Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and genotypic traits of PCV2 and PCV3 in wild boars in the Gyeongnam region. Methods: Serum samples from wild boars in Gyeongnam Province were screened for PCV2 and PCV3, and polymerase chain reaction-positive samples were further subjected to genotyping and whole-genome sequencing of PCV2 and PCV3. Results: Thirty-eight samples tested positive for PCV2, 7 for PCV3, and 2 for PCV2 and PCV3 (coinfection). PCV2d and PCV3b are the dominant genotypes, causing PCV2 and PCV3 coinfections. Wild boar PCV2 and PCV3 viruses closely resemble their corresponding genotypic strains circulating in South Korea. Conclusions and Relevance: The circulation of PCV2 and/or PCV3 in wild species poses an additional challenge for commercial pig farming due to potential contact with infected wild boars. Our findings highlight the necessity for active monitoring and surveillance of wild boars and the enforcement of stringent biosecurity measures on commercial swine farms to mitigate the risk of PCV spillover to the domestic pig population.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and genotypic traits of PCV2 and PCV3 in wild boars in the Gyeongnam region. Methods: Serum samples from wild boars in Gyeongnam Province were screened for PCV2 and PCV3, and polymerase chain reaction-positive samples were further subjected to genotyping and whole-genome sequencing of PCV2 and PCV3. Results: Thirty-eight samples tested positive for PCV2, 7 for PCV3, and 2 for PCV2 and PCV3 (coinfection). PCV2d and PCV3b are the dominant genotypes, causing PCV2 and PCV3 coinfections. Wild boar PCV2 and PCV3 viruses closely resemble their corresponding genotypic strains circulating in South Korea. Conclusions and Relevance: The circulation of PCV2 and/or PCV3 in wild species poses an additional challenge for commercial pig farming due to potential contact with infected wild boars. Our findings highlight the necessity for active monitoring and surveillance of wild boars and the enforcement of stringent biosecurity measures on commercial swine farms to mitigate the risk of PCV spillover to the domestic pig population.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and genotypic traits of PCV2 and PCV3 in wild boars in the Gyeongnam region. Methods: Serum samples from wild boars in Gyeongnam Province were screened for PCV2 and PCV3, and polymerase chain reaction-positive samples were further subjected to genotyping and whole-genome sequencing of PCV2 and PCV3. Results: Thirty-eight samples tested positive for PCV2, 7 for PCV3, and 2 for PCV2 and PCV3 (coinfection). PCV2d and PCV3b are the dominant genotypes, causing PCV2 and PCV3 coinfections. Wild boar PCV2 and PCV3 viruses closely resemble their corresponding genotypic strains circulating in South Korea. Conclusions and Relevance: The circulation of PCV2 and/or PCV3 in wild species poses an additional challenge for commercial pig farming due to potential contact with infected wild boars. Our findings highlight the necessity for active monitoring and surveillance of wild boars and the enforcement of stringent biosecurity measures on commercial swine farms to mitigate the risk of PCV spillover to the domestic pig population.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and genotypic traits of PCV2 and PCV3 in wild boars in the Gyeongnam region. Methods: Serum samples from wild boars in Gyeongnam Province were screened for PCV2 and PCV3, and polymerase chain reaction-positive samples were further subjected to genotyping and whole-genome sequencing of PCV2 and PCV3. Results: Thirty-eight samples tested positive for PCV2, 7 for PCV3, and 2 for PCV2 and PCV3 (coinfection). PCV2d and PCV3b are the dominant genotypes, causing PCV2 and PCV3 coinfections. Wild boar PCV2 and PCV3 viruses closely resemble their corresponding genotypic strains circulating in South Korea. Conclusions and Relevance: The circulation of PCV2 and/or PCV3 in wild species poses an additional challenge for commercial pig farming due to potential contact with infected wild boars. Our findings highlight the necessity for active monitoring and surveillance of wild boars and the enforcement of stringent biosecurity measures on commercial swine farms to mitigate the risk of PCV spillover to the domestic pig population.

