Willingness to Pay for Avoiding Infection of Climate Change Diseases, in Particular Tsutsugamushi Disease

Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2013 Osong Public Health and Research Persptectives Vol.4 No.1

<P><B>Objectives:</B></P><P>As the prevalence of tsutsugamushi disease has tripled over the past decade to affect 8307 people in October 2012, this study is conducted to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) to avoid infection of tsutsugamushi disease in order to analyze the loss of value caused by climate change diseases.</P><P><B>Methods:</B></P><P>The double-bounded dichotomous choice of contingent valuation method was used to estimate the WTP to avoid infection of tsutsugamushi disease, through surveys conducted in the patient group (<I>n</I> = 120) and the control group (<I>n</I> = 240).</P><P><B>Results:</B></P><P>More young people in the family, higher level of awareness of risks caused by climate change, more male members (as opposed to female), higher income, lower suggested bid, and greater WTP, is better positioned to avoid infection of disease. The mean of the amount of WTP has been estimated to be 3689 Kwon per month.</P><P><B>Conclusion:</B></P><P>As people have become increasingly aware of climate change diseases, WTP to avoid infection of tsutsugamushi disease has increased accordingly. The implicit loss of value due to climate change diseases is becoming increasingly higher. Therefore, there should be stronger and more aggressive promotional activities to prevent people from being infected with tsutsugamushi disease and to build a healthier society free from climate change diseases.</P>

Serum MicroRNA Expression Profiling in Mice Infected with Rabies Virus

Han, Myung Guk,Park, Jun-Sun,Lee, Cho Soon,Jeong, Young Eui,Ryou, Jung Sang,Cho, Jung Eun,Ju, Young Ran,Lee, Kyoung-Ki Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2011 Osong Public Health and Research Persptectives Vol.2 No.3

<P><B>Objectives</B></P><P>Serum or plasma microRNAs (miRNAs) are potential biomarkers for the diagnosis for cancer and prenatal diseases. This study was conducted to investigate whether rabies virus causes a change in serum miRNA expression.</P><P><B>Methods</B></P><P>ICR mice were intramuscularly inoculated with rabies virus and were sacrificed weekly to collect serum and brain tissue for 4 weeks postinoculation. Mice were assigned to four groups based on the results of indirect immunofluorescent assays, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and the expression profiles of serum miRNAs were compared using a commercial mouse miRNA expression profiling assay.</P><P><B>Results</B></P><P>The expression levels of miRNAs changed significantly with the different stages of the disease. The expression level of 94 serum miRNAs in infected mice changed at least twofold. Seven microRNAs of them were significantly upregulated or downregulated in all infected mice regardless of disease status. The number of miRNAs with an expression level change decreased with the progression of the disease. In a hierarchical cluster analysis, infected mice clustered into a group separate from uninfected control mice.</P><P><B>Conclusions</B></P><P>Based on the relationship of miRNAs to gene expression regulation, miRNAs may be candidates for the study of viral pathogenesis and could have potential as biomarkers.</P>

Immune Status and Epidemiological Characteristics of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Seroconverters in Korea, 1999–2009

Wang, Jin-Sook,Kim, Na-young,Sim, Hyo Jung,Choi, Byeong-Sun,Kee, Mee-Kyung Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2012 Osong Public Health and Research Persptectives Vol.3 No.4

<P><B>Objectives</B></P><P>The detection of HIV seroconverters increased annually since HIV antigen/antibody testing kits have been available widely in South Korea. This study aimed to identify the epidemiological characteristics of HIV seroconverters and their immune level at HIV diagnosis.</P><P><B>Method</B></P><P>We analyzed the epidemiological and immunological characteristics of 341 HIV seroconverters among 6,008 HIV-diagnosed individuals from 1999 and 2009. The analysis of immune level and epidemiological factors of HIV seroconverters was conducted by using chi-square test on SAS version 9.1.</P><P><B>Results</B></P><P>The seroconverters among newly-identified HIV cases each year increased from 0.5% in 1999 to over 5% or in 2009. The sex ratio of seroconverters was 18:1 (male:female), and 33% were in their 30s, and 28% were in their 20s. Reasons for HIV testing were involvement in voluntary test due to risky behaviors (43%), and health check-up (36%). Discovery of HIV infection occurred primarily in hospitals (84%). Among seroconverters, 55 percent had a CD4 T-cell count of more than 350/μl.</P><P><B>Conclusion</B></P><P>Korean HIV seroconverters tended to be younger at diagnosis, diagnosed during a voluntary test, and their CD4+ T-cell counts at HIV diagnosis were higher than those of non-seroconverters aall HIV-infected individuals. This study of HIV seroconverters will be important foundational in future studies on HIV incidence, disease progress, and survival rate.</P>

