Infectious diseases have historically resulted in suspended or cancelled military operations. Vaccination for disease prevention is a critical component of the military's force readiness doctrine. Until recently, Korea had not recognized the importance of vaccinating military personnel. However, a 2011 meningococcal disease outbreak at an army recruit training center led to dramatic changes in the paradigm of traditional medical practice in the Korean armed forces. A new vaccination policy was formed by a 2012 Military Healthcare Service Act. Since then, Neisseria meningitidis, hepatitis A, and measles-mumps-rubella vaccines have been routinely administered to all new recruits early in basic training to ensure protection against these diseases. All active-duty soldiers also receive seasonal influenza vaccination annually. Despite quantitative improvements in vaccination policies, several instances of major infectious diseases and adverse vaccine reactions have threatened soldier health. In the future, vaccination policies in the Korean armed forces should be based on epidemiologic data and military medical research for vaccine use and safety management.
Health Policy ; Hepatitis A Vaccines/immunology ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines/immunology ; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine/immunology ; Meningococcal Vaccines/immunology ; *Military Personnel ; Republic of Korea ; *Vaccination

BACKGROUND: The dramatic increase in use of the IgG test for toxoplasma, rubella, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes simplex virus (HSV) [TORCH] has led to the requirement for a high-efficiency method that can be used in the clinical laboratory. This study aimed to compare the results of BGI-Array ELISA TORCH IgG (BGI-GBI, China) screening method to those of Virion/Serion TORCH IgG ELISA (Virion/Serion, Germany). METHODS: Serum specimens (n=400) submitted for routine IgG testing by Virion/Serion ELISA were also tested using the BGI-Array ELISA method. The agreements of these two kinds of method were analyzed by kappa-coefficients calculation. RESULTS: Following repeat testing, the BGI-Array ELISA TORCH IgG assays demonstrated agreements of 99.5% (398/400 specimens), 98% (392/400 specimens), 99% (396/400 specimens), and 99.5% (398/400 specimens), respectively. The BGI-Array ELISA IgG assays provided results comparable to Virion/Serion ELISA results, with kappa-coefficients showing near-perfect agreement for the HSV (kappa=0.87), rubella (kappa=0.92) and CMV (kappa=0.93) and substantial agreement for the toxoplasma (kappa=0.80) IgG assays. The use of the BGI-Array ELISA TORCH IgG assays could reduce the turnaround time (1.5 hr vs. 5 hr by Virion/Serion ELISA for 100 specimens) and were easy to use. CONCLUSIONS: BGI-Array ELISA TORCH IgG shows a good agreement with Virion/Serion ELISA methods and is suitable for clinical application.
Antibodies, Viral/blood ; Cytomegalovirus/immunology/*metabolism ; *Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/*analysis/blood ; Protozoan Infections/diagnosis ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Rubella virus/immunology/*metabolism ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Simplexvirus/immunology/*metabolism ; Toxoplasma/immunology/*metabolism ; Virion/*immunology/metabolism ; Virus Diseases/diagnosis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Vaccinations are generally recommended in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, several studies showed low rates of vaccinations in IBD patients. Furthermore, vaccination rate among IBD patients in Korea has never been investigated. We investigated the vaccination rate among IBD patients in Korea and evaluated some factors that might affect the vaccination rate. METHODS: From November 2011 to February 2012, a total of 192 patients with IBD who visited Samsung Medical Center (Seoul, Korea) answered the IRB-approved questionnaire. The questionnaire included their sex, age, residence, past medical history, type of IBD, duration of illness, medications, history of vaccination about measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), varicella, tetanus-diphtheria (Td), influenza, hepatitis A and B, pneumococcus and human papilloma virus (HPV). RESULTS: One hundred twenty one (63.0%) male and 71 (37.0%) female answered the questionnaire. The mean age of the enrolled patients was 39.7 (18-76) years. Eighty four patients (43.8%) had ulcerative colitis and 108 patients (56.3%) had Crohn's disease (CD). The percentage of the patients who had got vaccination was 42.2% for MMR, 34.9% for varicella, 15.6% for Td, 37.5% for influenza, 15.6% for hepatitis A, 52.6% for hepatitis B, 6.3% for pneumococcus and 11.3% for HPV respectively. Not knowing the necessity or the existence were the common reasons for non-vaccination. Age less than 40 years, CD patients and duration of illness less than 10 years were associated with a higher vaccination rate (p=0.002, 0.015 and 0.020, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Immunization rates for recommended vaccinations were very low in patients with IBD. Efforts to improve vaccination rate are needed.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Chickenpox/prevention & control ; Colitis, Ulcerative/pathology ; Crohn Disease/pathology ; Diphtheria/prevention & control ; Female ; Hepatitis A/prevention & control ; Hepatitis B/prevention & control ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/*immunology/pathology ; Male ; Measles/prevention & control ; Middle Aged ; Mumps/prevention & control ; Papillomavirus Infections/prevention & control ; Pneumococcal Infections/prevention & control ; Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea ; Rubella/prevention & control ; Tetanus/prevention & control ; *Vaccination ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo construct a recombinant plasmid vector of the RV specific fragment for expressing the specific fragment of RV E1 protein.

