BACKGROUND: Intralesional injection of corticosteroids has widely been used for the t,reatment of alopecia areata. The pair produced during the repeated multiple injection procedures is an actual therapeutic obstacle in both adult and child patients. Buffering of the local anesthetics is known to reduce the pain. OBJECTIVE: The purpos; of this study was to evaluate the degree of pain reduction and hair regrowing effect by the use of buffered lidocain-triamcinolone acetonide suspension(BLT) compared with nonbuffered lidocairi triamcinolone acetonide suspension(LT) in the intralesional injection of alopecia areata. METHODS: We evaluat d the degree of pain reduction by the use of BLT compared with LT in the intralesional injection in 40 cases of alopecia areata. The pain was ineasured by patients verbal pain score from zerc to ten and simultaneously observed if there were be any differences in hair regrowing bet,ween the two groups. RESULTS: 1. Remarkable reduction of the pain du~ring the inject,ion was noted by the buffering agent and the pain was further reduced by the vertical insertion of the needle. The pain score of BLT was 1.5 by vertically inserted injections and 2.4 by ~30 degree angle injections while the pain score of LT was 4.4 by the vertical and 5.6 by t.he 30 degree, Z. The mean time for appearance of regrowing hairs was 3.6 weeks in the BLT area and 4.0 weeks in the LT area. The use of BLT area showed a statistically faster response than the LT area. CONCLUSION: The use ot BLT is recommended not only by it,s remarkable effect on pain reduction but also by its sigriificantly accelerated hair regrowing effect in the trea~tment of alopecia areata.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Adult ; Alopecia Areata* ; Alopecia* ; Anesthetics, Local ; Child ; Hair ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional* ; Needles ; Triamcinolone Acetonide* ; Triamcinolone*

BACKGROUND: Intralesional injection of corticosteroids has widely been used for the t,reatment of alopecia areata. The pair produced during the repeated multiple injection procedures is an actual therapeutic obstacle in both adult and child patients. Buffering of the local anesthetics is known to reduce the pain. OBJECTIVE: The purpos; of this study was to evaluate the degree of pain reduction and hair regrowing effect by the use of buffered lidocain-triamcinolone acetonide suspension(BLT) compared with nonbuffered lidocairi triamcinolone acetonide suspension(LT) in the intralesional injection of alopecia areata. METHODS: We evaluat d the degree of pain reduction by the use of BLT compared with LT in the intralesional injection in 40 cases of alopecia areata. The pain was ineasured by patients verbal pain score from zerc to ten and simultaneously observed if there were be any differences in hair regrowing bet,ween the two groups. RESULTS: 1. Remarkable reduction of the pain du~ring the inject,ion was noted by the buffering agent and the pain was further reduced by the vertical insertion of the needle. The pain score of BLT was 1.5 by vertically inserted injections and 2.4 by ~30 degree angle injections while the pain score of LT was 4.4 by the vertical and 5.6 by t.he 30 degree, Z. The mean time for appearance of regrowing hairs was 3.6 weeks in the BLT area and 4.0 weeks in the LT area. The use of BLT area showed a statistically faster response than the LT area. CONCLUSION: The use ot BLT is recommended not only by it,s remarkable effect on pain reduction but also by its sigriificantly accelerated hair regrowing effect in the trea~tment of alopecia areata.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Adult ; Alopecia Areata* ; Alopecia* ; Anesthetics, Local ; Child ; Hair ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional* ; Needles ; Triamcinolone Acetonide* ; Triamcinolone*