Effect of Maternal Immune Status on Responsiveness of Bacillus Calmette-Gurin Vaccination in Mouse Neonates

Choi, Jong Su,Kim, Ryang Yeo,Rho, Semi,Ewann, Fanny,Mielcarek, Nathalie,Song, Man Ki,Czerkinsky, Cecil,Kim, Jae-Ouk Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2012 Osong Public Health and Research Persptectives Vol.3 No.2

<P><B>Objectives</B></P><P>Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination has proven to be efficient in immunologically naïve infants; however, it has not been investigated that maternal natural exposure to <I>Mycobacterium</I> and/or BCG vaccine could influence the characteristics of immune responses to BCG in newborns. In this study, we analyzed whether the maternal immune status to <I>M tuberculosis </I>(<I>M tb</I>) can affect neonatal immunity to BCG using a mouse model.</P><P><B>Methods</B></P><P>Neonates were obtained from mice that were previously exposed to live BCG, to live <I>M avium</I>, or to heat-killed <I>M tb</I> H37Rv, and from naïve control mothers. One week after birth, the neonates were divided into two subgroups: one group immunized with live BCG via the subcutaneous route and the other group of neonates sham-treated. Interferon-gamma (IFNγ) secretion in response to <I>in vitro </I>stimulation with heat-killed BCG or purified protein derivative (PPD) was examined. Protection against <I>M tb</I> infection was evaluated by challenging mice nasally with live <I>M tb</I> H37Rv followed by counting colonies from spleen and lung homogenates.</P><P><B>Results</B></P><P>BCG-immunized neonates showed increased IFNγ secretion in response to heat-killed BCG or PPD. All mice in BCG-immunized neonates subgroups showed reduced bacterial burden (colony forming unit) in the lungs when compared with control naive neonate mice. However, no statistically significant difference was observed when comparing BCG-immunized mice born from mothers previously exposed to <I>M avium</I> or immunized with either heat-killed H37Rv or live BCG and mice born from naïve mothers.</P><P><B>Conclusion</B></P><P>The maternal immune status to <I>M tb</I> does not appear to impact on the immunogenicity of BCG vaccine in their progeny in our experimental conditions</P>

Proteomic Analysis of Cellular and Membrane Proteins in Fluconazole-Resistant <i>Candida glabrata</i>

Yoo, Jae Il,Choi, Chi Won,Kim, Hwa Su,Yoo, Jung Sik,Jeong, Young Hee,Lee, Yeong Seon Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2012 Osong Public Health and Research Persptectives Vol.3 No.2

<P><B>Objectives</B></P><P><I>Candida glabrata</I> is one of the most common causes of <I>Candida</I> bloodstream infections worldwide. Some isolates of <I>C glabrata </I>may be intermediately resistant to azoles, with some strains developing resistance during therapy or prophylaxis with fluconazole. In this study, we used a proteomic approach to identify differentially expressed proteins between fluconazoleresistant and -susceptible strains.</P><P><B>Methods</B></P><P>Membrane and cellular proteins were extracted from fluconazolesusceptible and fluconazole-resistant <I>C glabrata </I>strains. Differentially expressed proteins were compared using two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Proteins with >1.5-fold difference in expression were identified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).</P><P><B>Results</B></P><P>A total of 65 proteins were differentially expressed in the cellular and membrane fractions. Among the 39 cellular proteins, 11 were upregulated and 28 were downregulated in fluconazole-resistant strains in comparison with fluconazole-susceptible strains. In the membrane fraction, a total of 26 proteins were found, of which 19 were upregulated and seven were downregulated. A total of 31 proteins were identified by LC-MS/MS that are involved in glycolysis, carbohydrate transport, energy transfer, and other metabolic pathways. Heat shock proteins were identified in various spots.</P><P><B>Conclusion</B></P><P>Heat shock and stress response proteins were upregulated in the membrane fraction of the fluconazole-resistant <I>C glabrata </I>strain. Compared with susceptible strains, fluconazole-resistant strains showed increased expression of membrane proteins and decreased expression of cellular proteins.</P>

