The Korean Society of Infectious Diseases has been regularly developing guidelines for adult immunization since 2007. In 2023, the guidelines for the following seven vaccines were revised: influenza, herpes zoster, pneumococcal, tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap), human papillomavirus (HPV), meningococcal, and rabies vaccines. For the influenza vaccine, a recommendation for enhanced vaccines for the elderly was added. For the herpes zoster vaccine, a recommendation for the recombinant zoster vaccine was added. For the pneumococcal vaccine, the current status of the 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and 20-valent PCV was described. For the Tdap vaccine, the possibility of using Tdap instead of tetanus-diphtheria vaccine was described. For the HPV vaccine, the expansion of the eligible age for vaccination was described. For the meningococcal vaccine, a recommendation for the meningococcal B vaccine was added. For the rabies vaccine, the number of pre-exposure prophylaxis doses was changed. This manuscript documents the summary and rationale of the revisions for the seven vaccines. For the vaccines not mentioned in this manuscript, the recommendations in the 3rd edition of the Vaccinations for Adults textbook shall remain in effect.

Animals imported from abroad are a cause of rabies outbreaks in many countries. Therefore, rabies serology testing for dogs and cats traveling abroad is an important measure to reduce the incidence of rabies. Rabies virus antibodies were measured in sera collected from 2,367 dogs and 894 cats between 2017 and 2021. A serum sample with a value of 0.5 IU/mL or higher was considered a pass. The overall pass rates for rabies virus were 96.4% in dogs and 98.4% in cats. The mean rabies virus neutralization assay titers were higher in cats than in dogs and in female than in male animals. According to age, 6-year-old dogs and 9-year-old cats had the highest virus neutralization assay titers. Of the failure cases, 53.0% (53/100) were dogs or cats less than 1 year old. Although the average failure rates in dogs and cats were low at 3.5% and 1.6%, respectively, the factors influencing failure were age and vaccine manufacturer. Therefore, it is necessary to observe the vaccination interval and timing of blood collection after boosting.

Background: AML is a heterogeneous disease, and despite intensive therapy, recurrence is still high in AML patients who achieve the criterion for cytomorphologic remission (residual tumor burden [measurable residual disease, MRD]<5%). This study aimed to develop a targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel to detect MRD in AML patients and validate its performance. Methods: We designed an error-corrected, targeted MRD-NGS panel without using physical molecular barcodes, including 24 genes. Fifty-four bone marrow and peripheral blood samples from 23 AML patients were sequenced using the panel. The panel design was validated using reference material, and accuracy was assessed using droplet digital PCR. Results: Dilution tests showed excellent linearity and a strong correlation between expected and observed clonal frequencies (R>0.99). The test reproducibly detected MRD in three dilution series samples, with a sensitivity of 0.25% for single-nucleotide variants. More than half of samples from patients with morphologic remission after one month of chemotherapy had detectable mutations. NGS-MRD positivity for samples collected after one month of chemotherapy tended to be associated with poor overall survival and progression-free survival. Conclusions Our highly sensitive and accurate NGS-MRD panel can be readily used to monitor most AML patients in clinical practice, including patients without gene rearrangement. In addition, this NGS-MRD panel may allow the detection of newly emerging clones during clinical relapse, leading to more reliable prognoses of AML.

Plant height is an important component of plant architecture and significantly affects crop breeding practices and yield. We studied DNA variations derived from F5 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) with 96.8% homozygous genotypes. Here, we report DNA variations between the normal and dwarf members of four lines harvested from a single seed parent in an F6 RIL population derived from a cross between Glycine max var. Peking and Glycine soja IT182936. Whole genome sequencing was carried out, and the DNA variations in the whole genome were compared between the normal and dwarf samples. We found a large number of DNA variations in both the dwarf and semi-dwarf lines, with one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) per at least 3.68 kb in the dwarf lines and 1 SNP per 11.13 kb of the whole genome. This value is 2.18 times higher than the expected DNA variation in the F6 population. A total of 186 SNPs and 241 SNPs were discovered in the coding regions of the dwarf lines 1282 and 1303, respectively, and we discovered 33 homogeneous nonsynonymous SNPs that occurred at the same loci in each set of dwarf and normal soybean. Of them, five SNPs were in the same positions between lines 1282 and 1303. Our results provide important information for improving our understanding of the genetics of soybean plant height and crop breeding. These polymorphisms could be useful genetic resources for plant breeders, geneticists, and biologists for future molecular biology and breeding projects.

Plant height is an important component of plant architecture and significantly affects crop breeding practices and yield. We studied DNA variations derived from F5 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) with 96.8% homozygous genotypes. Here, we report DNA variations between the normal and dwarf members of four lines harvested from a single seed parent in an F6 RIL population derived from a cross between Glycine max var. Peking and Glycine soja IT182936. Whole genome sequencing was carried out, and the DNA variations in the whole genome were compared between the normal and dwarf samples. We found a large number of DNA variations in both the dwarf and semi-dwarf lines, with one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) per at least 3.68 kb in the dwarf lines and 1 SNP per 11.13 kb of the whole genome. This value is 2.18 times higher than the expected DNA variation in the F6 population. A total of 186 SNPs and 241 SNPs were discovered in the coding regions of the dwarf lines 1282 and 1303, respectively, and we discovered 33 homogeneous nonsynonymous SNPs that occurred at the same loci in each set of dwarf and normal soybean. Of them, five SNPs were in the same positions between lines 1282 and 1303. Our results provide important information for improving our understanding of the genetics of soybean plant height and crop breeding. These polymorphisms could be useful genetic resources for plant breeders, geneticists, and biologists for future molecular biology and breeding projects.

BACKGROUND: Online health information can influence consumers to make informed decisions. There are conflicting messages online about health concerns on the use of e-cigarettes. We aimed to investigate differences in those messages through Naver and Google's English versions, which are the most representative portal sites in Korea and in the world. METHODS: We reviewed the top 100 web pages related to health effects of e-cigarettes on Naver and Google in May 2018. Two medical doctors sorted the web pages into three groups as positive, negative, and mixed messages for e-cigarettes, as well as two groups based on the relative safety of conventional smoking versus e-cigarettes. RESULTS: There were 10 and 27 positive, 65 and 45 negative, and 25 and 28 mixed messages on Naver and Google, respectively. There were 15 messages on Naver and 53 on Google that considered e-cigarettes safer than conventional cigarettes. The most frequent topics were toxicity (71%) and diseases (22%) on Naver. Google provides topics of health concerns for young people, including gateway effect (47%), diseases (35%), and toxicity (25%). Particularly, harm reduction which was not present on Naver, came up on Google as 24%. CONCLUSIONS: We found that Naver provides more negative messages on e-cigarettes than does Google, which means that Koreans are exposed more to negative information on e-cigarettes than are foreign people who use Google. In future, more open discussions about harm reduction should be conducted to resolve the imbalance in information regarding health effects of e-cigarettes in Korea.
Electronic Cigarettes ; Harm Reduction ; Internet ; Korea ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation ; Tobacco Products

BACKGROUND: Online health information can influence consumers to make informed decisions. There are conflicting messages online about health concerns on the use of e-cigarettes. We aimed to investigate differences in those messages through Naver and Google's English versions, which are the most representative portal sites in Korea and in the world. METHODS: We reviewed the top 100 web pages related to health effects of e-cigarettes on Naver and Google in May 2018. Two medical doctors sorted the web pages into three groups as positive, negative, and mixed messages for e-cigarettes, as well as two groups based on the relative safety of conventional smoking versus e-cigarettes. RESULTS: There were 10 and 27 positive, 65 and 45 negative, and 25 and 28 mixed messages on Naver and Google, respectively. There were 15 messages on Naver and 53 on Google that considered e-cigarettes safer than conventional cigarettes. The most frequent topics were toxicity (71%) and diseases (22%) on Naver. Google provides topics of health concerns for young people, including gateway effect (47%), diseases (35%), and toxicity (25%). Particularly, harm reduction which was not present on Naver, came up on Google as 24%. CONCLUSIONS We found that Naver provides more negative messages on e-cigarettes than does Google, which means that Koreans are exposed more to negative information on e-cigarettes than are foreign people who use Google. In future, more open discussions about harm reduction should be conducted to resolve the imbalance in information regarding health effects of e-cigarettes in Korea.

