As many emerging human infections are caused by viruses, laboratory-acquired viral infection will become more common. However, additional knowledges is needed, including actual incidence, disinfectant, and prevention. Although the general biosafety principles of viruses do not differ from those of other microorganisms, biosafety guidelines and programs are not immutable and could vary according to virus and laboratory environment. Most laboratory-acquired viral infections reported in the literature were caused by violation of biosafety principles.
Humans ; Incidence ; Laboratory Infection ; Occupational Diseases ; Virus Diseases

BACKGROUND: The propose of this study was to identify the level of medical technologists' perception of and compliance with hospital infection control guidelines. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted for 65 medical technologists working at three university hospitals in Seoul and Kyunggi areas. The questionnaire was composed of 34 questions on the general characteristics (14 items) of individual responders and about infection control guidelines (20 items). Their response was marked on the basis of 5 points for each question. RESULTS: The mean scores of the perception of and compliance with the infection control guidelines were 4.62+/-0.34 and 3.85+/-0.42, respectively. The female technologists scored significantly higher than did the male counterparts in the participation level of the infection control guidelines (P<0.05). The medical technologists who had participated in an infection control educational program were more likely than those who had not to show a higher compliance level on the infection control guidelines (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that the development of infection control educational programs for medical technologists and a supportive policy of the hospital administration should contribute to the prevention of nosocomial infections.
Compliance* ; Cross Infection* ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hospital Administration ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Male ; Medical Laboratory Personnel ; Seoul ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are increasing rapidly worldwide and in South Korea, which is a major problem for patient treatment and infection control. CRE is mainly due to carbapenem-hydrolyzing β-lactamase, which spreads through genetic mobile elements. Therefore, the rapid detection of carbapenemase-producing CRE (CP-CRE) and carrier surveillance are very important for infection control. Most clinical microbiology laboratories use automated real-time PCR methods for the rapid detection of CP-CRE; in some cases, additional accurate molecular tests are necessary. For the surveillance of risk groups, the complementary use of liquid culture and real-time PCR methods is important, taking into consideration their advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, the expansion of surveillance targets is also necessary.
Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Korea ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

We investigated the immunogenicity of recombinant rMSP1 (rPbMSP1) that was generated from Plasmodium berghei. The rPbMSP1 formulated in alum was found to be immunogenic which induced high levels of specific anti-rPbMSP1 antibody. The IgG2a response predominated over IgG1 during the challenge infection in the vaccinated mice. Mice vaccinated with rPbMSP1 in alum mounted significant protective immunity against challenge infection (P < 0.01). On day 121 after the booster, three out of ten mice immunized with rPbMSP1 in PBS survived parasite infection (P < 0.05) and eight out of ten mice vaccinated with r MSP1 in alum did (P < 0.01). Hence, immunization with MSP1 in alum obviously has conferred protective effects, which prevented death from P. berghei lethal infection in mice (P < 0.01). These observations provide an excellent model for clinical assessment of this formulation in human subjects.
aluminum sulfate ; Laboratory mice ; upper case pea ; Infection as complication of medical care ; protect

Fyn is a Src family protein tyrosine kinase associated with TCR/CD3 complex. Fyn appears to play a role in the activation of T cells based on its enzymatic activation and tyrosine phosphorylation following the ligation of TCR/CD3, and it also plays a critical role in the calcium flux and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production. The protective response against murine Leishmania major infection is associated with the T helper-type 1 (Th1) responses and the ability to modulate Th1 cytokines such as IL-2 and interferon-γ, respectively. The role of Fyn tyrosine kinase in vivo was directly examined by the response to infection with L. major in C57BL/6 fyn-deficient mice. Despite the absence of Fyn, the mice remained resistant to this infection with only mild lesion development, and, they demonstrated Th1 responses as assessed by the delayed-type hypersensitivity response and cytokine milieu. The findings in the fyn-deficient mice failed to support a relationship between the anticipated functions of Fyn in vitro and the immune response to L. major infection in vivo. As a result, in leishmanial disease, Fyn probably plays a minor role in the protective immune response and is, therefore, not a key factor in such a response.
Infection as complication of medical care ; Role ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinase ; Upper case tea ; Laboratory mice

Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Humans ; Laboratory Infection ; prevention & control ; Organization and Administration ; SARS Virus ; isolation & purification ; Safety ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; prevention & control ; virology

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver and causes both acute and chronic disease. It is transmitted through contact with an infected person's bodily fluids. It is an occupational hazard for healthcare workers and can be prevented by the administration of a vaccine. It is recommended that healthcare workers be vaccinated against vaccine preventable diseases including hepatitis B. The study objective was to determine the prevalence and determinants of hepatitis B vaccination among healthcare workers in selected health facilities in Lusaka. METHODS: The study took place in seven health facilities across Lusaka district in Zambia. A total sample size of 331 healthcare workers was selected of which; 90 were nurses, 88 were doctors, 86 were laboratory personnel and 67 were general workers. A self-administered structured questionnaire was given to a total of 331 healthcare workers. Investigator led stepwise approach was used to select the best predictor variables in a multiple logistic regression model and all analyses were performed using STATA software, version 12.1 SE (Stata Corporation, College Station, TX, USA). RESULTS: Only 64(19.3%) of the healthcare workers were vaccinated against hepatitis B, with 35 (54.7%) of these being fully vaccinated and 29 (45.3%) partially vaccinated. Analysis showed that; age of the healthcare worker, sharp injuries per year and training in infection control were the variables that were statistically significant in predicting a healthcare worker's vaccination status. CONCLUSION: It is reassuring to learn that healthcare workers have knowledge regarding hepatitis B and the vaccine and are willing to be vaccinated against it. Health institutions should bear the cost for vaccinating staff and efforts should be made for appropriate health education regarding hepatitis B infection and its prevention. Establishment of policies on compulsory hepatitis B vaccination for healthcare workers in Zambia is recommended.
Chronic Disease ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Health Education ; Health Facilities* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Laboratory Personnel ; Liver ; Logistic Models ; Prevalence ; Research Personnel ; Sample Size ; Vaccination* ; Zambia*

BACKGROUND: Pathogen-transmission precautions (PTP), including standard precautions, have been introduced to control the transmission of pathogens among patients and healthcare workers. The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge regarding PTP and the attitude towards these precautions among healthcare workers in a hospital setting. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was performed from March to April 2007 using a self-administered questionnaire completed by 235 physicians, 491 nurses, and 117 laboratory technicians working at a large teaching hospital in urban area in Korea. RESULTS: The overall percentage of correct answers to 13 knowledge-type questions was 66.3%, and the percentage of correct answers differed significantly depending on the profession of the respondents (P<0.001) and exposure to PTP training (P=0.003). The guidelines were the preferred source of information on PTP (57.3%) followed by infection control practitioners (32.0%). The most important obstacles to compliance with PTP guidelines were lack of time (67.5%), forgetfulness (46.8%), lack of knowledge (33.8%), and lack of means (11.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Level of knowledge on the PTP guidelines was low and required improvement. Lack of time was the most important factor reported leading to poor compliance with the PTP guidelines.
Compliance ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Delivery of Health Care ; Disease Transmission, Infectious ; Hospitals, General ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Infection Control Practitioners ; Laboratory Personnel ; Universal Precautions

The quality control process throughout the Ebola virus nucleic acid detection in Sierra Leone-China Friendship Biological Safety Laboratory (SLE-CHN Biosafety Lab) was described in detail, in order to comprehensively display the scientific, rigorous, accurate and efficient practice in detection of Ebola virus of first batch detection team in SLE-CHN Biosafety Lab. Firstly, the key points of laboratory quality control system was described, including the managements and organizing, quality control documents and information management, instrument, reagents and supplies, assessment, facilities design and space allocation, laboratory maintenance and biosecurity. Secondly, the application of quality control methods in the whole process of the Ebola virus detection, including before the test, during the test and after the test, was analyzed. The excellent and professional laboratory staffs, the implementation of humanized management are the cornerstone of the success; High-level biological safety protection is the premise for effective quality control and completion of Ebola virus detection tasks. And professional logistics is prerequisite for launching the laboratory diagnosis of Ebola virus. The establishment and running of SLE-CHN Biosafety Lab has landmark significance for the friendship between Sierra Leone and China, and the lab becomes the most important base for Ebola virus laboratory testing in Sierra Leone.
China ; Ebolavirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola ; diagnosis ; virology ; Humans ; Laboratories ; manpower ; standards ; Laboratory Infection ; Quality Control ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Sierra Leone

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is beneficial in treatment of stroke or head and neck cancer. The situation for dementia is unknown. Presently, results, complications, and survival of PEG patients with or without dementia were assessed. METHODS: In a retrospective analysis of 67 patients, gender, age, diagnosis, laboratory results, complications, tube change, early death and death were compared in dementia (n=5) and non-dementia (n=62) patients (average age 68.7 years). RESULTS: Patient clinical characteristics were not different, except for the proportion of gender. Complications occurred in 11 cases (16.4%). Wound infection was the most common complication followed by Mallory-Weiss tear, tube leakage, fever and pneumonia. Twenty six patients (38.8%) died during the follow-up period, and the 30 day mortality rate was 2.7%. Average survival of dementia and non-dementia patients was 12 months and 25 months, respectively. Dementia patients showed a tendency for shorter survival, although it was insignificant (p=0.068). Dementia was the only predictor of mortality that showed significance (p=0.006). CONCLUSION: In this study there was a tendency for shorter survival in dementia patients and dementia was the only significant predictor of mortality.
Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Dementia ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrostomy ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Mallory-Weiss Syndrome ; Pneumonia ; Retrospective Studies ; Stroke ; Wound Infection