Distribution of Disease Severity and Group A Rotavirus Genotypes (VP7 & VP4) in Children with Acute Rotavirus Gastroenteritis / 대한소아소화기영양학회지

PURPOSE: We aimed to study the distribution of rotavirus genotypes (VP7 and VP4) and disease severity of rotavirus gastroenteritis prevalent in our community. METHODS: Stool samples were collected from 156 children who were hospitalized with rotavirus gastroenteritis from December 2007 to June 2008. The disease severity of all patients was scored using the Vesikari scale. After extraction of ds-RNA of the rotavirus, cDNA synthesis using reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and multiplex PCR was performed. Following this, the final identification of genotypes was performed. RESULTS: Of the 156 samples, VP7(G) and VP4(P) genotypes were identified in 147 (94.2%) and 140 (89.7%) samples, respectively. G1 (116 of 147 samples; 78.9%) and P[8] (137 of 140 samples; 97.9%) were the most prevalent, respectively. Of the 138 samples identified of combination types of VP7 and VP4, G1P[8] (111 samples; 80.4%) was the most prevalent. Other combination types varied with very low distribution rates. 9.4% of genotypes were not included in the new vaccines. The disease severity score was 11.8+/-3.3 (mean+/-2SD). The distribution of disease severity was mild or moderate in 37.8% and severe in 62.2% of patients. CONCLUSION: The most prevalent genotype combination of rotavirus was G1P[8] and genotypes not included in the vaccines represented 9.4% in our community. Disease severity distribution of hospitalized children with rotavirus gastroenteritis was higher in the severe than in the mild and moderate categories.

Nasopharyngeal Pneumococcal Carriage of Children Attending Day Care Centers in Korea: Comparison between Children Immunized with 7-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine and Non-immunized

To confirm the effect of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7), pneumococcal nasopharyngeal (NP) carriage was compared between vaccinated (3 + 1 doses PCV7) and non-vaccinated children. Vaccinated subjects were recruited from highly vaccinated regions (> or = 60%), Seoul and Incheon whereas control subjects were recruited from Jeju Island where vaccination rates are low (< 15%). NP swabs were obtained from 400 children aged 18-59 months. Serotype and antibiotic susceptibility was analyzed. Pneumococcal carriage rate was 18.0% (36/200) and 31.5% (63/200) for the vaccinated and control group, respectively. Among those vaccinated, 41.7% (15/36) of the serotypes were vaccine-related type (VRT: 6A, 6C, 19A) with the most common serotype 6C. The next common type was non-typable/non-capsule 30.6% (11/36) followed by non-vaccine type 16.7% (6/36) and vaccine type (VT) serotypes were found in only 11.1% (4/36). In contrast, 52.4% (33/63) of the isolates in the control group were VT. Resistance rates for penicillin and erythromycin were lower in the vaccine group (vaccine vs control; penicillin 45.2% vs 71.4%, erythromycin 74.2% vs 90.5%, P < 0.05). Multi-drug resistance was also lower in vaccinated subjects (vaccine vs control; 45.2% vs 69.8%, P < 0.05). PCV7 reduces carriage in VT which leads to replacement of pneumococci by antibiotic susceptible VRT or non-vaccine type strains.

Korean Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Tuberculosis in Children and Adolescents / 소아감염

Tuberculosis is a disease with high morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. Despite the decrease in the incidence of tuberculosis in Korea, more than 30,000 new patients are diagnosed each year. Active tuberculosis is less frequent in children compared to adults but the risk of miliary tuberculosis and CNS tuberculosis is much higher. The diagnosis of tuberculosis in children and adolescents is difficult due to the nonspecific symptoms upon presentation. Diagnostic work up is based on the confirmation of tuberculosis infection by tuberculin skin test, abnormal radiologic findings, and contact with an adult with active tuberculosis. Anti-tuberculosis medications are prescribed according to the drug susceptibility of the index patient. Latent tuberculosis infection plays an important role in adult tuberculosis by reactivation. Thus, it is critical to accurately diagnose latent tuberculosis in children to prevent reactivation in adulthood. Korean guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis in children and adolescents provide evidence based recommendations in the optimal diagnosis and treatment for active and latent tuberculosis in children and adolescents based on the current Korean situation.

Update on pertussis and pertussis immunization / 소아과

Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory tract disease caused by Bordetella pertussis infection. The clinical manifestation of this infection can be severe enough to cause death. Although pertussis has been supposed to be a vaccine-preventable disease ever since the widespread vaccination of children against pertussis was started, since the 1990s, cases of pertussis and related fatalities are on the rise, especially in countries with high vaccination coverage. In Korea, there have been no deaths due to pertussis since 1990, and the vaccination rate continues to be approximately 94%. However, the number of pertussis cases reported to the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention has tended to increase in the 2000s, and in 2009, there was an obvious increase in the number of pertussis cases reported. This review aims to present the latest information about the pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of pertussis.

