BACKGROUND: Chicken pox and herpes zoster are caused by the varicella-zoster virus(VZV). To investigate the epiderniologial relationship between clinical isolates of VZV, it is essential to distinguish different isolate. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to classify the VZV strains according to R5 tandem direct reiterations(TDR) copy numbers and Pst I endonuclease cleavage site mutation, and to analyze the distribution pattern of VZV strains isolated in Korea. METHODS: Strains of VZV were isolated from 61 patients with herpes zoster who had not been immunized with a live vaccine of VZV. Copy numbers of R5 TDR which was located in variable region IV were measured by PCR. The presence of a Pst I cleavage site in a middle portion of the long unique region of VZV genome was analyzed by PCR thereafter restriction enzyme digestion(PCR-RFLP). RESULTS: VZV strains isolated in Korea contained one to three copy numbers of R5 TDR. Of 61 isolates, 43(70%) comtained 2 copies of R5 TDR, while 11(18%) isolates contained only one copy and 7(12%) isolat s contained 3 copies. About 16% of the strains examined did not have a PstI cleavage site, although the majority of strains retained this site. VZV strains could be classified into 6 strains on the basis of the copy number of R5 TDR and PstI cleavage site, in which the strain with 2 copies of R5 TDR and PstI cleavage site positive was the most frequent type (36 out of 61 isolates) in Korea. Four batches of live attenuated vaccine(Biken) that is now used in Korea showed 2 copy numbers of R5 TDR and PstI site negative. CONCLUSION: The copy number of R5 TDR and the presence of PstI cleavage site seems to be a reliable marker for dicrimination of VZV strains in Korea. This discrimination can be used to study the molecular epiclemiology of VZV and as a criterion for identification of vaccine-related isolates.
Chickenpox* ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Genome ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid*

Spinal cord infarction as a complication of spine surgery occurs rarely. Herein, a case of spinal cord infarction, which developed in a 69 year old woman following posterior decompression and internal fixation for a T11 bursting fracture, is descirbed. The anesthetic induction and intraoperative course were uneventful, except at the end of the procedure, where her blood pressure suddenly dropped from 130/90 to 90/60 mmHg. The patient was aggressively treated with a transfusion and vasopressor, the blood pressure then returned to its usual value within 10 minutes. However, during a physical examination in the recovery room, the patient was found to have flaccid lower limbs, with impaired sensory function below the T8 level. Her cord diameter had increased, and a high signal lesion was observed within the thoracic spinal cord, from T9 to T12 level on T2-weighted MR images, which was diagnosing as a spinal cord infarction, was and showed no improvement despite the immediate and aggressive treatment.
Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Decompression ; Female ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Lower Extremity ; Physical Examination ; Recovery Room ; Sensation ; Spinal Cord* ; Spine*

Renal oncocytoma has been recently defined histopathologically but many controversies have arised about its origin and differential diagnosis. Until the present time nearly all renal oncocytoma were considered to be benign nature, but rare cases have been reported to be metastasized. We reported a case of renal oncocytoma and synchronous contralateral renal cell carcinoma treated by radical nephrectomy on one side and enucleation on the other side.
Adenoma, Oxyphilic* ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Nephrectomy

Renal oncocytoma has been recently defined histopathologically but many controversies have arised about its origin and differential diagnosis. Until the present time nearly all renal oncocytoma were considered to be benign nature, but rare cases have been reported to be metastasized. We reported a case of renal oncocytoma and synchronous contralateral renal cell carcinoma treated by radical nephrectomy on one side and enucleation on the other side.
Adenoma, Oxyphilic* ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Nephrectomy

Primary intimal sarcoma of the pulmonary artery is a rare disease and there has been no report of any case originating from the pulmonary valve. Recently we experienced a 62 year-old female patient who had a primary intimal sarcoma of the pulmonary valve with distal metastasis. She was brought to medical attention due to exertional dyspnea facial edema productive coughing and general weakness for 1 month. Chest CT and echocardi-ography suggest an acute pulmonary thromboembolism or tumor. Exploration showed a large polypoid mass arising from the pulmonary leaflets and multiple masses on distal pulmonary arteries. We replaced the pulmonary valve and reconstructed the pulmonary artery. She received radiotherapy 1 month postoperatively and now 4 months after surgery she has begun receiving chemotherapy.
Cough ; Drug Therapy ; Dyspnea ; Edema ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Pulmonary Valve* ; Radiotherapy ; Rare Diseases ; Sarcoma* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Congenital lymphedema is usually confined to the lower extremities and an isolated unilateral arm involvement is very rare. We report a 36-year-old women who had congenital lymphedema of the right forearm and hand.
Adult ; Arm* ; Female ; Forearm ; Hand ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Lymphedema*

The authors experienced 52 patients with myasthenia gravis who were diagnosed at the Department of Neurology, Yeungnam University Hospital from August 1985 to January 1996. The following results were obtained through diagnostic evaluation and treatment. 1. The ratio of male to female was 1:1.7 and the most prevalent age group was second decade. 2. The most common initial presentation symptom was ocular(71.2%) and the peak incidence group was stage I (69.3%) according to the modified Osserman's classification. 3. In 16 patients(30.8%), it took more than a year to diagnose due to symptoms which were relapsed and remitting. 4. Of 52 patients, 2 cases were associated with thyroid disease(3.8%) and 2 with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus(3.8%). 5. All of those who received anticholinesterase and corticosteroid therapy were improved with the exception of 5 cases which were improved after thymectomy and/or plasmapheresis.
Classification ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Neurology ; Plasmapheresis ; Thymectomy ; Thyroid Gland

No abstract available.
Edema*

Morning glory syndrome is a rare congenital clinical entity that results from abnormal optic nerve development. In 1970, Kindler reported on ten patients having this anomaly and coined the term "morning glory syndrome" because of its similarity to the flower. The ophthalmoscopic picture is characterized by an enlarged pink excavated optic disk containing a mass of white tissue at its center, surrounding the disk is a wide, grey, elevated annulus of chorioretinal pigment disturbance. The retinal vessels appear as multiple radially oriented branches near the edge of the disk. Vision is usually markedly reduced. We experienced four cases of morning glory syndrome demonstrating various ophthalmoscopic and fluorescein angiographic features.
Flowers ; Fluorescein ; Humans ; Numismatics ; Optic Disk ; Optic Nerve ; Retinal Vessels

Cavernous lymphangioma in mediastinum is a rare congenital malformation of lymphatic system and is caused by lack of adequate drainage from the sequestrated lymphatic vessels to the venous system due to insufficiency or atresia of the efferent lymphatic channels The authors experienced 10 month-old male patient with cavernous lymphangioma in mediastinum documented by chest CT and open biopsy The review of the literature was made briefly.
Biopsy ; Drainage ; Humans ; Infant ; Lymphangioma* ; Lymphatic System ; Lymphatic Vessels ; Male ; Mediastinum* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed