BACKGROUND: Health care workers (HCWs) are exposed to patients' blood occupationally by needlesticks or sharps injuries and by direct contact to mucous membranes or skins. This study was performed to investigate actively the descriptive epidemiology of HCWs' blood exposures in a University Hospital in Korea. METHODS: Over a 5 year period (from Jan, 1996 to Dec. 31, 2000), in a acute, educational, tertiary and about 1,500 beds university hospital, blood exposure episodes were reported by HCWs. The reported cases of 532 were analysed epidemiologically and statistically using PC SAS 6.12. RESULTS: The proportions of male and female were 44.0% (234), 56.0% (298) respectively the mean age was 29.2 years and the mode of career was 12 months. Distributions by job titles were 44.9% (239/532) in doctors' 29.5% (157/532) in registered nurses' 9.0% (48/532) in aid nurses, 6.4%(34/532) in housekeepers and 4.3%(23/532) in technicians. The proportions per 100 HCWs by job category were 4.4%(239/5,489) in doctors, 3.7%(157/4,262) in registered nurses and 1.3%(23/ 1,786) in technicians. and that per 100 beds was 6.8% (529/7,730). Distribution of reported cases were 13.0% (69/532), 11.5% (61/532), 9.2%(49/532) in March, April and May respectively. The major type of exposure was percutaneous injuries (96.3%, 513/533), and the most of them was needlesticks (91.4%, 469/513). The largest number of blood exposures occurred in inpatient ward(48.4%, 257/532) and the most injured body part was fingers (782%, 412/527), especially 1st finger (25%, 84/332). Blood exposure accidents were occurred during invasive procedures(66.3%, 341/514) and most of them were blood sampling(22.9%, 78/341) and recapping(20.8%, 71/341). Hepatitis B virus was the major bloodborne pathogens of reported cases (55.8%. 293/525). Post exposure prophylaxis and follow up were done for susceptible person but the seroposive conversions in them were not found. The association between job categories and exposure types and that between job titles and occurrence places were significant statistically(CMH chi-square p=0.001). The reporting cases of HBV exposures were decreased but those of HIV exposures were increased annually during the study period. CONCLUSION: We could find the descriptive epidemiology of Hews' occupational exposures to blood in a university hospital in Korea. And we can support the data in order to establish the policy or act for HCWs' safety and health from the boodborne hazards. In addition, to confirm the preventive effects of infection control activities for Hews from the risk of bloodborne diseases.
Blood-Borne Pathogens ; Cross Infection ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Fingers ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B virus ; HIV ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Needlestick Injuries ; Occupational Exposure ; Occupations ; Post-Exposure Prophylaxis ; Skin

No abstract available.
Korea* ; Rotavirus*

To understand the mode of transmission in clonorchiasis, a survey was made in Kim-hae Goon, South Kyong-sang Do (=Province). The mathematical analysis of the age prevalence was done on the egg positive rates. And another analysis for the comparison was also made to the cited data from two areas, North Kyong-sang Do and Ko-yang Goon, Kyong-gi Do. Some catalytic models of H. Muench (1959) were applied to the observed age prevalence. Because the both parameters, such as force of infection(a) and loss of positivity(b) were considered to be constant for a long period in the surveyed area, the two stage catalytic model by Muench was chosen to the analysis. In the surveyed area, Kim-hae Goon where the egg positive rates were 56.2 percent and 61.2 percent (by Kim, 1974), the constant values of 'a' were found to be 0.051 and 0.089 respectively. In other words, the force of infection was 51, 89 per 1,000 susceptibles. The values of 'b' were found to be 0.006 and 0.005. This means that the rates of disappearance from egg positive cases to negative were 6 and 5 per annum per l,000 positive cases in above area. Therefore, the two catalytic curves were expressed by the following equations, y = 1.133 {e(-0.006t) - e(-0.051t)} and y = 1.047 {e(-0.005t) - e(-0.089t)} respectively. In the cases of North Kyong-sang Do and Ko-yang Goon, Kyong-gi Do where the egg positive rates of clonorchis shown as 27.7 percent and 15.2 percent by Shin (1964) and Kim (l974), the curves were expressed by y = 1.769 {e(-0.010t) - e(-0.034t)} and y = 2.857 {e(-0.020t) - e(-0.027t)} respectively. From the above mathematical analyses by age prevalence in clonorchiasis, it was considered that the mode of transmission of clonorchiasis in the surveyed area, Kim-hae Goon presented more rapid pattern than those of North Kyong-sang Do and Ko-yang Goon, Kyong-gi Do.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; clonorchiasis-Clnorchis sinensis ; epidemiology ; transmission

