Nosocomial infections surveillance is the basic activity of infection control programs, and many countries conduct surveillance using various methods. We convinced that each country should conduct an adequate and efficient surveillance system depending on their situations. Here we reviewed the recent nosocomial surveillance systems of other countries. As many countries have succeeded in reducing hospital infections, we expect that Korean Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System would contribute to nosocomial infection prevention and health promotion in Korea through an active surveillance at the national level.
Cross Infection* ; Health Promotion ; Infection Control ; Korea*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Bronchogenic* ; Lymph Nodes* ; Mediastinoscopy*

No abstract available.
Transplants*

BACKGROUND: Detection of causative allergens in respiratory allergy patients is important for diagnosis and selection of treatment modality. Allergen sensitization depends on the genetic susceptibility and environmental exposure to allergens. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In this study, we tried to find causative inhalant allergens in respiratory allergy patients who underwent skin prick test with common 55 inhalant allergens and RAST at Chungbuk National University Hospital in Chungbuk district. We also evaluated the changes of causative allergens because the environment here may be quite different, since the main population lives in the urban area and industrialization began later than in the other cities and districts. RESULTS: The major allergen was house dust mite, and its sensitivity rate did not change annually. Other indoor allergens such as cockroach, and animal dander including cat and dog showed similar trends. But the sensitization rate to tree and weed pollen except grass had significantly increased since 1995. Among pollens, the increase of sensntization to weed pollen was more marked. Ratio of sensitization rate to double or triple kinds of allergens also increased. CONCLUSION: Taken together, house dust mite is still the major allergen, but rate to pollen sensitization, especially to weed pollen has increased rapidly and significantly. It is suggested that causative allergens in repiratory allergy patients has begun to shift to pollen recently.
Allergens* ; Animals ; Cats ; Chungcheongbuk-do* ; Cockroaches ; Dander ; Diagnosis ; Dogs ; Environmental Exposure ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Poaceae ; Pollen ; Pyroglyphidae ; Skin

We report two cases of malignant lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue arising in the conjunctiva. Case 1, an 18-year-old girl, showed her left lower conjunctival swelling for four months and Case 2, a 29-year-old man, showed similar lesions on both his eyes for one year. Histologically, both cases revealed monomorphous dense lymphoid infiltrates invading the overlying conjunctival epithelium with diffuse patterns. The infiltrates were composed of small lymphocytes admixed with centrocyte-like cells within the conjunctival epithelium and stroma in association with B-cell lineage. No relapse was noted during the period of about 1½ years follow-up in case 1 treated by local excision only and in the follow-up period of 2 months in case 2 treated by local excision and subsequent chemotherapy.
Adolescent ; Adult ; B-Lymphocytes ; Conjunctiva* ; Drug Therapy ; Epithelium ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoid Tissue* ; Lymphoma* ; Recurrence

No abstract available.
Esophageal Perforation* ; Intubation, Intratracheal*

No abstract available.
Measles*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare mammography and breast sonography in detection of breast cancer and to suggest reasonable guideline of breast imaging in breast cancer patients under 30 years of age in whom breast cancer shows different clinicopathologic characteristics compared with breast cancer in older women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A. uthors reviewed medical records of 27 patients under 30 years of age with pathologically-proven breast cancer. Age, family history, physical examination findings, indications for breast s0nography were reviewed. Cases in whom breast cancer lesion is detectable and cases in whom not detectable using mammography or breast sonography were reviewed. And then, authors evaluated the usefulness of each method and reasons for nonvisualization of lesion on mammography. RESULTS: Among 27 patients, 25 patients had palpable breast mass as indication of mammography and breast sonography. Cancer lesions were detectable in 16 of 25 patients (64%) on mammography and 24 of 25 patients (96%) on breast ultrasonography. Reasons for nonvisualization of cancer lesions on mammography were dense breast with nodular parenchyma pattern and minimal breast change of ductal carcinoma in situ. CONCLUSION: In breast cancer patients under 30 years of age who have palpable breast mass as a initiaJ, and main clinical problem, breast ultrasonography is superior to mammography in detecting and diagnosing breast cancer. We suggest that guidelines can avoid unnecessary mammography in these patients.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Female ; Humans ; Mammography ; Medical Records ; Physical Examination ; Ultrasonography* ; Ultrasonography, Mammary

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare mammography and breast sonography in detection of breast cancer and to suggest reasonable guideline of breast imaging in breast cancer patients under 30 years of age in whom breast cancer shows different clinicopathologic characteristics compared with breast cancer in older women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A. uthors reviewed medical records of 27 patients under 30 years of age with pathologically-proven breast cancer. Age, family history, physical examination findings, indications for breast s0nography were reviewed. Cases in whom breast cancer lesion is detectable and cases in whom not detectable using mammography or breast sonography were reviewed. And then, authors evaluated the usefulness of each method and reasons for nonvisualization of lesion on mammography. RESULTS: Among 27 patients, 25 patients had palpable breast mass as indication of mammography and breast sonography. Cancer lesions were detectable in 16 of 25 patients (64%) on mammography and 24 of 25 patients (96%) on breast ultrasonography. Reasons for nonvisualization of cancer lesions on mammography were dense breast with nodular parenchyma pattern and minimal breast change of ductal carcinoma in situ. CONCLUSION: In breast cancer patients under 30 years of age who have palpable breast mass as a initiaJ, and main clinical problem, breast ultrasonography is superior to mammography in detecting and diagnosing breast cancer. We suggest that guidelines can avoid unnecessary mammography in these patients.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Female ; Humans ; Mammography ; Medical Records ; Physical Examination ; Ultrasonography* ; Ultrasonography, Mammary

BACKGROUND: Seroincidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) among Korean blood donors has not been reported. This study was conducted to calculate the seroincidence of HBV among blood donors and to estimate the risk of post-transfusion hepatitis B by donated blood in window period of infection. METHODS: HBV seroincidence was calculated among repeat-donors who had donated from Nov. 1994 through Dec. 1996. To calculate the person-years, the database of the Korean National Red Cross was used in which results for HBsAg enzyme immunoassay were filed up. The observed incidence was adjusted by interdonation interval of incident cases, who were defined as donors showing seroconversion. The risk of post-transfusion hepatitis B by donated bloods in window period of infection was estimated. RESULTS: HBV seroincidence was estimated to be 180.85/100,000 person-years. This was adjusted as 602.83/100,000 person-years by considering interdonation intervals. The risk of post-transfusion hepatitis B was estimated to be 974 units per one million of whole blood units due to be in window period of infection. CONCLUSION: The estimated seroincidence of HBV among Korean blood donors and thereby the risk of HBV transmission by donated bloods in window period of infection was about 50 to 60 times higher than those of Japan and United States of America.(Korean J Blood Transfusion 10(1): 1-4, 1999)
Blood Donors* ; Blood Transfusion ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Incidence ; Japan ; Red Cross ; Tissue Donors ; United States