In South Korea, the north border area has been under vivax malaria epidemic since 1993. However, Jeollabuk-do, which is about 300 kms from the border, has not experienced the same epidemic. I investigated a total of 58 notified cases of malaria in Jeollabuk-do in the year 2000. All of the cases had an exposure history in the epidemic area. Among them were 49 ex-soldiers, 3 soldiers who served near the border area and 6 civilians who traveled there. The causal agent of all cases was Plasmodium vivax. Except the civilians, the soldiers and ex-soldiers were aged in their twenties. In the present study, the incubation period was from 6 to 520 days with a median of 157 days, and the latent onset type (92%) was more prevalent than the early onset type. Illness onset of most cases (86%) peaked during the summer season (June to September) despite of variable incubation periods. The time lag for diagnosis ranged from 2 to 42 days with a median of 11 days. Jeollabuk-do has not been an area of epidemic until now, but incidences have been increasing annually since 1996. In Jeollabuk-do, early diagnosis and treatment can be a feasible disease control measure to prevent spreading from the epidemic area.
Human ; Incidence ; Korea/epidemiology ; Malaria/diagnosis/*epidemiology/prevention & control ; Seasons ; Time Factors

No abstract available.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Neck*

Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) is accepted as a useful tool for the diagnosis of injury of the knee recently. The anterior cruciate ligament tear is accompanied by the damage of the osseous and soft tissue of the knee. The occult osseous lesion is found on magnetic resonance imaging as bone density change that is not found on the simple radiograph. From Jan. 1992 to Apr. 1994, magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 44 patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament tears. MRI was done within 6 weeks of the index anterior cruciate ligament injury. The criteria of decreased signal intensity on the Tl weighted image and increased signal intensity on the T2 weighted image was applied for the incidence assessment of the occult osseous lesion. After arthroscopy with or without ACL reconstruction, follow-up simple radiograph was checked every 3 months. Occult osseous lesions were documented in 32(73%) of the 44 patients. Of the 32 patients with bony lesion, 81% had lesions of the lateral compartment. Lateral femoral condyle was involved in 15 cases(46.9%), and lateral tibial plateau in 22 cases (68.8%). Follow-up X-ray revealed no joint deperession in all of the 32 patients with the occult osseous lesion. This result suggests that there is a high correlation between the occult osseous lesion of lateral compartment of the knee on magnetic resonance imaging and anterior cruciate ligament tear. The presence of the occult osseous lesion in the patient with acute anterior cruciate ligament tear did not affect rehabilitation and weight bearing.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Arthroscopy ; Bone Density ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joints ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Rehabilitation ; Tears ; Weight-Bearing

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic leukocytes are prominent cellular participants in the pathogenesis of allergic disease and asthma. Chemotaxis is still a very useful method in evaluating the response of human eosinophil to novel modulators. Degranulated mast cells and activated T lymphocytes are responsible for the pathophysiology of asthma and tryptase is one of most important proteases released after activation of mast cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate the actions of trypsin and chymotrypsin on eosinophils in terms of chemotaxis and activation. METHOD: Eosinophils were isolated by negative immunoselection from the peripheral blood of atopic donors. Chemotaxis was studied by using micro-Boyden chambers and ECP release was assayed by fluoroimmunoassay. RESULTS: Eosinophil showed a chemotactic response to trypsin. Maximal chemotactic response was with 1000microg/ml trypsin (56.52 +/- 14.50/HPF) which was comparable to PAF. But chymotrypsin showed no significant chemotactic response to eosinophils. Trypsin at the concentration of 10, 100,1000microg/ml induced secretion of ECP, which at the concentration of 10microg/ml represented about 2.7 times of the spontaneous rate of release. Soybean protease inhibitor reduced trypsin induced ECP release. CONCLUSION: Trypsin can induce chemotactic response to eosinophils and activation of eosinophils that can induce secretion of ECP. On the contrary, chymotrypsin showed no direct effect on eosinophils. We propose a role of trypsin on the chemotaxis and activation of eosinophils.
Asthma ; Chemotaxis* ; Chymotrypsin ; Eosinophils* ; Fluoroimmunoassay ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Mast Cells ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Protease Inhibitors ; Soybeans ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tissue Donors ; Trypsin* ; Tryptases

