Trichinellosis is a parasitic zoonosis of public health importance. It is caused by Trichinella spiralis which has a wide host range including humans. In the present communication, the ELISA technique was employed on a total of 803 blood samples from 7 selected pig breeding farms in 1996 for diagnosis and surveillance of trichinellosis. Out of the entire 803 samples, nine were found to be suspected while one was positive by ELISA. But western blot analyses employed for further confirmation have shown that all of 10 samples did not react to larval excretory-secretory product antigens. These results indicate that pig breeding farms included in the present study are free from trichinellosis. However, it does not mean Korea is free from trichinellosis since human trichinellosis has recently been reported. The necessity of continued surveillance for trichinellosis in both pigs and wild animals was discussed.
Animals ; *Animals, Domestic ; Antibodies, Helminth/*blood ; Biological Markers/blood ; Blotting, Western ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Human ; Korea/epidemiology ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*diagnosis/epidemiology ; Trichinella spiralis/*immunology ; Trichinosis/*diagnosis/epidemiology/*veterinary

Pneumothorax is an extremely rare complication of non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection. A 52-year-old man presenting with difficulty breathing and chest pain was admitted to our hospital. A right-sided pneumothorax was observed on chest radiography and chest computed tomography showed multiple cavitating and non-cavitating nodules with consolidation in the upper to middle lung zones bilaterally. Serial sputum cultures were positive for Mycobacterium kansasii, and he was diagnosed with pulmonary M. kansasii disease complicated by tension pneumothorax. After initiation of treatment including decortications and pleurodesis, the patient made a full recovery. We herein describe this patient's course in detail and review the current relevant literature.
Chest Pain ; Humans ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Mycobacterium kansasii* ; Mycobacterium* ; Pleurodesis ; Pneumothorax* ; Radiography ; Respiration ; Sputum ; Thorax

Bleeding and thrombocytopenia are important adverse effects of abciximab. The incidence of abciximab-induced acute profound thrombocytopenia (APT) is low. APT is defined as an abrupt drop in platelet count to <20,000/microL that occurred within 24 hours of administration of an abciximab. This is distinct from all other types of drug-induced thrombocytopenia, which requires a period of drug administration to induce sensitization. If APT occurs and is left untreated, it can cause serious hemorrhage and ischemia that may be fatal. In this case, a 45-year-old man with acute myocardial infarction was administered a bolus intravenous injection of abciximab (0.25 mg/kg), followed by a 12-hour continuous infusion (10 microgram/min) during primary coronary angioplasty. We report a case of APT that was recognized at 2 hours after the initiation of abciximab infusion and was corrected without serious complications.
Angioplasty ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Injections, Intravenous ; Ischemia ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; Platelet Count ; Thrombocytopenia*

Malignant mixed m llerian tumors are uncommon neoplasms of the female genital track that histologically consist of malignant epithelial and stromal components. Malignant mixed m llerian tumors generally occur in elderly woman and are associated with a poor prognosis. We experienced a case of malignant mixed m llerian tumor recieved pelvic irradiation for the uterine cervical cancer 11 years prior to the diagnosis of the tumor and report with a brief review of the literature.
Aged ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: Adverse reactions to mosquito bites have been recognized for some time, and these usually consist of large swellings, generalized urticaria, angioedema, and less frequently asthma. There have been some efforts to define immunologic characteristics of mosquito allergens throughout the world. But, in Korea, the immunologic analysis of mosquito allergen have not been made. METHODS: Extracts of locally distributed female mosquito Culex pipiens, were prepared from their heads and thoraxes. By sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, proteins of two extracts were isolated. Then their proein bands were transferred to nitrocellulose membrane. Immunoblotting was performed with sera of allergic patients to mosquito bites, then completed by antibodies to human IgE. RESULTS: Immunoblotting showed IgE binding proteins weighing 70 kD, 60 kD, 34 kD in Culex pipiens. CONCLUSION: We found that mosquito antigens induced IgE response, and it suggested that species-specific antigens exist. Further investigation using salivary gland extracts from Culex genus are needed in identifying specific allergens.
Allergens* ; Angioedema ; Antibodies ; Asthma ; Collodion ; Culex* ; Culicidae* ; Electrophoresis ; Female ; Galectin 3 ; Head ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin E ; Korea ; Membranes ; Salivary Glands ; Sodium ; Thorax ; Urticaria

Plasmacytomas are extramedullary accumulations of plasma cells originating from soft tissue. Mediastinal plasmacytoma is a rare presentation. A 67-year-old man recovered after antibiotic treatment for community-acquired pneumonia. However, on convalescent chest radiography after 3 months, mass like lesion at the right lower lung field was newly detected. Follow-up chest computed tomography (CT) revealed an increase in the extent of the right posterior mediastinal mass that we had considered to be pneumonic consolidations on previous CT scans. Through percutaneous needle biopsy, we diagnosed IgG kappa type extramedullary plasmacytoma of the posterior mediastinum.
Aged ; Biopsy, Needle ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematopoiesis, Extramedullary ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Lung ; Mediastinum ; Plasma Cells ; Plasmacytoma* ; Pneumonia* ; Radiography ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed