Genetic Characterization of Norovirus GII.3 Circulating in Korea

Noroviruses (NoV) are the major viral pathogen that causes epidemic acute gastroenteritis and outbreaks of food-borne illness. The major genotypes responsible for the epidemics of NoV are GII.4 and GII.3. However, most studies of NoV have been associated with GII.4 genotype and only few studies have been done with GII.3 genotype. Here, we selected 18 GII.3 strains, which recently circulated in Korea, and determined the partial sequences of the capsid gene. Phylogenetic analysis comparing these sequences with 29 reference strains from the GenBank database was performed using the MEGA program. All NoV GII.3 strains formed 2 distinct genetic lineages and variant groups. Lineage A showed 94.1~97.6%, 90.2~94.6% nucleotide identities from lineage B and variant group, respectively. Lineage B showed 90.2~94.6% nucleotide identities from variant group. These different genetic lineages based on the phylogenetic analysis of capsid sequences imply that the circulating Korean NoV GII.3 strains have potential antigenic variation.

Sequencing and Molecular Characterization of the Genome of Echovirus 30 Isolated from a Korean Aseptic Meningitis Patient

Echovirus 30 is one of the distinct serotypes of enteroviruses and commonly isolated agent causing sporadic to large outbreaks with aseptic meningitis in many regions over the world. Recently, an outbreak of echovirus 30 associated with aseptic meningitis occurred in Korea in 2008. In order to analyze echovirus 30 in Korea, the virus was isolated from cerebrospinal fluid samples of a male patient with aseptic meningitis and its genome sequence was determined. The sequence of Korean echovirus 30 isolate was compared with those of reference strains (Bastianni, FDJS03-84, zhejiang-17-03, 14916net87). At the nucleotide level, the P1 region (84.8~89.0%) had the highest identity value; at the amino acid level, the P3 region (97.0~98.5%) showed the highest value. When the cleavage sites were compared, most sites were identical except those between VP1 and 2A; the Bastianni stain had TT/GA, whereas the other four strains contained NT/GA. The China strains (FDJS03-84 and zhejiang-17-03) were grouped together and the other strains were distinct from each branch in the phylogenetic tree based on the complete genome sequences.

Influences of Level of Alcohol Consumption and Motives for Drinking on Drinking Permissiveness in University Students / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify the risk factors influencing drinking permissiveness in university students. METHOD: The participants in this descriptive survey on causal relations were 219 students enrolled in university who were selected by convenience sampling. The data collected from April to July, 2005 were used in multiple regression analysis to build a prediction model. RESULTS: Differences in drinking permissiveness according to general characteristics were as follows: gender, drinking frequency, drinking in more than one place each time and frequency of excessive drinking. The relationship between drinking permissiveness and amount of alcohol consumption (drinking frequency/month, amount/each time) showed positive correlations. The relationship between drinking permissiveness and motives to drink (social, enhancement, confirmity, coping motives) also showed positive correlations. The causal factors of drinking permissiveness were social motives, capacity/each time and drinking frequency/month. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that board intervention programs should be provided to prevent problems of excessive drinking. It is also recommended that a program be developed that can help control the variables identified in this study along with follow up study to verify the model.