Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) has been used for over a century and has been demonstrated to be effective in treating patients with various allergic diseases. AIT allergens can be administered through various routes, including subcutaneous, sublingual, intralymphatic, oral, or epicutaneous routes. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has recently gained clinical interest, and it is considered an alternative treatment for allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma. This review provides an overview of the current evidence-based studies that address the use of SLIT for treating AR, including (1) mechanisms of action, (2) appropriate patient selection for SLIT, (3) the current available SLIT products in Korea, and (4) updated information on its efficacy and safety. Finally, this guideline aims to provide the clinician with practical considerations for SLIT.

The flaviviruses are small single-stranded RNA viruses that are typically transmitted by mosquitoes or tick vectors and are etiological agents of acute zoonotic infections. The viruses are found around the world and account for significant cases of human diseases. We investigated population of culicine mosquitoes in central region of Korean Peninsula, Incheon Metropolitan City and Hwaseong-si. Aedes vexans nipponii was the most frequently collected mosquitoes (56.5%), followed by Ochlerotatus dorsalis (23.6%), Anopheles spp. (10.9%), and Culex pipiens complex (5.9%). In rural regions of Hwaseong, Aedes vexans nipponii was the highest population (62.9%), followed by Ochlerotatus dorsalis (23.9%) and Anopheles spp. (12.0%). In another rural region of Incheon (habitat of migratory birds), Culex pipiens complex was the highest population (31.4%), followed by Ochlerotatus dorsalis (30.5%), and Aedes vexans vexans (27.5%). Culex pipiens complex was the predominant species in the urban region (84.7%). Culicine mosquitoes were identified at the species level, pooled up to 30 mosquitoes each, and tested for flaviviral RNA using the SYBR Green-based RT-PCR and confirmed by cDNA sequencing. Three of the assayed 2,683 pools (989 pools without Anopheles spp.) were positive for Culex flaviviruses, an insect-specific virus, from Culex pipiens pallens collected at the habitats for migratory birds in Incheon. The maximum likelihood estimation (the estimated number) for Culex pipiens pallens positive for Culex flavivirus was 25. Although viruses responsible for mosquito-borne diseases were not identified, we encourage intensified monitoring and long-term surveillance of both vector and viruses in the interest of global public health.

PURPOSE: Limited data is available on the prevalence and risk factors of acute and chronic urticaria in children. Our purpose was to determine the prevalence and identify the risk factors of acute and chronic urticaria in Korean children. METHODS: This population-based study examined 4,076 children (age 4 to 13 years) who were enrolled in the 2015 prospective Seongnam Atopy Project (SAP 2015) in Korea. The parents completed an urticaria questionnaire that included questions regarding the duration, severity, and triggering factors of urticaria. Blood sampling (n=464) was performed to measure vitamin D, total eosinophil count (TEC), and total IgE levels, and skin prick tests (n=503) were done. RESULTS: The prevalences of the life-time, acute, and chronic urticaria were 22.5%, 13.9%, and 1.8% (chronic continuous urticaria, 0.7%; and chronic recurrent urticaria, 1.1%), respectively. Acute urticaria was significantly associated with allergic diseases and parental history of allergy (P<0.001), but chronic urticaria was not associated with these clinical factors. There was no significant difference in the 25-hydroxyvitamin D level between subjects with chronic urticaria and controls (P=0.124). Chronic continuous urticaria was associated with living in a new residence (aOR=2.38, 95% CI=1.02-5.54, P=0.044) and belonging to a family with a high income (aOR=4.24, 95% CI=1.24-14.56, P=0.022). CONCLUSIONS: A total of 1.8% of children were found to have chronic urticaria. Living in a new residence and belonging to a family with a high income increased the risk of chronic continuous urticaria.
Child* ; Eosinophils ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Korea ; Parents ; Prevalence* ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Skin ; Urticaria* ; Vitamin D

