OBJECTIVES: Korea was an endemic area for lymphatic filariasis (LF), caused by the nematode parasite Brugia malayi, until the 1970s. The World Health Organization recognized Korea as LF-free in June 2008. However, it is necessary to confirm that patients that have had LF in the past still test negative, to prevent the re-emergence of LF in Korea. METHODS: We followed up a total of 83 patients who had been diagnosed with LF between 2002 and 2010 in endemic LF areas. RESULTS: Fifty-two of the 83 subjects were negative for LF, whereas 31 subjects had re-located to a different city or province, were dead, or were unaccounted for. Most subjects with negative test results still exhibited edema in the legs or the arms, and some complained of redness and swelling in the legs or ankle joints. However, we found that these symptoms were due to diseases other than LF. CONCLUSION: In this follow-up study, we did not find any evidence indicating the potential re-emergence of LF in Korea.
Ankle Joint ; Arm ; Brugia malayi ; Edema ; Elephantiasis, Filarial* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Leg ; Parasites ; World Health Organization

OBJECTIVES: Rhinoviruses (RVs) cause common cold and are associated with exacerbation of chronic inflammatory respiratory diseases. Until now, no clinically effective antiviral chemotherapeutic agents to treat diseases caused by human rhinoviruses (HRVs) have been reported. We assessed the anti-HRV3 activity of sakuranetin isolated from Sorbus commixta Hedl. in human epithelioid carcinoma cervix (HeLa) cells, to evaluate its anti-rhinoviral potential in the clinical setting. METHODS: Antiviral activity and cytotoxicity as well as the effect of sakuranetin on HRV3-induced cytopathic effects (CPEs) were evaluated using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) method using CPE reduction. The morphology of HRV3-infected cells was studied using a light microscope. RESULTS: Sakuranetin actively inhibited HRV3 replication and exhibited antiviral activity of more than 67% without cytotoxicity in HeLa cells, at 100 μg/mL. Ribavirin showed anti-HRV3 activity similar to that of sakuranetin. Treatment of HRV-infected HeLa cells with sakuranetin visibly reduced CPEs. CONCLUSION: The inhibition of HRV production by sakuranetin is mainly due to its general antioxidant activity through inhibition of viral adsorption. Therefore, the antiviral activity of sakuranetin should be further investigated to elucidate its mode of action and prevent HRV3-mediated diseases in pathological conditions.
Adsorption ; Cervix Uteri ; Common Cold ; Female ; HeLa Cells ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques* ; Methods ; Rhinovirus* ; Ribavirin ; Sorbus

OBJECTIVES: Currently, time of alcohol purchase is not part of the policies to regulate alcohol consumption in South Korea. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between alcohol purchasing time and alcohol use disorder. METHODS: The survey for this study was conducted in geographically diverse regions of South Korea in 2012. Respondents’ purchasing behaviors for both on-licensed (i.e., allows for consumption within the premises) and off-licensed (i.e., where alcohol is consumed off the premises) outlets and time of alcohol consumption were collected. Alcohol consumption patterns were examined using the Rapid Alcohol Problem Screen 4 (RAPS4). Data were also analyzed by age, gender and purchasing time. RESULTS: Results showed that among the off-licensed premises, supermarkets appear to be the most popular venue while for on-licensed premises; alcohol was generally consumed inside hotels/pubs regardless of age and gender of the purchaser. Purchasing of alcohol was highest during the day and early evening period (9:00 a.m. to 9:59 p.m.). Females are most likely to abuse alcohol than males during the early morning period and is that period after 12:00 midnight. CONCLUSION: Analysis suggests that the survey instrument used in the International Alcohol Control Study is being used to collect data on alcohol purchasing time consumption; therefore, the potential is there to provide accurate results to contribute appropriate policy responses to reduce alcohol related-harm.
Alcohol Drinking ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male

No abstract available.
Adolescent* ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify the effects of anti-smoking public service announcements on the attitudes of Korean college students toward smoking. METHODS: This study involved students via convenience sampling from seven universities who were randomly assigned to four groups. All groups completed a preliminary questionnaire, before being shown a public service announcement twice, and then completed a post viewing questionnaire. RESULTS: For announcements with positive messages, the proportion of changes in beliefs and attitudes were 39.1% and 19.8%, respectively, whereas those with negative messages showed a greater proportion of changes in the beliefs (59.7%) and attitudes (40.3%). After adjusting for sex and change in belief, the message types and smoking status were identified as factors affecting the change in the participants attitudes. A negative message resulted in a greater change in attitudes (odds ratio [OR], 3.047; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.847–5.053). Ever-smokers including current smokers showed a greater positive change in attitude than never-smokers (OR, 6.965; 95% CI, 4.107–11.812). CONCLUSION: This study found that positive anti-smoking public service announcements were more effective on attitude change than negative messages. Additionally these announcements were more effective among viewers who were current smokers or had a prior smoking experience.
Humans ; Public Service Announcements* ; Smoke* ; Smoking*