Fertility preservation is a major concern in young patients diagnosed with breast cancer and planning to receive multimodality treatment, including gonadotoxic chemotherapy with or without age-related decline through long-term endocrine therapy. Most breast cancer patients undergo multimodality treatments; many short-term and long-term side effects arise during these therapies. One of the most detrimental side effects is reduced fertility due to gonadotoxic treatments with resultant psychosocial stress. Cryopreservation of oocytes, embryos, and ovarian tissue are currently available fertility preservation methods for these patients. As an adjunct to these methods, in vitro maturation or gonadotropinreleasing hormone agonist could also be considered. It is also essential to communicate well with patients in the decision-making process on fertility preservation. It is essential to refer patients diagnosed with breast cancer on time to fertility specialists for individualized treatment, which may lead to desirable outcomes. To do so, a multimodal team-based approach and in-depth discussion on the treatment of breast cancer and fertility preservation is crucial. This review aims to summarize infertility risk related to currently available breast cancer treatment, options for fertility preservation and its details, barriers to oncofertility counseling, and psychosocial issues.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has posed significant financial threats to the domestic pig industry over the last three decades in South Korea. PEDV infection will mostly result in endemic persistence in the affected farrow-to-finish (FTF) herds, leading to endemic porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) followed by year-round recurrent outbreaks. This review aims to encourage collaboration among swine producers, veterinarians, and researchers to offer answers that strengthen our understanding of PEDV in efforts to prevent and control endemic PED and to prepare for the next epidemics or pandemics. We found that collaboratively implementing a PED risk assessment and customized four-pillar-based control measures is vital to interrupt the chain of endemic PED in affected herds: the former can identify on-farm risk factors while the latter aims to compensate for or improve weaknesses via herd immunity stabilization and virus elimination. Under endemic PED, long-term virus survival in slurry and asymptomatically infected gilts (“Trojan Pigs”) that can transmit the virus to farrowing houses are key challenges for PEDV eradication in FTF farms and highlight the necessity for active monitoring and surveillance of the virus in herds and their environments. This paper underlines the current knowledge of molecular epidemiology and commercially available vaccines, as well as the risk assessment and customized strategies to control PEDV. The intervention measures for stabilizing herd immunity and eliminating virus circulation may be the cornerstone of establishing regional or national PED eradication programs.

Purpose: Classical swine fever (CSF) reemerged on CSF-free Jeju Island where vaccination is not practiced by the unintentional injection of a live attenuated vaccine (modified live attenuated vaccines–low-virulence Miyagi [MLV-LOM]) in 2014. Since the Jeju provincial authority is considering adopting a voluntary immunization policy using a CSF-E2 subunit vaccine to combat LOM-derived CSF endemic, this study aimed to evaluate in Jeju herds. Materials and Methods: Two vaccination trials using the Bayovac CSF-E2 vaccine licensed for use in South Korea assessed the safety and humoral immunity of the CSF-E2 vaccine in breeding (trial 1) and nursery animals (trial 2) under farm application conditions. Results: Neither local nor systemic (including reproductive) adverse effects were objectively observed in pregnant sows and young piglets following a respective vaccination regime at pregnancy or weaning, respectively. Trial 1 showed that sows immunized with the CSF-E2 vaccine possessed high and consistent E2-specific and neutralizing antibody levels. The CSF-E2 vaccine-immunized pregnant sows subsequently conferred appropriate and steady passive immunity to their offspring. In trial 2, a double immunization scheme of the CSF-E2 vaccine in piglets at 40 and 60 days of age could elicit a consistent and long-lasting adequate antibody response. Additionally, the two trials detected no E rns -specific antibody responses, indicating that CSF-E2 vaccine can differentiate infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA). Conclusion Our trial data collectively provide invaluable information on applying the CSFE2 subunit vaccine to circumvent the possible drawbacks associated with the MLV-LOM concerning the safety, efficacy, and DIVA, in the LOM-endemic field farms and contribute to advanced CSF eradication on Jeju Island.

