Objectives: In May 2025, clusters of salmonellosis were identified in 7 cities in the Republic of Korea, all associated with consumption of identical bakery products. This investigation aimed to characterize the outbreak, identify potential contributing factors, and inform strategies for preventing similar multi-facility foodborne outbreaks. Methods: A case series study was conducted among individuals who consumed Manufacturer H’s Product I and Product II on May 15–16, 2025 at 7 facilities (n = 1,235). Clinical specimens from symptomatic individuals, retained food samples, and environmental samples were collected and tested. Food-exposure histories were assessed, and active case finding was implemented across all supplied facilities. Traceback investigations were conducted at the manufacturer, distributor, and egg farms. Human and food isolates underwent pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Results: A total of 323 cases met the outbreak case definition (attack rate, 26.2%), of which 48 were laboratory-confirmed. Salmonella Enteritidis was isolated from both clinical specimens and retained bakery products. PFGE patterns were indistinguishable between human and food isolates, and WGS demonstrated high genetic relatedness. These findings confirmed a common-source outbreak linked to the implicated bakery products. Conclusion This outbreak underscores the value of integrating epidemiological investigation, active case finding, and molecular typing to identify common food vehicles in outbreaks involving widely distributed manufactured foods. Coordinated collaboration between public health and food safety authorities is essential for the effective detection, response, and prevention of multi-facility foodborne outbreaks.

Mutations in p53 have been implicated in poor prognosis and reduced sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) treatment in colon cancer.While p53-dependent mechanisms have been widely studies, less is known about how p53 deficiency reshapes cellular signaling and contributes to 5-FU resistance. In this study, we aimed to profile proteomic alterations associated with p53 loss by comparing colon cancer cells with and without p53 expression. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) related to cell cycle regulation were of particular interest, as 5-FU treatment induced G1 phase arrest in HCT116 p53 wild-type (WT) cells, whereas p53 knockout (KO) cells predominantly showed S phase arrest. We identified several DEPs in p53 deficient cells following 5-FU treatment. Notably, F3 expression was increased, while aldehyde dehydrogenase family 1 member A4 (ALDH1A3), histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2), and protein S100-A4 (S100A4) were decreased. The expression levels of these genes were associated with overall survival in patients with colon cancer. These findings highlight proteomic alterations linked to p53 deficiency and support a proposed model in which differential regulation of specific proteins may be associated with reduced sensitivity to 5-FU, providing a basis for future mechanistic and functional studies.

Background: Post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) are common pro‑ phylactic strategies for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT). Interleukin (IL)-6 is a surrogate marker for cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and acute GVHD.Method The clinical outcomes and complications of haplo-HSCT with PTCy plus ATG versus PTCy monotherapy were compared according to serum IL-6 levels at Chungnam National University Hospital (Daejeon, South Korea) from Jan‑ uary 2019 to February 2023. Results: Forty patients who underwent haplo-HSCT were analyzed. A significant difference in IL-6 levels was observed between the PTCy plus ATG and PTCy alone groups (7.47 ± 10.55 vs. 117.65 ± 127.67; p = 0.003). More patients in the PTCy plus ATG group had a CRS grade of 0 than in the PTCy alone group (p < 0.001). Serum IL-6 levels were associated with grades II–IV acute GVHD (r = 0.547, p < 0.001). The cumulative incidence (CI) of grades II–IV acute GVHD was significantly higher in the PTCy alone group (67.9% vs. 4.8%; p < 0.001). No significant difference in the CI for chronic GVHD was detected between the PTCy plus ATG and PTCy alone groups (72.1% vs. 82.0%; p = 0.730). The CI of 1-year non-relapse mortality was significantly higher in the PTCy alone group than in the PTCy plus ATG group (42.2% vs. 15.9%; p = 0.022). The 1-year overall survival (OS) was significantly better in the PTCy plus ATG group (75.9% vs. 35.3%; p = 0.011). The 1-year GVHD-free, relapse-free survival rate was 29.4% in the PTCy alone group and 54.0% in the PTCy plus ATG group (p = 0.038). Conclusion Serum IL-6 levels were higher in the PTCy alone group than in the PTCy plus ATG group. The addition of ATG before stem cell infusion affected IL-6 levels and reduced the incidences of CRS and grade II–IV acute GVHD in haplo-HSCT patients. This study suggests that PTCy plus ATG as GVHD prophylaxis in haplo-HSCT is beneficial in terms of clinical outcomes and complications of HSCT.

Background: Post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) are common pro‑ phylactic strategies for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT). Interleukin (IL)-6 is a surrogate marker for cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and acute GVHD.Method The clinical outcomes and complications of haplo-HSCT with PTCy plus ATG versus PTCy monotherapy were compared according to serum IL-6 levels at Chungnam National University Hospital (Daejeon, South Korea) from Jan‑ uary 2019 to February 2023. Results: Forty patients who underwent haplo-HSCT were analyzed. A significant difference in IL-6 levels was observed between the PTCy plus ATG and PTCy alone groups (7.47 ± 10.55 vs. 117.65 ± 127.67; p = 0.003). More patients in the PTCy plus ATG group had a CRS grade of 0 than in the PTCy alone group (p < 0.001). Serum IL-6 levels were associated with grades II–IV acute GVHD (r = 0.547, p < 0.001). The cumulative incidence (CI) of grades II–IV acute GVHD was significantly higher in the PTCy alone group (67.9% vs. 4.8%; p < 0.001). No significant difference in the CI for chronic GVHD was detected between the PTCy plus ATG and PTCy alone groups (72.1% vs. 82.0%; p = 0.730). The CI of 1-year non-relapse mortality was significantly higher in the PTCy alone group than in the PTCy plus ATG group (42.2% vs. 15.9%; p = 0.022). The 1-year overall survival (OS) was significantly better in the PTCy plus ATG group (75.9% vs. 35.3%; p = 0.011). The 1-year GVHD-free, relapse-free survival rate was 29.4% in the PTCy alone group and 54.0% in the PTCy plus ATG group (p = 0.038). Conclusion Serum IL-6 levels were higher in the PTCy alone group than in the PTCy plus ATG group. The addition of ATG before stem cell infusion affected IL-6 levels and reduced the incidences of CRS and grade II–IV acute GVHD in haplo-HSCT patients. This study suggests that PTCy plus ATG as GVHD prophylaxis in haplo-HSCT is beneficial in terms of clinical outcomes and complications of HSCT.

