Cutaneous dermatophyte infections, dermatophytosis, are common worldwide, affecting various age groups and body parts. Despite advancements in antifungal therapies, the prevalence of dermatophytosis continues to increase, posing significant challenges for diagnosis and treatment. This review provides an overview of the prevalence, clinical features, and diagnostic methods for dermatophytosis in Korea. A comprehensive review of domestic reports and research on dermatophytosis in Korea was conducted using data from KoreaMed.This study covers the various clinical presentations, age distributions, seasonal trends, and types of dermatophytes identified in different body areas. Dermatophytosis in Korea have shown changing patterns in terms of prevalence and causative species. Trichophyton rubrum remains the most common causative organism, with varying presentations depending on the site of infection, such as tinea pedis, tinea corporis, tinea capitis, tinea faciei, and onychomycosis. Diagnostic practices largely depend on the potassium hydroxide smear test, which has limited sensitivity, particularly for onychomycosis. Recent trends indicate an increase in the incidence of dermatophytosis among older adults, which may be linked to underlying health conditions and lifestyle changes. Dermatophytosis in Korea exhibit diverse clinical manifestations influenced by factors such as patient age, body site, and seasonal variation. Improved diagnostic methods are needed to enhance the accuracy and guide appropriate treatment, especially with the emergence of antifungal-resistant strains. This review aims to provide a better understanding of the current state of dermatophytosis in Korea and contribute to more effective management and prevention strategies.

Cutaneous dermatophyte infections, dermatophytosis, are common worldwide, affecting various age groups and body parts. Despite advancements in antifungal therapies, the prevalence of dermatophytosis continues to increase, posing significant challenges for diagnosis and treatment. This review provides an overview of the prevalence, clinical features, and diagnostic methods for dermatophytosis in Korea. A comprehensive review of domestic reports and research on dermatophytosis in Korea was conducted using data from KoreaMed.This study covers the various clinical presentations, age distributions, seasonal trends, and types of dermatophytes identified in different body areas. Dermatophytosis in Korea have shown changing patterns in terms of prevalence and causative species. Trichophyton rubrum remains the most common causative organism, with varying presentations depending on the site of infection, such as tinea pedis, tinea corporis, tinea capitis, tinea faciei, and onychomycosis. Diagnostic practices largely depend on the potassium hydroxide smear test, which has limited sensitivity, particularly for onychomycosis. Recent trends indicate an increase in the incidence of dermatophytosis among older adults, which may be linked to underlying health conditions and lifestyle changes. Dermatophytosis in Korea exhibit diverse clinical manifestations influenced by factors such as patient age, body site, and seasonal variation. Improved diagnostic methods are needed to enhance the accuracy and guide appropriate treatment, especially with the emergence of antifungal-resistant strains. This review aims to provide a better understanding of the current state of dermatophytosis in Korea and contribute to more effective management and prevention strategies.

Cutaneous dermatophyte infections, dermatophytosis, are common worldwide, affecting various age groups and body parts. Despite advancements in antifungal therapies, the prevalence of dermatophytosis continues to increase, posing significant challenges for diagnosis and treatment. This review provides an overview of the prevalence, clinical features, and diagnostic methods for dermatophytosis in Korea. A comprehensive review of domestic reports and research on dermatophytosis in Korea was conducted using data from KoreaMed.This study covers the various clinical presentations, age distributions, seasonal trends, and types of dermatophytes identified in different body areas. Dermatophytosis in Korea have shown changing patterns in terms of prevalence and causative species. Trichophyton rubrum remains the most common causative organism, with varying presentations depending on the site of infection, such as tinea pedis, tinea corporis, tinea capitis, tinea faciei, and onychomycosis. Diagnostic practices largely depend on the potassium hydroxide smear test, which has limited sensitivity, particularly for onychomycosis. Recent trends indicate an increase in the incidence of dermatophytosis among older adults, which may be linked to underlying health conditions and lifestyle changes. Dermatophytosis in Korea exhibit diverse clinical manifestations influenced by factors such as patient age, body site, and seasonal variation. Improved diagnostic methods are needed to enhance the accuracy and guide appropriate treatment, especially with the emergence of antifungal-resistant strains. This review aims to provide a better understanding of the current state of dermatophytosis in Korea and contribute to more effective management and prevention strategies.

Cutaneous dermatophyte infections, dermatophytosis, are common worldwide, affecting various age groups and body parts. Despite advancements in antifungal therapies, the prevalence of dermatophytosis continues to increase, posing significant challenges for diagnosis and treatment. This review provides an overview of the prevalence, clinical features, and diagnostic methods for dermatophytosis in Korea. A comprehensive review of domestic reports and research on dermatophytosis in Korea was conducted using data from KoreaMed.This study covers the various clinical presentations, age distributions, seasonal trends, and types of dermatophytes identified in different body areas. Dermatophytosis in Korea have shown changing patterns in terms of prevalence and causative species. Trichophyton rubrum remains the most common causative organism, with varying presentations depending on the site of infection, such as tinea pedis, tinea corporis, tinea capitis, tinea faciei, and onychomycosis. Diagnostic practices largely depend on the potassium hydroxide smear test, which has limited sensitivity, particularly for onychomycosis. Recent trends indicate an increase in the incidence of dermatophytosis among older adults, which may be linked to underlying health conditions and lifestyle changes. Dermatophytosis in Korea exhibit diverse clinical manifestations influenced by factors such as patient age, body site, and seasonal variation. Improved diagnostic methods are needed to enhance the accuracy and guide appropriate treatment, especially with the emergence of antifungal-resistant strains. This review aims to provide a better understanding of the current state of dermatophytosis in Korea and contribute to more effective management and prevention strategies.

Cutaneous dermatophyte infections, dermatophytosis, are common worldwide, affecting various age groups and body parts. Despite advancements in antifungal therapies, the prevalence of dermatophytosis continues to increase, posing significant challenges for diagnosis and treatment. This review provides an overview of the prevalence, clinical features, and diagnostic methods for dermatophytosis in Korea. A comprehensive review of domestic reports and research on dermatophytosis in Korea was conducted using data from KoreaMed.This study covers the various clinical presentations, age distributions, seasonal trends, and types of dermatophytes identified in different body areas. Dermatophytosis in Korea have shown changing patterns in terms of prevalence and causative species. Trichophyton rubrum remains the most common causative organism, with varying presentations depending on the site of infection, such as tinea pedis, tinea corporis, tinea capitis, tinea faciei, and onychomycosis. Diagnostic practices largely depend on the potassium hydroxide smear test, which has limited sensitivity, particularly for onychomycosis. Recent trends indicate an increase in the incidence of dermatophytosis among older adults, which may be linked to underlying health conditions and lifestyle changes. Dermatophytosis in Korea exhibit diverse clinical manifestations influenced by factors such as patient age, body site, and seasonal variation. Improved diagnostic methods are needed to enhance the accuracy and guide appropriate treatment, especially with the emergence of antifungal-resistant strains. This review aims to provide a better understanding of the current state of dermatophytosis in Korea and contribute to more effective management and prevention strategies.

Purpose: Rare diseases necessitate consistent access to specialized health services. In Korea, despite the growing socioeconomic burden, insufficient comprehensive research is available on patients with rare diseases and their families, particularly concerning factors influencing the length of time to diagnosis. The aim of this study was to thoroughly characterize rare pediatric diseases and explore factors impacting the diagnostic odyssey. Methods: The study enrolled patients under 15 years old seeking medical care at the Seoul National University Children’s Hospital Rare Disease Center between January 2022 and December 2023. Participating patients were required to have been diagnosed with one of the 1,248 rare diseases recognized in Korea. A 33-question survey was developed to assess clinical features of the patients, characteristics of their primary caregivers, and their perceptions of ongoing medical care. Results: The study included 101 patients and their families. Regarding perceived cognitive and motor functions, most families indicated moderate or severe limitations (cognitive, 62.4%; motor, 57.4%). Over half of the families (53.5%) reported discontinuing employment to provide patient care. Neurological symptoms represented the most common initial chief concern, with dermatologic symptoms and laboratory test abnormalities also noted. Three factors were associated with time to diagnosis: the number of hospitals visited, whether the districts of residence and diagnosis aligned, and the age at symptom onset. Conclusion The comprehensive characterization of patients with rare diseases and their families in Korea, along with the identification of factors impacting the diagnostic odyssey, provides key insights for the development of a tailored support system.

