultations between clinicians. Communication barriers are even more complex among professionals who speak Korean, since there are significant challenges for practicing medicine while relying on language translations. This review aims to address some of the components that should be included in infectious diseases consultations for Korean-speaking specialists.
Bacteremia ; Communicable Diseases* ; Communication Barriers ; Consultants* ; Humans ; Referral and Consultation ; Specialization ; Translations

Fibrofolliculoma is a benign follicular neoplasm which usually occurs in multiple and rarely solitarily. We have found only seven cases of previous reports of solitary fibrofolliculomas worldwide and only two in Korean literature. Herein we report on a 40-year-old female patient with a solitary flesh-colored bean sized mass on the scalp which histopathologically proved to be a fibrofolliculoma.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Scalp

BACKGROUND: Norwegian scabies is a highly infectious disease characterized by crust formation, different from ordinary scabies, and is caused by Sarcoptes scabiei. After the patient in our case was diagnosed with Norwegian scabies, active measures were taken to prevent its transmission within the hospital. Methods: A 66-year-old female patient was admitted to the general ward of a university hospital on January 23rd, 2008 and 6 days later, she was found to have been infected with Norwegian scabies all over the body. For epidemiological investigation, those who had been in contact with the patient were identified and interviewed. The patient was advised to follow the contact precaution, and linen the patient used was cleaned thoroughly. The surrounding environment was decontaminated by applying surface disinfectant. Preventive cream against the Norwegian scabies was distributed to staff members and patients who had been exposed to the patient, and appointed a dermatologist to educate them on how to use of medicine, what the mechanism of the disease is, what cautions must be taken, and how to write an ex post facto report. RESULTS: After the confirmation of the 1st case, no additional cases have been reported in the hospital during the ensuing 2 months. Therefore, prompt prevention and infection control activities against Norwegian scabies can be thought to have been successful. CONCLUSION: Whena patient with an uncertain skin disease is admitted, pertinent measures must be taken from the moment the patient is admitted and contact precaution should be applied both to the patients and the staff members. When a scabies patient is detected in an institution, the medical staff must enforce as much active preventive measures as possible, and by doing so, there will be a better chance to prevent the outbreak of scabies in the hospital.
Aged ; Bedding and Linens ; Communicable Diseases ; Cross Infection ; Female ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Medical Staff ; Patients' Rooms ; Sarcoptes scabiei ; Scabies ; Skin Diseases

A foreign body reaction to biodegradable fixation materials for internal fixation of a variety of fractures and osteotomies has been described since nineteen eighty five. Polyglycolide and other biodegradable poly-alpha-hydroxyacids such as polylactide (PLA) or polydioxanone (PDS) causes a non-specific inflammatory reaction with invasion of macrophages, multinucleated foreign body giant cells and neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leucocytes. The wood and needle fish were reported to cause foreign body reaction by several authors. But there is no report about aseptic synovitis caused by intraarticular stainless steel foreign body. So we report a case of aseptic synovitis reaction to stainless steel treated successfully by arthroscopic surgery and discuss the possible reasons for this inflammatory reaction.
Arthroscopy ; Foreign Bodies* ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Giant Cells, Foreign-Body ; Knee Joint* ; Knee* ; Macrophages ; Needles ; Neutrophils ; Osteotomy ; Polydioxanone ; Polyglycolic Acid ; Stainless Steel* ; Synovitis* ; Wood

Resistance of uropathogenic E. coli to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole in Korea has surpassed the threshold of 20% at which the drug is no longer recommended for empirical treatment and routine urine culture is recommended. Given the unavailability of alternative agents other than fluoroquinolones, increased use of this agent, which is known to cause collateral damage, appears inevitable. However, the majority of study data have been reported from studies of pyelonephritis, and seldom represent the level of resistance of community acquired uncomplicated cystitis. For selection of a rational empirical agent according to the guidelines, judicious interpretation of recent studies conducted in Korea with regard to quality of the evidence is required.
Cystitis ; Drug Resistance ; Fluoroquinolones ; Korea ; Pyelonephritis

Infectious disease pandemics are characterized by extreme uncertainty. From the more predictable response to seasonal influenza, which occurs each year, we have learned the importance of effective universal vaccines and therapeutic agents to protect high-risk groups. Heterologous vaccination with different types of vaccines to prevent COVID-19 is already recommended for various reasons: shortages of mass vaccine supply; critical adverse events, and potential superior efficacy as a booster dose. However, very few studies have examined the efficacy and safety of heterologous vaccination with mixed types. This review discusses the efficacy of vaccines currently approved in the Republic of Korea, including heterologous vaccination options.

No abstract available.
Transplants*

The experience of the 2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak in the Republic of Korea showed greater impact on healthcare institutions as compared to the previous epidemic in the Middle East in 2012. However, the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus was biologically identical to that of 2012, without evidence of a mutation that would account for increased transmissibility. Due to the higher population density of Korea and lower medical costs, Korean hospitals are usually crowded with high numbers of both inpatients and outpatients, who function as a reservoir for intra-hospital transmission. The fact that the patient referral system between smaller and larger hospitals is very active and efficient in Korea was one reason for high inter-hospital propagation of the Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak. To prepare for a future epidemic in Korea, an improved contact tracing policy, improved public hospital facilities for critical care of severe infections, and pre-emptive isolation for unknown respiratory infections should be emphasized.
Communicable Diseases* ; Contact Tracing ; Coronavirus ; Critical Care ; Delivery of Health Care ; Emergency Medical Services ; Hospitals, Public ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Middle East ; Outpatients ; Population Density ; Referral and Consultation ; Republic of Korea ; Respiratory Tract Infections

The seasonal influenza vaccine programs in many regions aimed to protect most vulnerable population, but current trivalent influenza vaccine does not provide sufficient effectiveness among people under high risk for severe outcome of the influenza. The vaccine herd effect (VHE) is the extra protection of non-immune high risk persons, with increase of immunity among vaccinated healthier persons which prevents circulation of influenza in the community. Accumulating evidences are supporting the immunization of extended population with regard to the VHE.
Humans ; Immunization ; Influenza Vaccines ; Influenza, Human* ; Seasons* ; Vulnerable Populations

No abstract available.
Animals ; Mice* ; Oenanthe*