We produced two murine monoclonal antibodies designated S2E1 and S2C11, which recognize S antigen of hepatitis B virus (HBsAg). S2E1 could bind to denatured form of recombinant HBsAg as well as native form of HBsAg, but S2C11 could bind only to native form of HBsAg. Both antibodies reacted with HBsAg in the hepatocyte of patient infected with hepatitis B virus. Analyses of the nucleotide sequences encoding the variable regions of these antibodies revealed that S2E1 and S2C11 utilize variable gene segment which belong to V4/5 gene family and utilize the J5 and Jk4 gene segments, respectively. In addition, the heavy chain of S2E1 express a member of V14 gene family and a member of DSP2.9 and Jh3 gene families. S2C11 is related to the V1 gene family and expresses DFL16.1 gene regions in conjunction with the Jh3 gene segment.
Antibodies ; Antibodies, Monoclonal* ; Base Sequence ; Clone Cells* ; Cloning, Organism* ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatocytes ; Humans

Background: A clinician reported unusually high incidence of A. xylosoxidans isolation from aspirated tissues in outpatient clinic. Methods: A. xylosoxidans isolates from January 2002 to June 2002 were investigated. The infection control nurse reviewed medical records and observed the procedures of tissue aspiration and culture at the clinical microbiology laboratory. Specimens were obtained for investigational cultures from dye, aspiration gun, slide alcohol sponge, tray, sink. water of sink, buffer solution, microscope, computer, and telephone. Results: A. xyloxosidans was isolated from twenty-four patients during 6 months. None of 24 cases had any typical signs or symptoms of infections by A. xylosoxidans. Observation of tissue aspiration and culture procedure revealed that buffer solution was used for prevention of specimen drying after tissue aspiration. Culture of the buffer solution yielded a heavy growth of A. xylosoxidans from four out of ten specimens. A. xylosoxidans was not isolated from any other investigational specimens. Conclusions: This was supposed to represent pseudoepidemic. Contaminated buffer solution was documented as the cause of this pseudoepidemic. The usage of buffer solution was stopped. During the follow-up period of 2 months, no additional A. Xylosoxidans was cultured from aspirated tissues.
Alcaligenes* ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infection Control ; Medical Records ; Methods ; Porifera ; Telephone ; Water

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to improve the working competencies of novice infection control nurses (ICNs) and thereby prevent healthcare associated infection. We developed and implemented an education program and then evaluated its effectiveness. METHODS: The education program was developed by conducting a literature review and four expert group discussions. The program was implemented twice, and included 3 days of lectures and 1 day of practice in Seoul and Pusan, for 157 ICNs with less than 3 years of experience. The knowledge of the participants before and after the educational program and overall satisfaction were measured. Data were analyzed using the SPSS WIN 18.0 program. RESULTS: The education program consisted of 12 lectures and 2 practices in total. The post-program knowledge score increased to 77.99 compared to 45.91 prior to participating in the program (P<.001). The scores for overall satisfaction, knowledge acquirement, and usefulness in field practice were 9.05, 8.97, and 9.01, respectively. The overall satisfaction was higher for the practice component (9.37) than the lectures (9.00). There were significant differences in surveillance knowledge according to age (F=3.94, P=.021), hospital career (F=3.71, P=.027), hospital type (F=5.36, P=.006), and hospital size (F=6.19, P=.003); and there were significant differences in hand hygiene knowledge according to age (F=4.14, P=.018) and hospital type (F=4.84, P=.009). However, there was no difference in overall satisfaction with the program. CONCLUSION: To enhance working competencies and professionalism, education programs considering the characteristics and needs of the ICNs must be developed. Moreover, professional training courses are needed to nurture ICNs in small hospitals.
Busan ; Cross Infection ; Education* ; Hand Hygiene ; Health Facility Size ; Infection Control* ; Lectures ; Professionalism ; Seoul

