Emerging infectious diseases have risen sharply due to population growth, urbanization, travel, trade, and environmental changes, with outbreaks like severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East respiratory syndrome, and coronavirus disease 2019 highlighting the global need for effective surveillance systems. Various infectious disease surveillance systems are applied depending on the surveillance objectives, target populations, and geographical scope. While Korea has a robust surveillance system, challenges remain in integrating data, enhancing coordination, and improving response efficiency. This article reviews the types and roles of infectious disease surveillance systems through a literature review and proposes strategies for improving Korea’s surveillance system by comparing it with those of other countries, including the World Health Organization (WHO). To strengthen Korea’s surveillance framework, a comprehensive strategy should be implemented to interconnect multiple surveillance mechanisms and enhance real-time data sharing. A centralized data platform must integrate these systems, leveraging artificial intelligence and big data analytics for faster outbreak analysis. International collaboration through data-sharing networks with the WHO, European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, and U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is essential, along with standardized reporting formats to improve interoperability.

Emerging infectious diseases have risen sharply due to population growth, urbanization, travel, trade, and environmental changes, with outbreaks like severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East respiratory syndrome, and coronavirus disease 2019 highlighting the global need for effective surveillance systems. Various infectious disease surveillance systems are applied depending on the surveillance objectives, target populations, and geographical scope. While Korea has a robust surveillance system, challenges remain in integrating data, enhancing coordination, and improving response efficiency. This article reviews the types and roles of infectious disease surveillance systems through a literature review and proposes strategies for improving Korea’s surveillance system by comparing it with those of other countries, including the World Health Organization (WHO). To strengthen Korea’s surveillance framework, a comprehensive strategy should be implemented to interconnect multiple surveillance mechanisms and enhance real-time data sharing. A centralized data platform must integrate these systems, leveraging artificial intelligence and big data analytics for faster outbreak analysis. International collaboration through data-sharing networks with the WHO, European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, and U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is essential, along with standardized reporting formats to improve interoperability.

Emerging infectious diseases have risen sharply due to population growth, urbanization, travel, trade, and environmental changes, with outbreaks like severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East respiratory syndrome, and coronavirus disease 2019 highlighting the global need for effective surveillance systems. Various infectious disease surveillance systems are applied depending on the surveillance objectives, target populations, and geographical scope. While Korea has a robust surveillance system, challenges remain in integrating data, enhancing coordination, and improving response efficiency. This article reviews the types and roles of infectious disease surveillance systems through a literature review and proposes strategies for improving Korea’s surveillance system by comparing it with those of other countries, including the World Health Organization (WHO). To strengthen Korea’s surveillance framework, a comprehensive strategy should be implemented to interconnect multiple surveillance mechanisms and enhance real-time data sharing. A centralized data platform must integrate these systems, leveraging artificial intelligence and big data analytics for faster outbreak analysis. International collaboration through data-sharing networks with the WHO, European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, and U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is essential, along with standardized reporting formats to improve interoperability.

Emerging infectious diseases have risen sharply due to population growth, urbanization, travel, trade, and environmental changes, with outbreaks like severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East respiratory syndrome, and coronavirus disease 2019 highlighting the global need for effective surveillance systems. Various infectious disease surveillance systems are applied depending on the surveillance objectives, target populations, and geographical scope. While Korea has a robust surveillance system, challenges remain in integrating data, enhancing coordination, and improving response efficiency. This article reviews the types and roles of infectious disease surveillance systems through a literature review and proposes strategies for improving Korea’s surveillance system by comparing it with those of other countries, including the World Health Organization (WHO). To strengthen Korea’s surveillance framework, a comprehensive strategy should be implemented to interconnect multiple surveillance mechanisms and enhance real-time data sharing. A centralized data platform must integrate these systems, leveraging artificial intelligence and big data analytics for faster outbreak analysis. International collaboration through data-sharing networks with the WHO, European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, and U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is essential, along with standardized reporting formats to improve interoperability.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine knowledge, attitudes, performance, and barriers to pain management of nurses working in oncology settings. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 222 nurses in five tertiary hospitals in Korea.The period of data collection was 1 September to 30 November 2018. Participants were surveyed using the Nurse Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (NKASRP), a pain management performance, and barriers questionnaire. The data were analyzed through independent t-test and One-way ANOVA, and the post-hoc test was conducted with the Scheffé test using the SPSS 23 program. Results: According to the study, oncology nurses’ knowledge and attitudes to pain received a score of 26.4±3.77 (out of 41 points) and the performance received a score of 3.24±0.35 (out of 4 points). Among the barriers to pain management, time constraints were the most frequent medical staff-related factor, and reluctance to take opioids was the most frequent patient-related factor. In terms of factors related to the health care system, strict regulation of opioids was the most significant. There was a significant positive correlation between knowledge and attitude of pain management and performance of pain management. Conclusion Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that structured education programs to be developed and implemented to enhance knowledge, attitudes, and performance on pain.