Since 2013, the Hospital-based Influenza Morbidity and Mortality (HIMM) surveillance system began a H7N9 influenza surveillance scheme for returning travelers in addition to pre-existing emergency room (ER)-based influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance. Although limited to eastern China, avian A/H7N9 influenza virus is considered to have the highest pandemic potential among currently circulating influenza viruses. During the study period between October 1st, 2013 and April 30th, 2016, 11 cases presented with ILI within seven days of travel return. These patients visited China, Hong Kong, or neighboring Southeast Asian countries, but none of them visited a livestock market. Seasonal influenza virus (54.5%, 6 among 11) was the most common cause of ILI among returning travelers, and avian A/H7N9 influenza virus was not detected during the study period.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; China ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Hong Kong ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype ; Influenza, Human ; Livestock ; Mortality ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Pandemics ; Seasons

We describe herein histologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular findings and clinical manifestations of a rare case of an extremely well differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma (EWD-PTC). Similarly, it is also difficult to diagnose follicular variant papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC), whose diagnosis is still met with controversy. A recently reported entity of well-differentiated tumor of uncertain malignant potential (WDT-UMP) is added to the diagnostic spectrum harboring EWD-PTC and FVPTC. We report this case, because EWD-PTC is different from FVPTC in its papillary architecture, and also from WDT-UMP in its recurrence and metastatic pattern. These morphologically deceptive entities harbored diagnostic difficulties in the past because the diagnosis depended solely on histology. However, they are now diagnosed with more certainty by virtue of immunohistochemical and molecular studies. We experienced a case of EWD-PTC, which had been diagnosed as adenomatous hyperplasia 20 years ago and manifested recurrence with lymph node (LN) metastasis 7 years later. After another 7 years of follow-up, a new thyroid lesion had developed, diagnosed as FVPTC, with LN metastasis of EWD-PTC. One year later, the patient developed metastatic FVPTC in the skull. Immunohistochemically, the EWD-PTC was focally positive for CK19, negative for galectin-3, and focally negative for CD56. Molecular studies revealed BRAF-positivity and K-RAS negativity. The FVPTC in the left thyroid showed both BRAF and K-RAS negativity. In conclusion, EWD-PTC and FVPTC share similar histologic features, but they are different tumors with different molecular biologic and clinical manifestations. A large cohort of EWD-PTC should be included in further study.
Adenocarcinoma, Follicular/pathology/secondary ; Adult ; Carcinoma, Papillary, Follicular/pathology/*secondary ; Female ; Galectin 3/analysis ; Humans ; Hyperplasia/pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology ; Skull Neoplasms/*secondary ; Thyroid Neoplasms/*pathology

BACKGROUND: Schwannomas (or neurilemmomas) of the tongue are benign, usually solitary, encapsulated masses derived from Schwann cells. Clinical evidence indicates that schwannoma is painless and slow growing. In general, schwannoma is treated by surgical excision. Here, we describe a case of schwannoma of the tongue, include a review of the literature from 1955 to 2016, and provide data on age, gender, location, presenting symptoms, size, and treatment methods. CASE PRESENTATION: A 71-year-old female patient presented with a swelling at the base of the tongue of unknown duration. Magnetic resonance images (MRI) showed a large well-circumscribed solid mass and no significant lymph node enlargement. The mass was excised without removing overlying mucosa. CONCLUSIONS: The authors report a case of lingual schwannoma that was completely removed intraorally without preoperative biopsy. No sign or symptoms of recurrence were observed at 12 months postoperatively.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Mucous Membrane ; Neurilemmoma* ; Recurrence ; Schwann Cells ; Tongue*