PURPOSE: The purpose of this trial was to determine whether salbtamol and budesonide combined inhalation therapy is more efficacious than conservative treatment for admitted infants with bronchiolitis in early phase. METHODS: The study subjects were 72 infants admitted to Sun Hospital in Taejeon from July 1994 to June 1995, whose age from 1 month to 12 months with clinical diagnosis of bronchiolitis. Infants were randomly assigned to different three treatment groups as follw: Group C: 21 infants who received conservative treatment with oxygen (4liter/min); Group A: 23 infants who received salbutamol (0.1mg/kg) inhalation therapy using ultrasonic nebulizer at 6 hours interval add to conservative therapy; Group B: 28 infants who received budesonide (0.1mg/kg) inhalation therapy with above mentioned treatment at 12 hours interval. Then, infants were analyzed by comparison of clinical score, repiratory rate at time order of entry, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, and 5 days after treatment. We also compared ABGA of admission time to 24 hours after treatment of all groups and appreciate total hospital days of three groups. On follow up, same analyzing methods of comparison were used on 42 non-recurrent wheezing infants. RESULTS: The mean values of clinical score and respiratory rate were significantly improved in salbutamol and budesonide inhalation treatment group at 24 hours from medium of 6.1 60.7/min to 2.4, 42.3/min respectly. This effect was sustained thereafter. On the while, salbutamol inhalation group was significantly improved the clinical score and respiratory reate at 12 hours after therapy, but thereafter there was no obvious difference to conservative treatment. After then we exclude the recurrent infants and analyzed above mentioned items retrospectively. The improvement of clinical score and respiratory rate of salbutamol and budesonide inhalation therapy group was significant. Oxygenation was improved after 24hours of salbutamol and budesonide inhalation therapy. Total hospital stay was significantly reduced in salbutamol and budesonide inhalation group, and slightly reduced inthe salbutamol inhalation group. CONCLUSION: Infants with bronchiolitis treated with salbutamol and budesonide inhalation achieved better results in clinical score, repiratory rate PO2, and hospital days than no inhalation therapy. No reapiratory failure was occurred. So, this trial as treatment of bronchiolitis may be useful and effective therapy in those infants.
Albuterol* ; Bronchiolitis* ; Budesonide* ; Daejeon ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant* ; Inhalation* ; Length of Stay ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Oxygen ; Respiratory Rate ; Respiratory Sounds ; Respiratory Therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Solar System ; Ultrasonics

PURPOSE: The purpose of this trial was to determine whether salbtamol and budesonide combined inhalation therapy is more efficacious than conservative treatment for admitted infants with bronchiolitis in early phase. METHODS: The study subjects were 72 infants admitted to Sun Hospital in Taejeon from July 1994 to June 1995, whose age from 1 month to 12 months with clinical diagnosis of bronchiolitis. Infants were randomly assigned to different three treatment groups as follw: Group C: 21 infants who received conservative treatment with oxygen (4liter/min); Group A: 23 infants who received salbutamol (0.1mg/kg) inhalation therapy using ultrasonic nebulizer at 6 hours interval add to conservative therapy; Group B: 28 infants who received budesonide (0.1mg/kg) inhalation therapy with above mentioned treatment at 12 hours interval. Then, infants were analyzed by comparison of clinical score, repiratory rate at time order of entry, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, and 5 days after treatment. We also compared ABGA of admission time to 24 hours after treatment of all groups and appreciate total hospital days of three groups. On follow up, same analyzing methods of comparison were used on 42 non-recurrent wheezing infants. RESULTS: The mean values of clinical score and respiratory rate were significantly improved in salbutamol and budesonide inhalation treatment group at 24 hours from medium of 6.1 60.7/min to 2.4, 42.3/min respectly. This effect was sustained thereafter. On the while, salbutamol inhalation group was significantly improved the clinical score and respiratory reate at 12 hours after therapy, but thereafter there was no obvious difference to conservative treatment. After then we exclude the recurrent infants and analyzed above mentioned items retrospectively. The improvement of clinical score and respiratory rate of salbutamol and budesonide inhalation therapy group was significant. Oxygenation was improved after 24hours of salbutamol and budesonide inhalation therapy. Total hospital stay was significantly reduced in salbutamol and budesonide inhalation group, and slightly reduced inthe salbutamol inhalation group. CONCLUSION: Infants with bronchiolitis treated with salbutamol and budesonide inhalation achieved better results in clinical score, repiratory rate PO2, and hospital days than no inhalation therapy. No reapiratory failure was occurred. So, this trial as treatment of bronchiolitis may be useful and effective therapy in those infants.
Albuterol* ; Bronchiolitis* ; Budesonide* ; Daejeon ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant* ; Inhalation* ; Length of Stay ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Oxygen ; Respiratory Rate ; Respiratory Sounds ; Respiratory Therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Solar System ; Ultrasonics