Effect of Obesity on Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Middle-Aged Korean Women

Son, Won-Mok,Kim, Do-Yeon,Kim, You-Sin,Ha, Min-Seong Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2017 Osong Public Health and Research Persptectives Vol.8 No.6

<P><B>Objectives</B></P><P>Our study aims to provide basic scientific data on the importance of obesity management in middle-aged Korean women by analyzing its effects on blood pressure and arterial stiffness. In addition, we examined the correlations of these two parameters.</P><P><B>Methods</B></P><P>The study participants were 40 middle-aged female volunteers, who were classified into obesity group (n = 20) and normal weight group (n = 20). Statistical analysis was performed using independent <I>t</I>-test and the Pearson correlation coefficient was used to correlate blood pressure and arterial stiffness.</P><P><B>Results</B></P><P>This study evaluated the systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse wave velocity (PWV). These results were higher in the obesity group than the normal weight group. Furthermore, blood pressure and arterial stiffness (PWV, augmentation pressure) were static correlated.</P><P><B>Conclusion</B></P><P>Obesity is closely related to blood pressure and arterial stiffness. Therefore, indices for blood pressure and arterial stiffness may play a vital role in predicting and preventing obesity and its sequelae.</P>

Alterations of <i>gyrA, gyrB</i> , and <i>parC</i> and Activity of Efflux Pump in Fluoroquinolone-resistant <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i>

Park, Sunok,Lee, Kyeong Min,Yoo, Yong Sun,Yoo, Jung Sik,Yoo, Jae Il,Kim, Hwa Su,Lee, Yeong Seon,Chung, Gyung Tae Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2011 Osong Public Health and Research Persptectives Vol.2 No.3

<P><B>Objectives</B></P><P>This study investigated the fluoroquinolone-resistant mechanism of 56 clinical cases of <I>A baumannii</I> infection from 23 non-tertiary hospitals, collected between 2004 and 2006.</P><P><B>Methods</B></P><P>Susceptibility testing was performed by broth microdilution and Epsilometer test. Analyses of quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) were done by sequencing. The activity of the efflux pump was measured using inhibitors.</P><P><B>Results</B></P><P>The sequences from selected 56 isolates were divided into seven groups (I-VII) on the basis of mutations in <I>gyrA</I> (S83L), <I>parC</I> (S80L, S80W and S84K) and <I>gyrB</I> (containing the novel mutations E679D, D644Y and A677V). The 27 isolates with triple mutations in <I>gyrA, gyrB</I> and <I>parC</I> (groups IV-VII) showed higher levels of resistance to ciprofloxacin (minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC] of 16-256 μg/mL) than the 26 isolates with double mutations in <I>gyrA</I> and <I>parC</I> (groups II and III, MIC of 8-64 μ g/mL; <I>p</I> < 0.05). Alterations in the efflux pump were observed in four isolates with the <I>parC</I> S80L mutation (group II) or E84K mutation (group VII), but no effect was observed in an isolate with the <I>parC</I> S80 W mutation (group III).</P><P><B>Conclusion</B></P><P>These results suggest that triple mutations in clinical isolates of <I>A baumannii</I> contribute to the development of high levels of resistance to fluoroquinolones and that mutations in <I>parC</I> S80L or E84K (groups II and VII) may contribute to alterations in efflux pump activity in <I>A baumannii</I>.</P>