This study was done to provide an analytical overview on the latest malaria infection clusters by evaluating temporal trends during 2010-2019 in Korea. Incheon was the most likely cluster (MLC) for all cases of malaria during the total period. MLCs for P. falciparum, vivax, malariae, ovale, and clinically diagnosed malaria without parasitological confirmation were Jeollanam-do, Incheon, Gangwon-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, and Jeollabuk-do, respectively. Malaria was decreasing in most significant clusters, but Gwangju showed an increase for all cases of malaria, P. vivax and clinically diagnosed cases. Malaria overall, P. falciparum and P. vivax seem to be under control thanks to aggressive health measures. This study might provide a sound scientific basis for future control measures against malaria in Korea.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the CT findings of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with diabetes mellitus (MD),according to the diabetic control state. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied 34 cases of pulmonarytuberculosis accompanied by DM. We divided the right lung three lobes and ten segments and the left into two lobesand eight segments and analyzed CT findings of bronchogenic spread, cavitary lesion, ill-defined nodule, lobularconsolidation, lobar and segmental consolidation, atelectasis, interlobular septal thickening, fibrotic band, andassociated findings such as lymph node enlargement, pleural effusion and empyema. We also tried to determine thetypical CT findings of pulmonary tuberculosis according to diabetic duration and controlled state of DM focusingby FBS 160 and HbA1C 8.0. RESULT: Among 34 CT scans, bronchogenic spread was seen on 29 (85.3%), cavitary lesionon 26 (76.5%), ill-defined nodules on 11 (32.4%), lobular consolidation on 14 (41.2%), lobar and segmentalconsolidation on 12 (35.3%), atelectasis on four (14.7%), and fibrotic band on eight (23.5%). Multiple cavitieswere present in 76.9% of total cavitary lesions, and consolidation with bronchogenic spread in 75%; associatedfindings were as follows: lymph node enlargement (n=1), pleural effusion (n=10), empyema (n=2), and pericardialeffusion (n=2). In 46.7% of cases, general tubercular lesions were in an unusual location, but among cases ofsecondary pulmonary tuberculosis, 73.9% of lesions were in the usual location. More lobular consolidation was seenin patients with less than FBS 160 on admission, and this result was statistically significant (p<0.05); CTfindings did not, however, differ according to diabetic duration and HbA1C. CONCLUSION: In patients with DM,general fubercular lesions were found infrequently, but in secondary tubereulosis, multiple cavitary lesions-inthe usual location-were very frequent. In patients with DM, CT findings of pulmonary tuberculosis did not varyaccording to the diabetic control state, except that in patients with less than FBS 160 on admission, there was agreater degree of lobular consolidation.
Diabetes Mellitus* ; Empyema ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Pleural Effusion ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among the residents of Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea, which partly includes the demilitarized zone (DMZ), were surveyed for 4 years and evaluated by RDT using recombinant fragment of major surface antigen (SAG1A). Sera from 1336, 583, 526, and 583 adult residents were collected on a yearly basis from 2010 to 2013, respectively. The total positive seroprevalence was 19.3, 21.9, 23.4, and 26.8% from 2010 to 2013, respectively. The positive seroprevalence in men (23.6, 27.5, 29.5, 34.6%) was far higher than women (14.1, 18.3, 19.4, 21.4%), from 2010 to 2013, respectively. This high seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in Cheorwon-gun may have been influenced in part by its geographical locality of the area as it includes the DMZ, where civilian access is strictly limited, thus creating a relatively isolated area that is a well-preserved habitat. Further research is necessary to study the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in this area.
Adult ; Antigens, Surface ; Ecosystem ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Gangwon-do* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Seroepidemiologic Studies* ; Toxoplasma ; Toxoplasmosis*

ELISA has been used for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, but it is being gradually replaced by a rapid diagnostic test (RDT). We compared and analyzed ELISA and RDT results using the sera collected during 4 consecutive years from residents of Gyodong-do (Island), Incheon-city, Korea. Sera from 921, 993, 940, and 838 adult residents were collected on a yearly basis (2010–2013). ELISA was performed by using a crude extract of T. gondii RH strain antigen and IgG/IgM RDT mounted with recombinant fragment of major surface antigen (SAG1), GST-linker-SAG1A, were applied to the sera. Comparison between groups was analyzed by the Student’s t-test. The positive seroprevalence surged from 14.7% (135/921, 2010), 23.1% (231/993, 2011), 23.6% (222/940, 2012), and 32.1% (269/838, 2013) by ELISA. In contrast, RDT showed a more moderate increasing trend from 21.7% (200/921, 2010), 25.5% (253/993, 2011), 28.9% (272/940, 2012) and 33.1% (277/838, 2013). Discrepancies between ELISA and RDT were noted near the cut-off value. At the OD 0.15–0.24 range, RDT could detect 16.1% (169/1051) more positives, which suggests an early or acute toxoplasmosis, but at the OD 0.25–0.34 range, ELISA could detect 35.9% (92/256) more positives of possible chronic infections. Over the OD > 0.35 ELISA and RDT agreed in the majority of the cases. This surge in seroprevalence may be caused by the organic agriculture in addition to eating behavior or increase in pets among Koreans. These facts may be applied on a full-scale national survey using RDT to supplement ELISA to define the characteristics of the infection.
Adult ; Antigens, Surface ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay* ; Feeding Behavior ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Incheon* ; Korea* ; Organic Agriculture ; Seroepidemiologic Studies* ; Toxoplasma ; Toxoplasmosis*

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among the residents of Seokmo-do (Island) in Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, Korea was surveyed for 4 years by a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) using recombinant fragment of major surface antigen (SAG1), GST-linker-SAG1A. Sera from 312, 343, 390, and 362 adult residents were collected on a yearly basis from 2010 to 2013, respectively. Total positive seroprevalence regardless of gender was 29.2, 35.3, 38.7, and 45.3% from 2010 to 2013, respectively. Positive seroprevalence in male adults was 43.9, 48.2, 45.4, and 55.3%, which was far higher than that of the corresponding female adults which was 20.7, 29.2, 33.9, and 38.9%, from 2010 to 2013, respectively. This high seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in Seokmo-do may have been caused in part by peculiar changes in the toxoplasmic environment of the island as it is a relatively isolated area preserving its natural habitat while also being connected by a bridge to the mainland. Further study is necessary to find out symptomatic patients and to confirm the risk factors.
Adult ; Antigens, Surface ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Ecosystem ; Female ; Humans ; Incheon* ; Korea* ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Seroepidemiologic Studies* ; Toxoplasmosis*

Historically, Plasmodium vivax malaria has been one of the most highly endemic parasitic diseases in the Korean Peninsula. Until the 1970s, vivax malaria was rarely directly lethal and was controlled through the Korean Government Program administered by the National Malaria Eradication Service in association with the World Health Organization's Global Malaria Eradication Program. Vivax malaria has re-emerged in 1993 near the Demilitarized Zone between South and North Korea and has since become an endemic infectious disease that now poses a serious public health threat through local transmission in the Republic of Korea. This review presents major lessons learned from past and current malaria research, including epidemiological and biological characteristics of the re-emergent disease, and considers some interesting patterns of diversity. Among other features, this review highlights temporal changes in the genetic makeup of the parasitic population, patient demographic features, and spatial distribution of cases, which all provide insight into the factors contributing to local transmission. The data indicate that vivax malaria in Korea is not expanding exponentially. However, continued surveillance is needed to prevent future resurgence.
Communicable Diseases ; Culicidae ; Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Global Health ; Government Programs ; Humans ; Korea ; Malaria ; Malaria, Vivax ; Parasitic Diseases ; Plasmodium vivax ; Population Characteristics ; Public Health ; Republic of Korea

Background: Although patients with lymphoma appear particularly vulnerable to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the clinical evolution of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a patient with lymphoid malignancies has been under-represented, especially in relation to chemo-, chemo-immunotherapy. Materials and Methods: Among adult patients with lymphoma receiving treatment in a specialized lymphoma center at a 500-bed, university-affiliated hospital, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection from January 2020 to April 2022. Results: A total of 117 patients with a median age of 53 years were included. One hundred twelves (95.7%) were non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Eighty-six patients (73.5%) were on active chemotherapy and 9 were post stem cell transplant state. Sixty-one patients had more than one comorbidity and 29 had hypogammaglobulinemia. Thirty-four patients (29.1%) had never received a COVID-19 vaccine. During a median follow-up of 134 days, COVID-19 pneumonia developed in 37 patients (31.6%). Excluding three patients who died before the 30 days, 31 out of 34 patients had ongoing symptomatic COVID-19. Eleven patients (9.4%) had post COVID-19 lung condition that persisted 90 days after COVID-19 diagnosis. Overall mortality was 10.3% (12 of 117), which was higher in patients with pneumonia. In multivariate analyses, age 65 years or older, follicular lymphoma, receiving rituximab maintenance therapy, and lack of vaccination were significantly associated with the development of COVID-19 pneumonia. Conclusion Patients with lymphoma are at high risk for developing pneumonia after SARS-CoV-2 infection and suffer from prolonged symptoms. More aggressive vaccination and protective measures for patients with lymphoma who have impaired humoral response related to rituximab maintenance therapy and hypogammaglobulinemia are needed.

Background: Although patients with lymphoma appear particularly vulnerable to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the clinical evolution of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a patient with lymphoid malignancies has been under-represented, especially in relation to chemo-, chemo-immunotherapy. Materials and Methods: Among adult patients with lymphoma receiving treatment in a specialized lymphoma center at a 500-bed, university-affiliated hospital, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection from January 2020 to April 2022. Results: A total of 117 patients with a median age of 53 years were included. One hundred twelves (95.7%) were non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Eighty-six patients (73.5%) were on active chemotherapy and 9 were post stem cell transplant state. Sixty-one patients had more than one comorbidity and 29 had hypogammaglobulinemia. Thirty-four patients (29.1%) had never received a COVID-19 vaccine. During a median follow-up of 134 days, COVID-19 pneumonia developed in 37 patients (31.6%). Excluding three patients who died before the 30 days, 31 out of 34 patients had ongoing symptomatic COVID-19. Eleven patients (9.4%) had post COVID-19 lung condition that persisted 90 days after COVID-19 diagnosis. Overall mortality was 10.3% (12 of 117), which was higher in patients with pneumonia. In multivariate analyses, age 65 years or older, follicular lymphoma, receiving rituximab maintenance therapy, and lack of vaccination were significantly associated with the development of COVID-19 pneumonia. Conclusion Patients with lymphoma are at high risk for developing pneumonia after SARS-CoV-2 infection and suffer from prolonged symptoms. More aggressive vaccination and protective measures for patients with lymphoma who have impaired humoral response related to rituximab maintenance therapy and hypogammaglobulinemia are needed.