Various invasive fungal infections can occur in immunocompromised hosts, and an acute invasive fungal infection (AIFI) can be fatal. Because of its high mortality rate, AIFI must be quickly diagnosed and treated, such as anti-fungal agents or surgical debridement. In an immunocompromised host, nasal herpes simplex infection, usually caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) type-1, can have various clinical manifestations, some of which can mimic AIFI. However, the management of acute viral infection differs significantly from invasive fungal infections of the nose. A fast and accurate differential diagnosis is mandatory because a delay in the disease-specific treatment of acute invasive infections can lead to mortality. This report describes two immunocompromised patients with mucosal and skin lesions around the nose. We provide clinical clues when mucosal lesions of the nasal cavity and skin lesions around the nose develop in immunocompromised hosts.

Purpose: The treatment outcomes and genomic profiles of diffuse midline glioma (DMG) in adult patients are rarely characterized. We performed a retrospective study to evaluate the clinicogenomic profiles of adult patients with brain DMG. Materials and Methods: Patients aged ≥ 18 years diagnosed with brain DMG at Seoul National University Hospital were included. The clinicopathological parameters, treatment outcomes, survival, and genomic profiles using 82-gene targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) were analyzed. The 6-month progression-free survival (PFS6) after radiotherapy and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Results: Thirty-three patients with H3-mutant brain DMG were identified. The median OS from diagnosis was 21.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.2 to not available [NA]) and involvement of the ponto-medullary area tended to have poor OS (median OS, 20.4 months [95% CI, 9.3 to NA] vs. 43.6 months [95% CI, 18.2 to NA]; p=0.07). Twenty-four patients (72.7%) received radiotherapy with or without temozolomide. The PFS6 rate was 83.3% (n=20). Patients without progression at 6 months showed significantly prolonged OS compared with those with progression at 6 months (median OS, 24.9 months [95% CI, 20.4 to NA] vs. 10.8 months [95% CI, 4.0 to NA]; p=0.02, respectively). Targeted NGS was performed in 13 patients with DMG, among whom nine (69.2%) harbored concurrent TP53 mutation. Two patients (DMG14 and DMG23) with PIK3CAR38S+E545K and KRASG12A mutations received matched therapies. Patient DMG14 received sirolimus with a PFS of 8.4 months. Conclusion PFS6 after radiotherapy was associated with prolonged survival in adult patients with DMG. Genome-based matched therapy may be an encouraging approach for progressive adult patients with DMG.

Purpose: To investigate the characteristics of HER2-positive breast cancer according to HER2 low (2+) or high (3+) classification using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Methods: Data were collected from 205 HER2-positive breast cancer patients in the final assay, regardless of IHC or in situ hybridization (ISH). We thus classified patients into two groups: HER2 2+/low and HER2 3+/high based on the IHC assay. We subsequently compared the clinical and pathological characteristics between groups. Results: The median patient age was 49 years in the HER2 2+/low group and 53 years in the HER2 3+/high group. We observed a significantly lower Allred score for estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) (0-6) (p<0.001), less lymphatic invasion (LI), (p=0.010), neural invasion (p=0.041), higher Ki-67 (p=0.001), and lower Bcl-2 (p<0.001) in the HER2 3+/high group than in the HER2 2+/low group. Lymph node recurrence was more frequently observed in the HER2 2+/low group than in HER2 3+/high group (p=0.005). Disease-free survival (DFS) was better in the HER2 3+/high group than in the HER2 2+/low group (p=0.028), but there were no significant differences in overall survival between the groups (p=0.233). Conclusion The HER2 3+/high group was associated with lower ER and PR expression, less LI, higher Ki-67, and lower Bcl-2 than that in HER2 2+/low group in HER2-positive breast cancer. Furthermore, compared to the HER2 2+/low group, the HER2 3+/high group had an improved DFS.