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the predisposing factors for nipple confusion by using questionnaires. METHODS: From October, 2005 to October, 2006, we performed a survey on guardians of neonates who had been admitted to the nursery at Dongguk University Medical Center and were discharged 10 to 14 days before the survey. We reviewed their medical records retrospectively. The neonates were categorized into two groups; nipple-unconfused group and nipple- confused group. RESULTS: There were 71 neonates in the nipple-unconfused group and 29 neonates in the nipple-confused group. In the nipple-confused group, 12 neonates (41.4%) had nipple-suckling experience before admission, whereas in the nipple-unconfused group, 54 neonates (76.1%) had nipple-suckling experience before admission; showing a difference that was statistically significant (P=0.001). Regarding to breast-feeding experience before admission, 11 neonates (37.9%) had experience in the nipple-confused group, whereas 49 neonates (69.0%) had in the nipple-unconfused group. This also showed a statistically significant difference (P=0.004). However, the relationship between the duration of breast-feeding prior to hospitalization was not different (P=0.151). CONCLUSION: In this study, we believe that the suckling experience and the breast-feeding of neonates before admission may be factors affecting the development of nipple confusion. This study particularly revealed that neonates who had only nipple suckling experience, regardless of breast-feeding, had less nipple confusion. Thus, allowing neonates enough time to make an attempt at nipple suckling may be helpful to prevent nipple confusion.
Academic Medical Centers ; Breast Feeding ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Medical Records ; Nipples ; Nurseries ; Retrospective Studies

The purpose of this study was to provide basic data on elementary school children's lifestyle and to contribute to developing on the health education program in elementary schools. The subjects were 1,412 children in 4 elementary schools in Gangwon-Do and Chonrabuk-Do area. Data collection was done from September to November 2001 by questionnaire and school health documents. The questionnaire corrected for the purpose of this study which had been developed by Bronson School of Nursing(1991), 'Lifestyle Questionnaire for School-age Children'. The questionnaire consists of 3 categories; 'Activities that promote health', 'Injury prevention', 'Feeling'. Cronbach coefficient alpha for the 29 items was .68. The data analyzed to obtain frequency, mean, percentage, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient by SPSS Win program. The results of this study were as follows. 1. Females(50.2%) of gender, 6th grade(24.2%) of grade, nuclear family(82.0%) of family type, beyond college graduate(54.5%) of father's school career, under high school graduate(58.1%) of mother's school career, first of birth order(47.1%) were majority. Mean of father's age was 41.2 and mother's age was 38.1. 2. The mean of lifestyle was 66.4, feeling was 73.3, activities that promote health was 60.3 and injury prevention was 64.0. The highest degree of activities that promote health was "I eat fruits" and injury prevention was "I look both ways when crossing streets"and feeling was "I enjoy my family". The lowest degree of activities that promote health was "I visit the dentist every tear" and injury prevention was "I wear a helmet when I go on bike trips" and feeling was "I think it is okay to cry". 3. There were significant differences in lifestyle of gender(t=4.309, p=.000), grade(F=6.299, p=.000), father's age(t=2.534, p=.011), father's education(t=-4.933, p=.000), mother's education(t=-3.360, p=.001), birth order (t=5.363, p=.000). There were significant differences in activities that promote health of gender(t=-2.462, P=.014), grade(F=4.893, p=.000), father's education(t=-4.480, p=.000), birth order(t=4.343, p=.000), in injury prevention of gender(t=-4.452, p=.000), grade(F=8.636, p=.000), father's age(t=3.386, p=.001), mother's age(t=2.059, p=.040), father's education(t=-6.051, p=.000), mother's education(t=-5.173, p=.000), birth order(t= 4.417, p=.000) and in feeling of gender (t=-3.285, p=.001), grade(F=7.526, p=.000), mother's age(t=-3.268, p=.001). 4. Activities that promote health was positively correlated with injury prevention(r=.432, p=.000), feeling(r=.210, p=.000), lifestyle (r=.785, p=.000). Injury prevention was positively correlated with feeling(r=.256, p=.000), lifestyle(r=.854, p=.000) also feeling was positively correlated with lifestyle(r=.504, p=.000). These findings suggest the need to develop nursing strategy to promote elementary school children's health. Because helmet use score in injury prevention marked the lowest score, it is necessary to encourage helmet use when planning injury prevention and health promotion.
Birth Order ; Child ; Data Collection ; Dentists ; Gangwon-do ; Head Protective Devices ; Health Education ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Life Style* ; Nursing ; Parturition ; School Health Services ; Child Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: It was noted some changes of clinical manifestations of mycoplasma pneumonia. we reviewed and compared these changes and saught any clues causes for proper dignosis and treatment. METHODS: We divided patients with mycoplasma pneumonia into two groups, Group 1 (from Jan. to Dec. 1996) and Group 2 (from Jan. to Dec. 1994), and analyzed clinical, radiologic, and serologic differences. RESULTS: Mean age of onset lowered markedly from was 8.34 +/- 2.56 years to 6.91 +/- 3.28 years (P<0.05). In clinical symptoms, high fever lasted longer and gastrointestinal symptoms were more frequent noted group 1. Serologically, high titers of mycoplasma-specific antibody (>1 : 1280) were more frequently observed in group 1 and correlated with severity of clinical manifestations. In radiologic findings, alveolar consolidation were significantly prominent findings in Group (P<0.05). The mean period of response to Roxithromycin was not difference between two groups but longer lasting fever (> or = 3 days) in spite of medication were more prevalent in Group 1 (P<0.05), suggesting increased cases of diminished responsiveness to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Recently, there was some clinical changes of mycoplasma pneumonia, lowering of onset age, severe clinical symptoms, and more decreased responsiveness to antibiotic treatment. We suggest that it is to neccessary to make some efforts to prevent antibiotics abuse and to decrease the occurrence of resistant strains by introducing of new method for early diagnosis, selective identification of micro-organism and minute sensitivity test for antibiotics.
Age of Onset ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Humans ; Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* ; Roxithromycin

