The purpose of this study was to obtain a deep understanding of experiences of stigma among people infected with COVID-19 in South Korea. Methods: Data were collected through in-depth interviews from March 2021 to November 2021 with nine people who had been infected with COVID-19. The data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Results: Six theme clusters emerged from participants' stigma experiences: “I've become the coronavirus itself”, “a desperate defense to protect myself”, “pointing a finger at oneself”, “a scapegoat for the public interest”, “the aftereffects caused by social prejudice” and “an isolated loner”. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that people infected with COVID-19 suffered considerable emotional distress and were hindered in their daily life recovery due to stigma. Based on this study, medical staff who treat patients infected with COVID-19 should understand their stigma in depth and strive to develop and implement the necessary instruments and nursing intervention programs to reduce this stigma.

Purpose: Tuberculosis is an infectious condition with a high disease burden, and the stigma in patients with tuberculosis causes negative health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to define and clarify the concept of self-stigma among patients with tuberculosis. Methods: The analysis was conducted using Walker and Avant’s conceptual approach. Twenty-seven studies met the selection criteria. Results Self-stigma in patients with tuberculosis can be defined by the following attributes: 1) self-esteem decrement; 2) fear; 3) negative emotions to oneself; 4) social withdrawal; and 5) discrimination. The antecedents identified were 1) inappropriate knowledge of tuberculosis, 2) spread of improper health information through media and social communications, 3) stereotypes and prejudices, 4) visibility due to symptoms appearing, 5) recognizing the risk of infection, and 6) low financial status.The consequences were 1) concealing the disease, 2) treatment delay, 3) poor treatment adherence, 4) poor quality of life, and 5) deterioration in or lack of social activities. Conclusion: The definition and attributes of self-stigma identified by this study can be applied to enhance the understanding of stigma in tuberculosis patients and to improve communications between healthcare providers and researchers. It can also be used to develop theories and measurements related to stigma in patients with tuberculosis.

Background: Cataracts are the leading cause of impaired vision or blindness in dogs. There are many antioxidants that can prevent cataract progression, but whether they are clinically effective in dogs has not been established. Objectives: To analyze the delaying or preventing effect of oral antioxidants on canine senile cataracts through retrospective analysis. Methods: Medical records of dogs from January 1, 2015 to July 10, 2020 were reviewed. Dogs that were 8 yr of age or older with senile cataracts were included in this study. The dogs were divided into two treatment groups (dogs administered with Ocu-GLO supplement and dogs administered with Meni-One Eye R/C supplement) and a control group (dogs that were not administered any supplement). Dogs with incipient and immature cataracts were included in this study. Altogether, 112 dogs (156 eyes) with incipient cataracts and 60 dogs (77 eyes) with immature cataracts were included. The period of time that cataracts progressed from incipient to immature, and from immature to mature was recorded for each dog. Results: There was no significant delaying effect on the progression of incipient cataracts.However, both Ocu-GLO (hazard ratio = 0.265, p = 0.026) and Meni-One (hazard ratio = 0.246, p = 0.005) significantly delayed the progression of immature cataracts compared to the control group. Conclusions Although there was no significant delaying effect of oral antioxidants on incipient cataract progression, antioxidants could be used to delay the progression of senile immature cataract.

Background: The association between vitamin D and canine keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) has not been investigated in dogs. Objectives: To investigate the association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations with Schirmer tear test 1 (STT-1) and tear film breakup time (TFBUT) in dogs. Methods: Sixty-one clinically healthy, client-owned dogs were enrolled. STT-1 and TFBUT were measured in 122 (61dogs) and 82 (41 dogs out of total 61 dogs) eyes, respectively. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were evaluated by quantitative chemiluminescent immunoassay. The dogs were classified into 6 groups according to the evaluations (STT-1: group 1, normal [≥ 15 mm/min] in both eyes; group 2, normal in one eye and abnormal [< 15 mm/min] in the fellow eye; group 3, abnormal in both eyes; TFBUT: group 4, normal [≥ 20 sec] in both eyes; group 5, normal in one eye and abnormal [< 20 sec] in the fellow eye; group 6, abnormal in both eyes). Results: STT-1 was positively correlated with TFBUT (p < 0.001). Among the STT-1 groups, the mean serum 25(OH)D concentration in group 1 was significantly higher than in groups 2 and 3 with positive correlation (p < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences among the TFBUT groups 4, 5, and 6. Conclusions In dogs, it was found that serum 25(OH)D concentrations had a greater effect on quantitative KCS than qualitative KCS. Therefore, it is considered that measurement of serum 25(OH)D concentration could be included in the diagnostic tests in canine quantitative KCS patients.