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major cause of lower respiratory tract infection in infants. Life-threatening RSV infection is often reported in young children and immunocompromised hosts. Since there is no report on ribavirin therapy for RSV pneumonia in pediatric cancer patients in Korea, we report one case of RSV pneumonia that developed in an infant with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Despite administration of oral ribavirin and intravenous immunoglobulin, the patient's respiratory distress worsened and admission to an intensive care unit was necessary. Chest x-ray showed multifocal consolidation, pneumothorax, and pneumomediastinum. Treatment with aerosolized ribavirin led to significant clinical improvement. The role of aerosolized ribavirin is still controversial, but it might have a therapeutic potential for severe RSV pneumonia in children with leukemia.
Child ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Immunoglobulins ; Infant ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea ; Leukemia ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Pneumonia ; Pneumothorax ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Ribavirin ; Thorax

Interbody fusion was performed on eight cases of lumbar instability;five spondylolisthesis and three spondylolysis. Five cases were operated by anterolateral approach through the retroperitoneal space, and posterior approach on three cases after Cloward. Symptomatic improvement was obtained in almost all cases and complete fusion was observed on the roentgenogram three months later. Ambulation was possible from the immediate postoperative day without external support. While posterior approach has an advantage to observe the nerve root under direct vision, anterolateral approach has the following advantages;It is less destructive to the spinal structures, It can be performed without teasing the neural elements, anterior slipping of the vertebral body can be reduced easily, and its was applicable to the upper lumber level where neural elements qre compact. We believe interbody fusion has definite advantage to obtain strong weight bearing stability than fusion of any other parts of the spine because it has rapid recovery, low morbidity and high percentage of complete cure without disability.
Retroperitoneal Space ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis ; Spondylolysis ; Walking ; Weight-Bearing

No abstract available.
Knee* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

No abstract available.
Plasma* ; Spectrum Analysis* ; Trace Elements*

BACKGROUND: The delta neutrophil index (DNI) is a useful marker for diagnosing and predicting the prognosis of sepsis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of DNI as a prognostic marker in patients within the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), as well as its association with other prognostic factors. METHODS: A total of 516 children admitted to Severance Children's Hospital PICU from December 2009 to February 2015 were analyzed. DNI was measured on the day of PICU admission. Mortality was defined as death within 28 days following PICU admission. RESULTS: The median value of DNI was 1.2% (interquartile range [IQR] 0-4.3%) in the survivor group and 9.5% (IQR 2.3-20.8%) in the non-survivor group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). DNI was significantly positively correlated with ICU scores such as Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 and Pediatric Risk of Mortality III, as well as with C-reactive protein and lactate levels. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of DNI for mortality was 0.748 (95% CI: 0.687-0.808) and the cut-off value was 4.95%. CONCLUSIONS: The initial DNI level can be considered a useful indicator for predicting prognosis in PICU patients.
C-Reactive Protein ; Child ; Critical Care* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units* ; Lactic Acid ; Mortality ; Neutrophils* ; Prognosis ; ROC Curve ; Sepsis ; Survivors

Cryptococcosis is an infrequently recognized infection in children, particularly those who are immunocompetent. The disease is mainly caused by Cryptococcus neoformans, a fungal pathogen that primarily affects the central nervous system (CNS) and lungs. Most reports of children with cryptococcosis are of the CNS or disseminated infections among immunocompromised patients. This report is a case of a 3-year-old immunocompetent girl who presented with intermittent fever and cough; a large mass was found in the right infrahilar area on chest X-ray. Chest computed tomography revealed large conglomerated mediastinal lymph nodes caused by C. neoformans, which was confirmed by the polymerase chain reaction as well as a histological evaluation. The patient improved after a prolonged period of antifungal therapy. This is the only known report of mediastinal and pulmonary cryptococcosis in an immunocompetent child.
Central Nervous System ; Child ; Cryptococcosis ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; Fever ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Mediastinum ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Preschool Child ; Thorax