BACKGROUND: In Korea, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the most common nosocomial pathogen, which is particularly prevalent in ICU. We performed this study to investigate the modes of transmission of MRSA and the role of nasal carriage of11RSA to subsequent MRSA infections in medical ICU. METHODS: All patients admitted to the medical lCU during 10 months were studied prospectively. Nasal swabs were done in all patients within 24 hours of admission and weekly thereafter. For patients who developed MRSA infections, additional cultures were done before start of antibiotics. Surveillance cultures of nostril, hands of health care workers and environment were done once at the end of the study. Bacterial typing was performed with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) using Smal. RESULTS: Among 138 patients enrolled, 24 patients (17.4 %) were nasal colonizers, and 9 patients (6.5%) were already infected with MRSA prior to admission. New nasal colonization among patients, in whom follow up nasal cultures were done at the interval of 3 days or more, developed at 36.2 % (21/58 patients). New infections of MRSA in patients who were admitted for more than 3 days, developed at 11.7 % (13/111 patients). Patients in isolation room were infected with MRSA less frequently (P <0.05). No other risk factors for nasal colonization of MRSA or MRSA infections were found. There were no significant differences between nasal colonizers and non-colonizers in the incidence of MRSA infections. PFGE analysis of MRSA isolates from patients showed several major patterns, which were similar in both MRSA isolates obtained prior to admission and those acquired after admission. PFGE patterns of MRSA isolates from health care workers and environment were different from those of patients. CONCLUSION: Patients who were infected or colonized with MRSA seemed to be a major source for transmission of MRSA in medical ICU. In medical lCU, where MRSA were prevalent, nasal colonization was not related to the increased incidence of MRSA infections.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacterial Typing Techniques ; Colon ; Cross Infection ; Delivery of Health Care ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Staphylococcus aureus

BACKGROUND: Cost-benefit studies for hospital infection control and prevention (HICP) are often applied to improve the investment for infection control; however, an accurate cost measurement for HICP would be necessary before a cost benefit analysis and establishing a proper policy for HICP. The purpose of this study is to analyze the costs of HICP for the hospital in Korea. METHOD: The costs associated with HICP in the year 2004 were surveyed for 8 university-affiliated teaching hospitals in Seoul and Kyounggi province. The collected data included the costs for standard precaution materials including hand hygiene and personal protective equipments, hospital employee health service, maintenance of hospital facility and environmental control, and operating infection control office. RESULT: The average costs for HICP were estimated to be 785,115 won per one bed per year. Among the contributing factors to the total costs were the cost for patient isolation in private rooms (310,458 won), disinfectants (125,533), hand hygiene materials (99,007), maintenance of hospital environmental hygiene (90,773), operation of infection control office (65,811), personal protective equipment (58,099), and employee health care (35,434). CONCLUSION: We estimated the annual cost of HICP at a minimum of 96,723,000 won for a 100-bed hospital. This study contributes to establishing the basic and necessary data for a proper HICP compensation system by providing various HICP costs for the university hospital.
Compensation and Redress ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Cross Infection* ; Disinfectants ; Hand Hygiene ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Infection Control ; Investments ; Korea ; Occupational Health ; Occupational Health Services ; Patient Isolation ; Patients' Rooms ; Seoul