Background: There has not been a thoroughly reported study of the comparison between spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) with both ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and gonioscopy on the evaluation of the iridocorneal angle (ICA) in dogs. Objectives: To investigate the diagnostic value of SD-OCT for the early detection of narrowing ICA by comparing and assessing inter-device agreement in anterior chamber angle (ACA) measurements obtained by SD-OCT and UBM, and ICA evaluations by gonioscopy. Methods: A total of 28 eyes from 28 client-owned dogs with normal intraocular pressure were included for examination. The ACA and angle opening distance (AOD) were measured from the SD-OCT and UBM images, and gonioscopy images were analyzed using the ICA grade and ZibWest angle index. Results: The mean ACA and AOD for SD-OCT were 28.31° ± 5.37° and 658.42 ± 219.90 µm, and for UBM, 28.34° ± 5.82° and 859.29 ± 221.80 µm, respectively. The mean difference in ACA between the average values of SD-OCT and UBM measurements was 0.03° with a 95% limit of agreement (LoA) span of 16.2°, indicating positive agreement; that in AOD was 200.85 µm with a 95% LoA span of 1,110.95 µm, indicating poor agreement. The Pearson correlation coefficient of the ACA of SD-OCT and ZibWest indices of gonioscopy was 0.624, indicating strong agreement; that of UBM and gonioscopy was 0.43, indicating moderate agreement. Conclusions SD-OCT is well tolerated by canine patients due to its non-contact method and might be an alternative option for early screening of ICA narrowing in clinical settings.

Two dogs presented with bilateral pattern-forming corneal opacity. Treatment with topical immunosuppressants was initiated after a complete ophthalmic examination. The response to treatment was assessed by analyzing serial images using slit-lamp biomicroscopy and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Both dogs responded to topical immunosuppressants; however, the lesions recurred once the treatment was abated or withdrawn. The most effective immunosuppressant in both dogs was 0.03% tacrolimus ointment. Early and continuous treatment with topical immunosuppressants may be necessary to improve corneal clarity and prevent scarring. SD-OCT could provide useful structural information regarding presumed immune-mediated keratitis and aid in monitoring treatment response.

Background: Long-term comparative data of phacoemulsification combined with endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (phaco-ECP) versus phacoemulsification (phaco) alone in dogs are rare. Objectives: To investigate the effects of ECP on postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) and complications after phaco in dogs with normal IOP. Methods: Medical records of IOP, conjunctival hyperemia, corneal edema, aqueous flare, posterior synechia, intraocular fibrin, and posterior capsule opacification (PCO) formation in 15 canine eyes that underwent phaco-ECP and 36 eyes that underwent phaco alone were evaluated retrospectively. ECP was applied when either the iridocorneal angle or the ciliary cleft was narrow or closed. Results: The IOP of the phaco-ECP group persisted within the normal range postoperatively.The phaco-ECP group had a shorter period of dorzolamide use than did the phaco group.PCO was formed earlier in the phaco-ECP group than in the phaco group. The phaco-ECP group showed more severe corneal edema than the phaco group at every follow-up visit.Posterior synechia was more severe in the phaco-ECP group than in the phaco group from two weeks until the last follow-up. Conclusions Although ECP might cause more postoperative complications such as corneal edema and posterior synechia, it could effectively reduce the incidence of IOP increase after phaco in dogs with a high risk of postoperative glaucoma.

Two Shih-Tzu dogs with atopic dermatitis presented with delayed periocular dermatitis (PD) following the instillation of dorzolamide and dorzolamide/timolol combination eyedrops;the development of dermatologic signs took 94 and 104 d in cases 1 and 2, respectively.Hypersensitivity to anti-glaucoma eyedrops was highly suspected, and treatment was discontinued. Delayed PD was significantly relieved in cases 1 and 2, at days 155 and 64 after discontinuation, respectively. In this study, the clinical characteristics and progression of delayed PD were described to inform clinicians who may encounter this rare side effect.

A 15-year-old, spayed, female American shorthair cat presented with recurrent corneal sequestrum in the right eye. The cat had undergone superficial keratectomy twice for corneal sequestrum treatment 5 and 11 months previously. Two layers of porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS; Vetrix BioSIS® ) were applied to the surgical corneal defect after keratectomy. Thereafter, clinical signs, such as lacrimation, blepharospasm, and corneal ulcer, disappeared 50 days postoperatively. Moreover, the application of SIS with keratectomy prevented recurrence until 651 days after surgery. SIS could be applied as an additional bioscaffold for surgical repair of corneal sequestrum recurring after superficial keratectomy alone in cats.

A 7-month-old intact female Persian cat was diagnosed with symblepharon accompanied by epiphora, brownish ocular discharge, and ocular discomfort in the left eye. Superficial keratectomy (SK) was performed to remove adhesions between the conjunctiva and cornea.To prevent re-adhesion after SK, the detached conjunctival tissue was sutured to the corneal limbus, and a soft contact lens (SCL) was inserted and a partial temporary tarsorrhaphy was performed. The SCL and tarsorrhaphy sutures were maintained for 22 days, and symblepharon did not recur 347 days postoperatively. SK combined with SCL is a relatively easy and cost-effective surgical option for feline symblepharon.