METHODSRNA of the RV attenuated live vaccine Wistar RA27/3 strain was extracted and reversely transcribed. The specific fragment of the E1 gene was amplified and the PCR products cloned in the vector pGEX-2T after purification. Positive clones were selected and identified by two-enzyme digestion and sequence analysis.

RESULTSA 330 bp target fragment was successfully cloned, and the sequence of the recombinant plasmid was consistent with the original sequence.

CONCLUSIONSuccessful cloning of the RV El specific fragment and the construction of the recombinant plasmid have laid a foundation for further expressing the recombinant protein.

Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Plasmids ; RNA, Viral ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rubella virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effect and acting mechanism of Huanglan Granule (HLG) on rubella virus (RuV).

METHODSSixty patients with positive RuV-IgM were randomly assigned to two groups equally, the treatment group was medicated by HLG (one dosage per day, containing milkvetch root, isatis root and basket fern, each 30 g), while the control group by ribavirin (0.2 g, three times per day) for 20 days. The negative conversion rate of RuV-IgM and the serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were observed before and after treatment. Moreover, the in vitro inhibitory activity of HLG against RuV Gos line on cultured Vero cells was determined by cytopathic inhibition method.

RESULTSThe difference of negative conversion rate between the two groups after one course treatment was significant (86.7% vs 63.3%, P <0.05). However, it turned to insignificant after two courses of treatment (100% vs 86.7%, P >0.05). The serum level of IL-2 was lower and TNF-alpha was higher significantly in patients with positive RuV-IgM as compared with the normal range, and the two indexes returned to the normal range rapidly after HLG treatment. In vitro study showed that the inhibitory effect of HLG on RuV caused cellular change was evident.

CONCLUSIONHLG has obvious inhibitory effect on RuV, both in vitro and in vivo, it can also raise the immunity of organism and thus it serves as a safe and effective Chinese medicine for treatment of active RuV infection.

Adult ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Rubella ; blood ; drug therapy ; immunology ; virology ; Rubella virus ; drug effects ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; Young Adult

Rubella virus (RV), one of pathogens in TORCH syndrome, can lead to anisotropy of the fetus, and therefore it is of great significance to screen RV infection among women at child-bearing age. At the present, the screening of RV infection is mainly based on the ELISA method, the specificity of RV antigens is very important for ELISA tests. The antigenicity of RV is closely associated with its structural proteins, including capsid protein C, and envelope glycoproteins E1 and E2, which are important surface antigens of RV. This paper reviews the advances in the studies on the structure features, immunogenicity and recombinant proteins of the three structural proteins.
Antibodies, Viral ; analysis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Recombinant Proteins ; immunology ; Rubella virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Viral Core Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Viral Structural Proteins ; genetics ; immunology

INTRODUCTIONMeasles, mumps and rubella (MMR) are viral infections causing significant mortality and morbidity for which effective and safe vaccines are available. The safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of a combined MMR vaccine when administered to healthy Singaporean children were evaluated in this study.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA total of 150 children aged 12 to 18 months were vaccinated in this open, single-group, single-centre study [209762/147]. Solicited local and general symptoms reported within 4 days of vaccination and fever, parotid/salivary gland swelling and signs of meningism in the 43 days following vaccination were recorded using diary cards. Serious adverse events occurring during the study period were monitored. Immunogenicity was assessed at 42 days post-vaccination.

RESULTSRedness (8.7%) and pain (7.2%) at injection site were the most commonly reported solicited local symptoms during the 4-day follow-up period after vaccination. Percentage of subjects reporting drowsiness, irritability and loss of appetite during the 4-day follow-up after vaccination was 7.2%, 8% and 7.2%, respectively. None of the solicited symptoms reported during the 4-day follow-up period was of grade "3" intensity. Fever (42.8%) was the most commonly reported solicited general symptom, with 5.1% of the children reporting fever >39.0 degrees C (axillary). No serious adverse events considered to be related to vaccination were reported. Seroconversion rates were 100% for measles and rubella antibodies and 98.1% for mumps antibodies.

CONCLUSIONSGlaxoSmithKline Biologicals' MMR vaccine was shown to be well tolerated and highly immunogenic when used in Singaporean children 12 to 18 months of age.

Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Welfare ; Male ; Measles ; prevention & control ; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine ; adverse effects ; immunology ; Mumps ; prevention & control ; Mumps virus ; Prospective Studies ; Rubella ; prevention & control ; Singapore

Severe complications such as meningoencephalitis are quite rare in the setting of mumps infection. We report here on a 24-year-old soldier with a past history of MMR vaccination who was admitted because of aseptic meningitis. His mental status rapidly deteriorated and swelling of both parotid glands was observed. The MR findings revealed discrete lesions in the brainstem and thalamus. He barely recovered within 2 months. Among the adults with failure to acquire immunity despite MMR vaccination, institutional crowding can lead to cases of potentially fatal CNS complication such as mumps meningoencephalitis.
Vaccination ; Mumps/*complications ; Meningoencephalitis/diagnosis/*etiology ; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine/*immunology ; Male ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Humans ; Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of the interferon alpha-2b nasal spray in prevention of rubella and measles virus infections.

METHODSThe properly selected volunteer groups have been divided into interferon alpha-2b experimental and control group. The experimental group received interferon alpha-2b treatment by nasal spray for 2 days before the immunization, then both groups were challenged with rubella and measles attenuated live vaccine respectively through nasal spray. The sera from pre-immunization and 21 and 28 days after immunization were collected to test the IgG antibody titers. The influence on the viral antibody titer reflects the viral preventive effect by interferon alpha-2b.

RESULTSThe antibody titer difference of measles virus between experimental and control group was 1.26 (21 day) and 2.96 (28 day), there were statistically difference between them; the difference of rubella virus was 0.95 (21 day) and 0.37 (28 day), but there were no statistically differences found.

CONCLUSIONThe preliminary results showed that the interferon alpha-2b can be used as prevention method for measles and rubella viral infections.

Administration, Intranasal ; Adult ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Measles ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Measles Vaccine ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Measles virus ; drug effects ; immunology ; Recombinant Proteins ; Rubella ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Rubella Vaccine ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Rubella virus ; drug effects ; immunology ; Treatment Outcome ; Vaccination ; methods ; Vaccines, Attenuated ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo analyze the changing of age patterns among rubella patients after implementing rubella vaccine immunization to children in Shandong province since 1995.

METHODSEpidemiologic data on rubella through surveillance system for suspected measles from 1999 to 2004 and data on rubella vaccination were used and analyzed.

RESULTSThe annual average incidence rate of rubella from 1999 to 2004 had been 0.59 per 100 thousands population while 81.17% of cases were concentrated during the outbreaks. 77.77% of the cases were school children between 7-15 years old and 7.93% of the cases were under 7 years old. The age-median of cases were 10.37, 11.66, 11.41, 12.81, 14.28 and 13.96 years old from 1999 to 2004, respectively. The estimated coverage of rubella vaccine for pre-school children was about 60% but only 20% were for school children.

CONCLUSIONThe peak age of cases moved from youth towards adolescence which indicated that women with child-bearing age might have been under risk of developing the congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). It is necessary to carry out screening test of rubella antibody and vaccination to women with child-bearing age and the immunization strategy should be established to guide the control of rubella and CRS.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Humans ; Immunization Schedule ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Rubella ; complications ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Vaccination ; statistics & numerical data ; Viral Vaccines ; immunology ; Young Adult