This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia (E.) coli isolated from ducks in Korea. A total of 400 cecal content samples were collected from 40 duck farms in Korea. Isolated Salmonella spp. and E. coli strains were 83 and 364 of the 400 cecal samples, respectively. The most prevalent serotype among the 83 Salmonella isolates was Salmonella Typhimurium (51 isolates: 61.45%). Resistance to the tested antimicrobial agents by Salmonella isolates was low except for erythromycin, while the resistance of the E. coli isolates to the other tested antimicrobial agents was high and 90.9% (331/364) of E. coli isolates showed multiantimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial resistance in duck zoonotic pathogens should be of concern to the Korean duck industry, as these pathogens exhibit a high rate of antimicrobial resistance and pose a potential hazard to public health.
Agriculture ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Ducks* ; Erythromycin ; Escherichia coli* ; Escherichia* ; Korea* ; Prevalence* ; Public Health ; Salmonella typhimurium ; Salmonella* ; Serogroup

The efficacies of six commercial disinfectants were evaluated by using Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium under simulated natural conditions such as sub-zero temperature, short disinfecting time, and surface type (uneven or smooth). We used a suspensionmodel test to determine the disinfecting efficacy under varying contact times (1, 5, 10, and 30 min) and temperatures (25℃, 4℃, 0℃, and −10℃). The bactericidal effect according to surface structure was measured by using a carriermodel test at 25℃ and −10℃. The effective concentrations of each disinfectant were fixed to give a disinfecting effect within a short time (< 1 min) at 25℃ and −10℃. The suspension model results revealed that bactericidal efficacy significantly dropped at low temperature for most of the disinfectants used; a sodium dichloroisocyanurate product showed the strongest efficacy. In the carrier test, bacterial load on a wooden surface was more difficult to remove than that on a stainless-steel surface. The results show that commercial disinfectant products vary in their disinfecting efficacy, which is affected by several field factors including temperature, contact time, and carrier material. Environmental conditions and surface type for disinfection should be considered prior to selecting an optimal disinfectant in the field.
Bacterial Load ; Disinfectants* ; Disinfection ; Salmonella enterica* ; Salmonella* ; Serogroup* ; Sodium

In Korea, groundwater is main water source in livestock farms. Most dairy and cattle farms have constructed their own wells for human drinking and livestock farming. However, these private residential wells have not been controlled by government and also there was scant study about livestock drinking water quality. Therefore this study was to monitor of the livestock farms' groundwater quality in Korea. Water samples were collected at 123 dairy and cattle farms and were analysed forty six substances with quality standard for drinking water approved by the Minister of Environment. Seventy eight (63.4%) of 123 samples failed to drinking water stand a test. The most frequent contaminants were nitrate-nitrogen and microbial. 22.8% (n = 28) of samples showed nitrate-N concentration of higher than 10 mg/L meant that can't be used drinking water for human and the Nitrate-N concentration analysed in the range of 0.2 to 61.2 mg/L. All of 78 failed to drinking samples had microbial problems, especially 5.7% (n = 7) of samples indicated water could be contaminated by feces. Other contaminants detected were zinc and evaporation residue. Especially detected zinc concentration (32 mg/L) was about ten times higher than standard of zinc (3 mg/L). Regression analysis indicated that groundwater pH did not influence to nitrate-N concentration but the hardness and chloride could affect to nitrate-N concentration in the groundwater. Most livestock farms were adjacent to crop farmland in Korea. This could cause contamination of groundwater with nitrate-N and pesticide that could accumulate livestock product. Moreover Heavy metal such as zinc and copper could be released from a corrosive plated water pipe in livestock farm. Put together, Korea livestock system is indoor, not pasture-based, hence livestock could be exposed to potential contaminated water consistently. Therefore on the basis of these data, appropriate livestock drinking water quality standards should be prepared to keep livestock healthy and their product safe. Further, livestock drinking water quality should be monitored continuously in suitable livestock drinking water standards.
Animals ; Cattle ; Copper ; Drinking ; Drinking Water ; Feces ; Groundwater ; Hardness ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Korea ; Livestock ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Water ; Zinc