A 55-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with a 6-month history of dyspnea (NYHA II-III). The physical examination revealed a grade 2/6 "tumor plop," i.e., a low-pitched sound heard during early or mid-diastole. The chest X-ray showed mild cardiomegaly with lung congestion in both lower lung fields. Two-dimensional echocardiogram showed a large myocardial mass, prolapsing into the left ventricle during diastole. Chest computed tomography showed a multi-lobulated mass (6.8x4.1 cm) attached to the interatrial septum during systole and prolapsing into the left ventricle during diastole. Coronary angiography demonstrated large tumor vessels arising from and surrounding the posterior lateral branch of the right coronary artery. The mass was excised and the patient recovered uneventfully.
Cardiomegaly ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels ; Diastole ; Dyspnea ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Female ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Heart Atria ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Myxoma ; Physical Examination ; Systole ; Thorax

The followings are the results for external quality assessment (EQA) in immunoserology for 2009: Evaluation of EQA was done in 2 trials in April and November, about 99% of laboratories participating average 7.4 items. The results were collected via internet and about 98% of laboratories have sent their results via internet. Control materials used in EQA were pooled sera including commercial controls, MASR Immunology Control from Medical Analysis Systems (Camarillo, CA, USA), which were delivered refrigerated for stability of control materials, being received within 48 hours after sending. Latex agglutination tests for rheumatoid factor (RF) showed frequently false positive or false negative results especially in commercial controls, possibly due to matrix effect. False negative and positive results were frequently found in the laboratories using immunochromatography assay (ICA) for anti-HCV and anti-HIV. More careful quality control should be required for ICA tests. New tests measuring non-treponemal and trponemal antibody such as turbidoimmunoassay (TIA) and chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) were introduced. Standardization of instruments and reagents including calibrators for quantitative results should be required for the harmonization of results.
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Immunoassay ; Immunochromatography ; Indicators and Reagents ; Internet ; Korea ; Latex Fixation Tests ; Luminescence ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Quality Control ; Rheumatoid Factor

The followings are the results for external quality assessment (EQA) in immunoserology for 2008:1.Evaluation of EQA was done in 2 trials in May and November, about 99% of laboratories participating average 7.7 items. The results were collected via internet and about 99% of laboratories have sent their results via internet. 2.Control materials used in the External Proficiecny Testing were pooled sera including Commercial controls, MAS(R) Immunology Control from Medical Analysis Systems (Camarillo, CA, USA), which were delivered refrigerated for stability of control materials, being received within 48 hours after sending. 3.Latex agglutination tests for rheumatoid factor (RF) showed frequently false positive or false negative results especially in Commercial controls, possibly due to matrix effect.4.False negative and positive results were frequently found in the laboratories using immunochromatography assay (ICA) for anti-HCV and anti-HIV. More careful quality control should be required for ICA tests. 5.New tests measuring non-treponemal and trponemal antibody such as turbidoimmunoassay (TIA) and chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) were introduced.6.Standardization of instruments and reagents including calibrators for quantitative results should be required for the harmonization of results.
Agglutination Tests ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Immunoassay ; Immunochromatography ; Indicators and Reagents ; Internet ; Korea ; Luminescence ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Quality Control ; Rheumatoid Factor