No abstract available.
Schizophrenia*

The nonstructural protein NSP4, encoded by gene 10 of rotavirus, has been shown to play a role in viral assembly and known to be an enterotoxin, causing diarrhea in mouse pups. NSP4 gene was cloned from CBNU-2 (virulent bovine rotavirus/diarrheic fecal sample) and CBNU-1 (cell-culture adapted bovine rotavirus/isolated from CBNU-2 and 75 times passaged on MA104 cells), respectively, by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and sequenced and compared. The sequence data indicated that the NSP4 genes of bovine rotavirus (BRV) were 751 bases in length and encoded one open reading frame of 175 amino acids beginning at base 42 and terminating at base 570. Differences in nucleotide sequence between CBNU-2 and CBNU-1 were observed at 6 positions (base 274, 296, 391, 394, 396 and 579). NSP4 gene of BRV exhibited a high degree of nucleotide (90% and 94%) and amino acid sequence (91% and 94%) and amino acid sequence (91% and 97%) homology with those of SA11 and UK but a low degree of nucleotide (77% and 79%) and amino acids sequence (81% and 85%) homology with those of Wa and OSU.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Amino Acids ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Clone Cells* ; Cloning, Organism* ; Diarrhea ; Enterotoxins ; Korea* ; Mice ; Open Reading Frames ; Rotavirus* ; Virus Assembly

Degloving injuries of the fingers receive digital sensory nerve damage as well as digital artery damage together with degloving of the finger skin at the time of injury. Although the finger is well covered with skin and the joint motion has completely recovered after the injury, if there is no sensation in the finger tip problems remain. From October, 1982 to December, 1985 Dong San Medical Center, Keimyung University did free digital sensory nerve grafts on 11 cases using the sural nerve. Follow up studies which lasted from 10 to 39 months showed good results. Therefore this free digital nerve graft operation is considered to be a favourable mothod in obtaining sensation for digital degloving injuries.
Arteries ; Fingers ; Follow-Up Studies ; Joints ; Sensation ; Skin ; Sural Nerve ; Transplants

After developement of antimicrobial chemotherapy, morbidity and mortality from pyogenic arthritis has been reduced dramatically, but still this disease has remained as a serious and life threatening infectious disease of childhood or late sequelae in surviving patients. For the period of 6 years from January 1978 to December 1983, seventy nine patients, eigthy one cases who were treated as pyogenic arthritis at Severance Hospital and Yong Dong Hospital were studied retrospectively and the results are summerized as follows. 1. We thought that the main pathogeny of septic arthritis of knee joint are trauma and direct invasion of microorganism, because the frequency of pyogenic arthritis in knee joint are proportional to the age and history of accupuncture therapy and trauma are common. 2. In thirty three cases (40.7%) underlying causes were found, composed of infectious focus in eleven cases(13.6%) correspondent to hematologic transmission, osteomyelitis in seven cases(8.7%), trauma and accupuncture in six cases(7.4%) and eight cases(9.9%) corresponding to direct invasion. 3. In forty five cases(55.6%) microorganism are identified, among which coagulase positive staphylococci are in forty cases(88.9%) . 4. Tc-99m-MDP(Medronate) whole body bone scan were taken at twelve patients and positive findings were eleven cases. 5. In thirty eight cases(46.9%) the complications were appeared: Osteomyelitis of tibia in ankle joint and periarticular or subarticular bone defects in knee joints were common. 6. There were complications in every cases that the duration was more than eleven days, no exceptional.
Ankle Joint ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Infectious ; Clinical Study ; Coagulase ; Communicable Diseases ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Mortality ; Osteomyelitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Tibia