BACKGROUND: In this study, we aimed to identify cognitive function and neuropsychological comorbidities in children with newly diagnosed idiopathic epilepsy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 97 antiepileptic drug-naïve children (9.7 ± 2.9 years; 54 males and 43 females) with newly diagnosed idiopathic epilepsy, all of whom underwent a neuropsychological battery. The battery consisted of the Korean Wechsler Intelligence Scale, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Rating Scale, ADHD Diagnostic System, Children's Depression Inventory, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children. We investigated association between scores of the neuropsychological battery and epilepsy classification, lateralization of interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) on electroencephalography (EEG), and variables related to seizures. RESULTS: Thirteen patients (14.3%) had ADHD symptoms. Three patients (4.1%) had depressive symptoms, and 9 (12.3%) had anxiety symptoms. Patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) had significantly lower full-scale intelligence and performance intelligence quotient scores than patients with idiopathic localization-related epilepsy (ILRE) (89.0 ± 17.6 vs. 96.3 ± 14.8; P = 0.030 and 88.9 ± 16.3 vs. 97.0 ± 16.4; P = 0.016, respectively). Patients with ILRE having unilateral IEDs had significantly higher full-scale intelligence quotient scores than patients with ILRE having bilateral IEDs and patients with IGE (99.9 ± 12.2 vs. 93.7 ± 16.1 vs. 89.0 ± 17.6; P = 0.039, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that idiopathic epilepsy may be accompanied by various neuropsychological comorbidities even at initial diagnosis. Patients with IGE and ILRE having bilateral IEDs on EEG appear more likely to be at high risk of decreased cognitive function.
Anxiety ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ; Child ; Classification ; Cognition ; Comorbidity ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsies, Partial ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Generalized ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Intelligence ; Male ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures

This study utilized the Community Multiscale Air Quality model to simulate the spatial distribution of benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) concentrations from large national industrial complexes (IC) located in the Ulsan metropolitan region (UMR). Through controlling pollutant emissions from major IC, this study performed a quantitative analysis of the influence of pollutant emissions on BTX concentrations in surrounding urban areas. The results showed that approximately 40% of the annual average BTX concentrations in nearby urban grids were directly influenced by pollutant emissions from the IC. Seasonal modeling results indicated that average BTX concentrations were high around petrochemical complexes, with higher concentrations in the surrounding urban areas during the summer (July). All three of the BTX pollutants showed similar seasonal differences. Daily contributions differed significantly throughout the modeling period, with some values reaching a maximum of 80% during July. Overall, when urban areas were located downwind of the IC, contributions rose. Moreover, this study compared the differences in BTX contributions at each measurement point within the IC and urban areas, which showed that the influence of the IC emissions decreased significantly with distance. The spatial distribution and direct influence of the IC on BTX concentrations in the UMR identified through this study could be used to provide input data in environmental epidemiological studies.
Benzene ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Seasons ; Toluene ; Ulsan ; Xylenes

Several epidemiological studies have reported an association between environmental pollution and various health conditions in individuals residing in industrial complexes. To evaluate the effects of pollution from industrial complex on human health, we performed a pooled analysis of environmental epidemiologic monitoring data for residents living near national industrial complexes in Korea. The respiratory and allergic symptoms and the prevalence of acute and chronic diseases, including cancer, were used as the outcome variables for health effects. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between exposure to pollution from industrial complexes and health conditions. After adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, occupational exposure, level of education, and body mass index, the residents near the industrial complexes were found to have more respiratory symptoms, such as cough (odds ratio [OR], 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06 to 1.31) and sputum production (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.24), and symptoms of atopic dermatitis (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.20). Among residents of the industrial complexes, the prevalence of acute eye disorders was approximately 40% higher (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.84) and the prevalence of lung and uterine cancer was 3.45 times and 1.88 times higher, respectively, than those among residents of the control area. This study showed that residents living in the vicinity of industrial complexes have a high risk of acute and chronic diseases including respiratory and allergic conditions. These results can be used as basic objective data for developing health management measures for individuals residing near industrial complexes.
Body Mass Index ; Chronic Disease ; Cough ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Education ; Employment ; Environmental Pollution* ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epidemiological Monitoring ; Humans ; Korea* ; Logistic Models ; Lung ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sputum ; Uterine Neoplasms

Several epidemiological studies have reported an association between environmental pollution and various health conditions in individuals residing in industrial complexes. To evaluate the effects of pollution from industrial complex on human health, we performed a pooled analysis of environmental epidemiologic monitoring data for residents living near national industrial complexes in Korea. The respiratory and allergic symptoms and the prevalence of acute and chronic diseases, including cancer, were used as the outcome variables for health effects. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between exposure to pollution from industrial complexes and health conditions. After adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, occupational exposure, level of education, and body mass index, the residents near the industrial complexes were found to have more respiratory symptoms, such as cough (odds ratio [OR], 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06 to 1.31) and sputum production (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.24), and symptoms of atopic dermatitis (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.20). Among residents of the industrial complexes, the prevalence of acute eye disorders was approximately 40% higher (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.84) and the prevalence of lung and uterine cancer was 3.45 times and 1.88 times higher, respectively, than those among residents of the control area. This study showed that residents living in the vicinity of industrial complexes have a high risk of acute and chronic diseases including respiratory and allergic conditions. These results can be used as basic objective data for developing health management measures for individuals residing near industrial complexes.
Body Mass Index ; Chronic Disease ; Cough ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Education ; Employment ; Environmental Pollution ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epidemiological Monitoring ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Lung ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sputum ; Uterine Neoplasms