Background: Warts are benign hyperkeratotic proliferative skin lesions caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).Traditional destructive treatments, such as cryotherapy, have limited effectiveness and can lead to substantial adverse effects. Acyclovir, an antiviral agent against human herpes viruses, may be effective in the treatment of warts, as HPV is also a DNA virus. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of intralesional acyclovir for the treatment of warts. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 21 patients diagnosed with periungual or palmoplantar warts who were treated with intralesional acyclovir (25 mg/mL) injections between January 2022 and December 2022. The treatment was repeated at 3- to 4-week intervals, and the therapeutic effect was evaluated one month after the final treatment session. Results: Complete resolution of warts was observed in nine patients (42.9%), partial response in seven patients (33.3%), and no response in five patients (23.8%). Injection-related transient pain and hemorrhage were reported by all patients, with a hemorrhagic crust observed in one patient (4.76%) and transient onycholysis noted in another patient (4.76%). No permanent nail deformities have been reported. Conclusion Intralesional acyclovir is a potentially effective and safe treatment modality for periungual and palmoplantar warts.

Background/Aims: This study compared the effectiveness and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) and sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (SOF/LDV) in real-life clinical practice. Methods: The data from genotype 1 or 2 chronic hepatitis C patients treated with GLE/PIB or sofosbuvir + ribavirin or SOF/LDV in South Korea were collected retrospectively. The analysis included the treatment completion rate, sustained virologic response at 12 weeks (SVR12) test rate, treatment effectiveness, and adverse events. Results: Seven hundred and eighty-two patients with genotype 1 or 2 chronic hepatitis C who were treated with GLE/PIB (n=575) or SOF/LDV (n=207) were included in this retrospective study. The baseline demographic and clinical characteristics revealed significant statistical differences in age, genotype, ascites, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma between the GLE/PIB and SOF/LDV groups. Twenty-two patients did not complete the treatment protocol. The treatment completion rate was high for both regimens without statistical significance (97.7% vs. 95.7%, p=0.08). The overall SVR12 of intention-to-treat analysis was 81.2% vs. 80.7% without statistical significance (p=0.87). The overall SVR12 of per protocol analysis was 98.7% vs. 100% without statistical significance (p=0.14). Six patients treated with GLE/PIB experienced treatment failure. They were all male, genotype 2, and showed a negative hepatitis C virus RNA level at the end of treatment. Two patients treated with GLE/PIB stopped medication because of fever and abdominal discomfort. Conclusions Both regimens had similar treatment completion rates, effectiveness, and safety profiles. Therefore, the SOF/LDV regimen can also be considered a viable DAA for the treatment of patients with genotype 1 or 2 chronic hepatitis C.

Background: Korea recently established 70 emergency medical service areas. However, there are many concerns that medical resources for stroke could not be evenly distributed through the country. We aimed to compare the treatment quality and outcomes of acute stroke among the emergency medical service areas. Methods: This study analyzed the data of 28,800 patients admitted in 248 hospitals which participated in the 8th acute stroke quality assessment by Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Individual hospitals were regrouped into emergency service areas according to the address of the location. Assessment indicators and fatality were compared by the service areas. We defined the appropriate hospital by the performance of intravenous thrombolysis. Results: In seven service areas, there were no hospitals which received more than 10 stroke patients for 6 months. In nine service areas, there were no patients who underwent intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). Among 167 designated emergency medical centers, 50 hospitals (29.9%) responded that IVT was impossible 24 hours a day. There are 97 (39.1%) hospitals that meet the definitions of appropriate hospital. In 23 service areas (32.9%) had no appropriate or feasible hospitals. The fatality of service areas with stroke centers were 6.9% within 30 days and 15.6% within 1 year from stroke onset than those without stroke centers (7.7%, 16.9%, respectively). Conclusions There was a wide regional gap in the medical resource and the quality of treatments for acute stroke among emergency medical service areas in Korea. The poststroke fatality rate of the service areas which have stroke centers or appropriate hospitals were significantly low.