Acute pyogenic osteomyelitis is frequent in infants and children, usually hematogenous, and predominant in male. The etiology of acute osteomyelitis is of 3 types: hematogenous, direct innoculation, or postoperative. Acute pyogenic hematogenous osteomyelitis is the most frequent type in children. This study consisted of 119 cases of acute pyogenic osteomyelitis which were studied at the department of orthopedic surgery, Yonsei university, Severance hospital and Youngdong hospital for 10 years from Jan. 1974 to Dec. 1983. The result were as follows. 1. There were tendency to decrease the frequency of this disease graduaUy since 1973 except 1978. 2. 20 patient (16.8%) had the history of trauma and 43 patients (36.1%) had the entry site of infecting organism. 3. The most frequent involved sites were femur and tibia. 4. E.S.R. was definitely increased in 90.4% of male, in 100% of female. 5. 59.6% of patients revealed the definite bone change at admission on X-ray findings. 6. Staphylococcus coagulase positive was the most frequent organism isolated (95%). 7. The most sensitive antibiotics was cephalosporin and the most resistant was penicillin (90.2%). 8. The antibiotics treatment with immobilization of involved site was initially tried, if there was no symptomatic improvement, the various surgical process was performed with satisfactory result.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child ; Clinical Study ; Coagulase ; Female ; Femur ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Infant ; Male ; Orthopedics ; Osteomyelitis ; Penicillins ; Staphylococcus ; Tibia

Idiopathic osteonecrosis of the femoral head is an important and unresolved problem in orthopaedic surgery. Generally the progressive collapse of the femoral head and ultimate osteoarthritis of the hip will ensue requiring joint replacement. But longterm results of total hip joint replacement surgery are unfavorable especially in young patients. Therefore, if alternatives to the toal joint replacement are to be effective, they must be applied especially in young patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head. Recently we attempted the vascular-pedicled iliac bone graft (VPIBG), using the deep circumflex iliac vessel as a vascular pedicle, in 13 hips of 10 patients with idiopathic osteonecrosis of the femoral head and followed up 9–19 months after operation. Aims of this procedure are to decompress the femoral head hence allowing better circulation, to revitalize the dead head by insertion of live bleeding bone and to give a mechanical support preventing further collapse of the femoral head. Though more follow up studies are required, the preliminary results seen during 9–19 months after surgery are encouraging enough to be reported.
Bone Transplantation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Hemorrhage ; Hip ; Hip Joint ; Humans ; Joints ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteonecrosis ; Transplants

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head seems to be due to circulatory disturbance of the femoral head, usually idiopathic in origin, but also associated with chronic alcoholism, gout, prolonged treatment with corticosteroids, sickle cell disease, Caisson's disease and surface and degenerative changes in the hip joint. Aims of this procedure are to decompress the femoral head hence allowing better circulation, to revitalize the dead head by insertion of vascularized pedicle bone and to give a mechanical support preventing further collapse of the femoral head. Authors reviewed 19 cases of the vessel pedicled iliac bone graft performed for the idiopathic osteonecrosis of femoral head from January, 1984 to April, 1988 with follow-up periods from 23 months to 66 months, average 37.5 months. The purpose of this follow-up note is to report the long term follow-up result and to show the critical points of this technique.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Alcoholism ; Anemia, Sickle Cell ; Bone Transplantation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gout ; Head ; Hip Joint ; Osteonecrosis ; Transplants