BACKGROUND: In recent years in Korea, human brucellosis (HB) and human leptospirosis (HL) have become the major zoonoses with a dramatic increased cases of incidence in man; we analyzed the current state and epidemiological aspects of related risk factors from 2001 to 2008. METHODS: Based on the surveillance data of HB and HL, most are confirmed cases in Korea from the Annual Reports of HB and HL in the Disease Web Statistics System, Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDCP). RESULTS: The incidence of HB in Korea from 2001 to 2008 was 596 cases, and that of HL was 1,025 cases. When both prevalence rates were compared during the same period, the HB was lower than that of HL. The seasonal distribution of HB cases showed that the incidence from spring to summer were higher than that of HL (P<0.01), while the outbreaks of HL in autumn was much more than that of HB (P<0.01). Geographical distribution HB cases were western and central regions of the rural (60.4% of total) in the Korean peninsula, showing higher outbreaks than other areas, while HL occurred in easterly regions (72.7%). Significantly more males were infected in both HB (84.2%) and HL (58.9%) than those of females in both HB (13.1%) and HL (41.1%), respectively (P<0.01). The distribution by age groups were different between HB and HL, while the outbreaks over 62.8% of the cases of HB occurred in 40 to 59 year-old age group, and that of HL was clearly showing a high incidence in the elderly age over-60-year-old (60.8%) (P<0.01). In both diseases, elderly people especially in farmers showed a very high prevalence rate (62.8% of HB and 60.8% of HL), which is possibly due to increased outdoor activities and a decreased number of young people in those areas. The occupational distribution of HB cases were farmers, veterinarians, dairyman and others, and those of HL cases were broad. CONCLUSION: The difference in HB and HL risk factors reflects the different influences of hosts/vector, climate, and geographical and environmental characteristics in the epidemiological patterns.
Aged ; Brucellosis ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Climate ; Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Leptospirosis ; Male ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Risk Factors ; Seasons ; Veterinarians ; Zoonoses

The followings are the results for external quality assessment (EQA) in immunoserology for 2007: 1. Evaluation of EQA was done in 2 trials in May and December, about 99% of laboratories participating average 7.8 items. The results were collected via internet for the first time and 96~98% of laboratories have sent their results via internet. 2. All the specimens for Immunoserology in EQA were delivered refrigerated, being received within 48 hours after sending. 3. Commercial controls, MASR Immunology Control from Medical Analysis Systems (Camarillo, CA, USA) were used to assure the quality of quantitative results of C-reactive protein (CRP), rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti- streptolysin O (ASO) tests, and the RF results of MASR Immunology Control were variable depending on the reagents used. 4. The laboratories using immunochromatography assay (ICA) were increased, however, many laboratories using ICA reported falsely negative for the positive specimens. The sensitivity of ICA test kits as well as various factors influencing the ICA results should be evaluated. 5. The HBsAg results of the ACCURUN 1R Multi-Marker Positive Control (Boston Biomedica Inc. USA) were falsely reported as negative in some laboratories using arbitrarily determined cutoff. 6. Standardization of methods including calibrators for quantitative results should be required for the harmonization of results.
Bacterial Proteins ; C-Reactive Protein ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Immunochromatography ; Indicators and Reagents ; Internet ; Korea ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Streptolysins

The followings are the results for external quality assessment (EQA) in immunoserology for 2007: 1. Evaluation of EQA was done in 2 trials in May and December, about 99% of laboratories participating average 7.8 items. The results were collected via internet for the first time and 96~98% of laboratories have sent their results via internet. 2. All the specimens for Immunoserology in EQA were delivered refrigerated, being received within 48 hours after sending. 3. Commercial controls, MASR Immunology Control from Medical Analysis Systems (Camarillo, CA, USA) were used to assure the quality of quantitative results of C-reactive protein (CRP), rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti- streptolysin O (ASO) tests, and the RF results of MASR Immunology Control were variable depending on the reagents used. 4. The laboratories using immunochromatography assay (ICA) were increased, however, many laboratories using ICA reported falsely negative for the positive specimens. The sensitivity of ICA test kits as well as various factors influencing the ICA results should be evaluated. 5. The HBsAg results of the ACCURUN 1R Multi-Marker Positive Control (Boston Biomedica Inc. USA) were falsely reported as negative in some laboratories using arbitrarily determined cutoff. 6. Standardization of methods including calibrators for quantitative results should be required for the harmonization of results.
Bacterial Proteins ; C-Reactive Protein ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Immunochromatography ; Indicators and Reagents ; Internet ; Korea ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Streptolysins