OBJECTIVES: Our study aims to provide basic scientific data on the importance of obesity management in middle-aged Korean women by analyzing its effects on blood pressure and arterial stiffness. In addition, we examined the correlations of these two parameters. METHODS: The study participants were 40 middle-aged female volunteers, who were classified into obesity group (n = 20) and normal weight group (n = 20). Statistical analysis was performed using independent t-test and the Pearson correlation coefficient was used to correlate blood pressure and arterial stiffness. RESULTS: This study evaluated the systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse wave velocity (PWV). These results were higher in the obesity group than the normal weight group. Furthermore, blood pressure and arterial stiffness (PWV, augmentation pressure) were static correlated. CONCLUSION: Obesity is closely related to blood pressure and arterial stiffness. Therefore, indices for blood pressure and arterial stiffness may play a vital role in predicting and preventing obesity and its sequelae.
Blood Pressure* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Obesity* ; Pulse Wave Analysis ; Vascular Stiffness* ; Volunteers

OBJECTIVES: To circumvent the limitations of the current golden standard method, colony-forming unit (CFU) assay, for viability of Bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccines, we developed a new method to rapidly and accurately determine the potency of BCG vaccines. METHODS: Based on flow cytometry (FACS) and fluorescein diacetate (FDA) as the most appropriate fluorescent staining reagent, 17 lots of BCG vaccines for percutaneous administration and 5 lots of BCG vaccines for intradermal administration were analyzed in this study. The percentage of viable cells measured by flow cytometry along with the total number of organisms in BCG vaccines, as determined on a cell counter, was used to quantify the number of viable cells. RESULTS: Pearson correlation coefficients of FACS and CFU assays for percutaneous and intradermal BCG vaccines were 0.6962 and 0.7428, respectively, indicating a high correlation. The coefficient of variation value of the FACS assay was less than 7%, which was 11 times lower than that of the CFU assay. CONCLUSION: This study contributes to the evaluation of new potency test method for FACS-based determination of viable cells in BCG vaccines. Accordingly, quality control of BCG vaccines can be significantly improved.
Administration, Cutaneous ; BCG Vaccine ; Cell Count ; Flow Cytometry* ; Fluorescein ; Methods ; Mycobacterium bovis ; Quality Control ; Stem Cells ; Vaccine Potency ; Vaccines*

OBJECTIVES: Although cancer survival rates have increased, serious infection complications can arise in cancer patients. Candida can occur in various tissues and has significant effects on the prognosis of patients with cancer. Thus, we conducted an epidemiological study on Candida infections in patients with cancer admitted to the intensive care unit. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in adult patients with cancer admitted to the intensive care unit between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2015. Candida infection status and predictive factors for mortality were examined in 634 patients. RESULTS: The predictive factors for mortality included the use of steroids, use of a central venous catheter or mechanical ventilator, and identification of Candida in the blood. Patients who stayed in the surgical and intensive care unit for more than 7 days had a lower risk of death than that in those with shorter days. CONCLUSION: The present study shows that invasive procedures, bloodstream infections, and the use of steroids increase the risk of mortality in Candida-infected patients with cancer. To improve the quality of life and reduce mortality, further studies are needed on the factors affecting the risk of mortality associated with Candida infection.
Adult ; Candida* ; Central Venous Catheters ; Critical Care* ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units* ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies ; Steroids ; Survival Rate ; Ventilators, Mechanical

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to compare adolescents’ health behaviors and psychological status according to whether or not their mother was born in Korea. METHODS: This secondary analysis used nationally representative data from the 2015 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. The self-administered questionnaire included computer measured socio-demographic variables, 15 health behaviors, and psychological status. Data from 65,426 middle school and high school students were analyzed. Multiple logistic regression, adjusting for socio-demographic variables, was used to analyze differences in health behaviors and psychological status between adolescents with a foreign-born mother and those with a Korean mother. RESULTS: Adolescents who have foreign-born mothers had a lower level of current drinking and subjective happiness, but a higher stress level. CONCLUSION: The stress levels of the adolescents with foreign-born mothers could be affected by their multicultural background. It is necessary to analyze stress-influencing factors of multicultural adolescents by comparing them to adolescents from Korean parents. Additionally, our society should pay more attention to the mental health of multicultural adolescents. Schools should also make various efforts to protect multicultural adolescents by adopting mental health management programs led by school nurses and counselors.
Adolescent ; Counseling ; Drinking ; Ethnic Groups* ; Happiness ; Health Behavior* ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mental Health ; Mothers ; Parents ; Risk-Taking

OBJECTIVES: The 2015 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outbreak in Korea caused major economic and social problems. The control intervention was conducted during the MERS-CoV outbreak in Korea immediately after the confirmation of the index case. This study investigates whether the early risk communication with the general public and mass media is an effective preventive strategy. METHODS: The SEIR (Susceptible, Exposed, Infectious, Recovered) model with estimated parameters for the time series data of the daily MERS-CoV incidence in Korea was considered from May to December 2015. For 10,000 stochastic simulations, the SEIR model was computed using the Gillespie algorithm. Depending on the time of control intervention on the 20th, 40th, and 60th days after the identification of the index case, the box plots of MERS-CoV incidences in Korea were computed, and the results were analyzed via ANOVA. RESULTS: The box plots showed that there was a significant difference between the non-intervention and intervention groups (the 20th day, 40th day, and 60th day groups) and seemed to show no significant difference based on the time of intervention. However, the ANOVA revealed that early intervention was a good strategy to control the disease. CONCLUSION: Appropriate risk communication can secure the confidence of the general public in the public health authorities.
Basic Reproduction Number ; Coronavirus Infections* ; Disease Transmission, Infectious ; Early Intervention (Education) ; Incidence ; Korea ; Mass Media ; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus* ; Middle East* ; Public Health ; Social Problems