Background: Post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) are common pro‑ phylactic strategies for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT). Interleukin (IL)-6 is a surrogate marker for cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and acute GVHD.Method The clinical outcomes and complications of haplo-HSCT with PTCy plus ATG versus PTCy monotherapy were compared according to serum IL-6 levels at Chungnam National University Hospital (Daejeon, South Korea) from Jan‑ uary 2019 to February 2023. Results: Forty patients who underwent haplo-HSCT were analyzed. A significant difference in IL-6 levels was observed between the PTCy plus ATG and PTCy alone groups (7.47 ± 10.55 vs. 117.65 ± 127.67; p = 0.003). More patients in the PTCy plus ATG group had a CRS grade of 0 than in the PTCy alone group (p < 0.001). Serum IL-6 levels were associated with grades II–IV acute GVHD (r = 0.547, p < 0.001). The cumulative incidence (CI) of grades II–IV acute GVHD was significantly higher in the PTCy alone group (67.9% vs. 4.8%; p < 0.001). No significant difference in the CI for chronic GVHD was detected between the PTCy plus ATG and PTCy alone groups (72.1% vs. 82.0%; p = 0.730). The CI of 1-year non-relapse mortality was significantly higher in the PTCy alone group than in the PTCy plus ATG group (42.2% vs. 15.9%; p = 0.022). The 1-year overall survival (OS) was significantly better in the PTCy plus ATG group (75.9% vs. 35.3%; p = 0.011). The 1-year GVHD-free, relapse-free survival rate was 29.4% in the PTCy alone group and 54.0% in the PTCy plus ATG group (p = 0.038). Conclusion Serum IL-6 levels were higher in the PTCy alone group than in the PTCy plus ATG group. The addition of ATG before stem cell infusion affected IL-6 levels and reduced the incidences of CRS and grade II–IV acute GVHD in haplo-HSCT patients. This study suggests that PTCy plus ATG as GVHD prophylaxis in haplo-HSCT is beneficial in terms of clinical outcomes and complications of HSCT.

Background: With increasing life expectancy, the number of older adults with multiple chronic conditions requiring complex medication regimens is growing, raising concerns about polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use. This study investigated trends in polypharmacy and PIM use among 66-year-olds in South Korea from 2012 to 2021, considering participant characteristics, to inform interventions and policies. Methods: A repeated cross-sectional study was conducted using the National Health Insurance Services database covering approximately 97% of Koreans. We included 3,397,044 individuals aged 66 who underwent the National Screening Program for Transitional Ages between 2012 and 2021. Polypharmacy was defined as the use of ≥5 medications for ≥90 days annually, hyper-polypharmacy as ≥10 medications, and PIM use as ≥1 PIM for ≥28 days. Trends were analyzed by sex, frailty, comorbidity, income, insurance type, and residence. Results: Polypharmacy prevalence increased from 32.0% in 2012 to 35.4% in 2021, and hyper-polypharmacy also rose. PIM use slightly decreased from 55.7% to 53.7%. Higher rates of polypharmacy and PIM use were observed among rural residents, medical aid beneficiaries, and those with lower income. Despite improvements in comorbidity and frailty, socioeconomic disparities widened, particularly among medical aid beneficiaries. Frequently prescribed PIMs included NSAIDs, PPIs, muscle relaxants, and anxiolytics/hypnotics. Conclusion While PIM use slightly decreased over the study period, it remained above 50%, and polypharmacy prevalence increased among older adults in Korea. Socioeconomic disparities in medication use persist, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and policies to promote safe medication use among vulnerable groups.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD)-associated pruritus is a severe distressing condition that frequently occurs in patients undergoing dialysis. In this study, the profile of the skin microbiome was analyzed to understand the underlying etiology and potential treatments. Methods: Seventy-six end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients (hemodialysis, 40; peritoneal dialysis, 36) and 15 healthy controls were enrolled and swabbed at three sites: back, antecubital fossa, and shin. The pruritus severity of the enrolled subjects was validated by the Worst Itch Numeric Rating Scale (WI-NRS), 5-D itch scale, and Uremic Pruritus in Dialysis Patients (UP-Dial). The 16S genebased metagenomics method was applied to skin microbiome analysis. Results: In the comparison of bacterial communities of ESKD patients and the control group, there was a significant difference on back. Specifically, the average composition ratio of the Cutibacterium in the back samples was significantly lower in ESKD patients than in healthy controls (p < 0.01). In further analysis of ESKD patients, Cutibacterium was significantly lower in the high pruritus group than in the low pruritus group (p < 0.05), even though other clinical parameters such as age, calcium-phosphorus product, and intact parathyroid hormone showed no significance difference between the groups. Conclusion: In ESKD patients, the skin microbiome of the back was significantly altered, and the severity of itching was related to the reduction of Cutibacterium. This research reveals the relationship between skin microbiota and CKD-associated pruritus in multiple skin sites for the first time. The results of this study suggest a potential data basis for the diagnosis and treatment of CKD-associated pruritus.