In 2017, the Korean government launched an unprecedentedly large-scaled latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening project which covered more than a million individuals in congregate settings. A total of 1,047,689 participants of source population (n = 2,336,157) underwent LTBI testing from 2017 to 2018. The overall LTBI test uptake rate during this project was 44.8%. Workers in daycare centers (83.5%) and kindergartens (78.9%) showed high participation rate. A total of 1,012,206 individuals with valid results of interferongamma release assay (IGRA) were selected to constitute the IGRA cohort. Most of the enrolled participants in the IGRA cohort were in their working age. Approximately, threequarters of total enrolled population were female. Investigating the LTBI prevalence, stages of LTBI care cascade, natural history of LTBI, efficacy of LTBI treatment and cost-effectiveness of LTBI screening are feasible within this IGRA cohort.

In 2017, the Korean government launched an unprecedentedly large-scaled latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening project which covered more than a million individuals in congregate settings. A total of 1,047,689 participants of source population (n = 2,336,157) underwent LTBI testing from 2017 to 2018. The overall LTBI test uptake rate during this project was 44.8%. Workers in daycare centers (83.5%) and kindergartens (78.9%) showed high participation rate. A total of 1,012,206 individuals with valid results of interferongamma release assay (IGRA) were selected to constitute the IGRA cohort. Most of the enrolled participants in the IGRA cohort were in their working age. Approximately, threequarters of total enrolled population were female. Investigating the LTBI prevalence, stages of LTBI care cascade, natural history of LTBI, efficacy of LTBI treatment and cost-effectiveness of LTBI screening are feasible within this IGRA cohort.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine knowledge, attitudes, performance, and barriers to pain management of nurses working in oncology settings. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 222 nurses in five tertiary hospitals in Korea.The period of data collection was 1 September to 30 November 2018. Participants were surveyed using the Nurse Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (NKASRP), a pain management performance, and barriers questionnaire. The data were analyzed through independent t-test and One-way ANOVA, and the post-hoc test was conducted with the Scheffé test using the SPSS 23 program. Results: According to the study, oncology nurses’ knowledge and attitudes to pain received a score of 26.4±3.77 (out of 41 points) and the performance received a score of 3.24±0.35 (out of 4 points). Among the barriers to pain management, time constraints were the most frequent medical staff-related factor, and reluctance to take opioids was the most frequent patient-related factor. In terms of factors related to the health care system, strict regulation of opioids was the most significant. There was a significant positive correlation between knowledge and attitude of pain management and performance of pain management. Conclusion Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that structured education programs to be developed and implemented to enhance knowledge, attitudes, and performance on pain.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma associated with chronic inflammation (DLBCL-CI), specifically arising in ileal neobladder, is a rare neoplasm. We present an unusual case of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)–positive DLBCL-CI arising within neobladder with detailed clinical, histological, and immunophenotypical features in an immunocompetent patient. An 88-year-old male was admitted for gross hematuria. He had undergone radical cystectomy and ileal neobladder 17 years ago for invasive bladder cancer. Computed tomography showed enhancing lesions on dome and posterior wall of neobladder with mucosal thickening and multiple enlarged retroperitoneal lymphadenopathies. Transurethralresection of neobladder lesion revealed the diffuse infiltration of large lymphoid cells which were positive for CD20, CD30, and multiple myeloma oncogen-1 with EBV-encoded small RNAs co-localizing, and diagnosis of EBV-positive DLBCL-CI was made. After multi-agent chemotherapy, the lesion disappeared. We suggest that clinicians should consider the possibility of DLBCL-CI in patients presented with hematuria during follow-up after bladder reconstruction.
Aged, 80 and over ; B-Lymphocytes ; Cystectomy ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Male ; Multiple Myeloma ; RNA ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: In Korea, the incidence of varicella has increased despite the introduction of a universal one-dose vaccination for children aged 12–15 months in 2005. A previous study demonstrated that the vaccine effectiveness was insufficient to prevent against varicella. We assessed the effect of the varicella vaccination on disease severity. METHODS: Epidemiologic investigation of varicella cases in Seoul metropolitan area from 2015 to 2017 were used. Varicella-related symptoms such as rash were determined by the clinical practitioners. Disease severity of patients was assessed by the number of skin lesions and divided into mild (≤ 50) and moderate (51–249) to severe (≥ 250). Unconditional logistic regression analysis was performed and age was controlled. RESULTS: Among a total of 1,008 varicella cases reported, 869 cases were breakthrough cases and 139 were unvaccinated cases. The risk for occurrence of moderate-to-severe disease in the breakthrough group was 0.57 times less than that of the unvaccinated group. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that national varicella vaccination may have a significant effect on attenuation of disease severity in children.
Chickenpox ; Child ; Disease Outbreaks ; Exanthema ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Seoul ; Skin ; Vaccination