Clinical Characteristics and Epidemiology of Nonpolioenteroviral Infections, including Enteroviruis 71 in Children in Jeju-do, Korea between April and June 2000 / 소아감염

PURPOSE:We undertook this study to improve our understanding of the epidemiologic and clinical features of non-polioenterovirus (NPEV) infections, especially enterovirus 71 (EV71) infections, in Korean children. METHODS:Between April and June 2000, NPEVs were detected by RT-PCR and cultures of specimens obtained from patients with aseptic meningitis, acute respiratory disease, and acute gastroenteritis which were associated with enteroviral exanthem and vesicular pharyngeal enanthem, such as herpangina, and hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). EV71 was identified by sequencing the VP1 gene. The clinical and epidemiologic data were analyzed retrospectively after all 87 NPEV-positive patients were divided into 4 groups, according to the clinical manifestations. Sixteen patients who mainly had symptoms of acute gastroenteritis were in group A, 21 patients with symptoms and signs of lower respiratory tract infections were in group B, 42 patients with a HFMD rash only were in group C with or without fever, and 8 patients with aseptic meningitis or paralysis were in group D. For the 11 EV71-positive patients, 1 was in group A, 2 were group B, 7 were in group C, and 1 was in group D. RESULTS:There were 87 NPEV infections, including 11 EV71 infections. The mean age of the patients was 2 years and 11 months, ranging from 1 day to 15 years. There were no fatal cases among a total of 87 NPEV infections and no significant differences in clinical severity between the EV71 and other NPEV infections. CONCLUSION:NPEV infections in children were common during the 3 months in the spring of 2000. Unlike in southeast Asia, where fatal EV71 infection outbreaks have occurred since 1997, the clinical features of EV71 infection in Korean children are mild.

An Epidemic Survey for Salmonellosis Occurred on a Baby's First Birthday Banquet in Jeju Island / 한국역학회지

OBJECTIVES: A field investigation was done to identify the level of epidemic and to evaluate the infection route of Salmonellosis occurred in a baby's first birthday banquet in Jeju Island. METHODS: Among participants in the banquet given on a baby's first birthday, persons showing gastrointestinal symptoms were conducted by the structured questionnaire and stool culture. The symptomless persons were also surveyed by self-responded structured questionnaire. The causal relationship between food items and gastrointestinal symptoms was proved by odds ratio and Wilcoxon rank-sum test. RESULTS: Salmonella london was identified in the stools of 12 subjects among 20 participants showing gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as in the boiled pork hock. CONCLUSIONS: This outbreak event is thought to happen after participants took the boiled pork hock that contaminated with S almonella london during the storage process.

Congenital Heart Disease in Jeju: Postnatal Incidence and Clinical Features / 소아과

PURPOSE: This is a retrospective descriptive study to determine the incidence of congenital heart disease(CHD) in Jeju and to estimate the suitability of the Jeju population as the subject for a regional birth cohort study. METHODS: All patients with CHD diagnosed by two dimensional echocardiography in Cheju National University Hospital and Halla General Hospital from January 1999 to March 2003 were included in this study. RESULTS: From April 1999 to March 2002, the crude incidence rate was 10.06 per 1,000 live births (236 cases/23,464 live births). Among the 236 cases, the proportion of each type was as follows: Ventricular septal defect(44.9%), atrial septal defect(21.2%), pulmonary stenosis(11.0%), patent ductus arterios us(9.3%), tetralogy of Fallot(3.4%), transposition of great arteries(2.1%), aortic stenosis(1.3%), hypoplastic left heart syndrome(1.3%), coarctation of aorta(0.8%), total anormalous pulmonary venous return(0.8%), tricuspid atresia(0.8%), heterotaxia(0.4%), single ventricle(0.4%), atrioventricular septal defect(0.4%), Ebstein anomaly(0.4%). The male to female ratio was 1:1.380(P=0.011). For unknown reasons, females showed significantly higher incidence in VSD(P=0.005) and PDA(P=0.019). Mortality rate was 0.34 per 1,000 live births. The types of VSD were 72.1% of perimembranous, 16.4% of trabecular muscular, 5.7% of subarterial, and 5.7% of unknown. CONCLUSION: This is the first regional study on the incidence of CHD in Korea. The incidence of CHD in Jeju was 10.06 per 1,000 live births. Most of our cases were VSDs and ASDs. Jeju would be a good subject for a regional cohort study in the future.

A Case of Ileal Atresia with Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis

Ileal atresia, a subtype of intestinal atresia, is one of the well-recognized causes of bowel obstruction in newborns. Prenatal diagnosis of intestinal atresia is very important in its management and outcome. Unfortunately, there are few cases of ileal atresia diagnosed prenatally, so more appropriate diagnoses and management plans are needed. As an associated gastrointestinal malformation with ileal atresia, hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is rarely reported. We report one case of postnatally diagnosed ileal atresia associated with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis which was complicated initially by bowel perforation and later by vomiting due to pyloric obstruction. Vomiting in the postoperative period is a common problem. But, if vomiting continues after the operation for ileal atresia, hypertrophic pyloric stenosis should be considered as a possible cause of medically retractable non-bilious vomiting.

Occurrence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia in Seoul, Korea, from 1986 to 1995

PURPOSE: To decide diagnostic titer in a single determination of antibody by indirect particle agglutination test and to characterize the occurrence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae during a 9 year-period in Seoul. METHODS: M. pneumoniae pneumonia diagnosed serologically at the Seoul National University Children's Hospital from 1986 to 1995 were reviewed, retrospectively. Antimycoplasma antibody was measured by indirect particle agglutination test. Diagnosis was based on 4 fold-rise or single high titer. Single diagnostic titer was set up by the value greater than the 90th percentile of the titer at one year of the children who initially had 4 fold-rise or > or =160. RESULTS: The geometric mean titer and the 90th percentile at 1 year of the 15 children who initially had antibody titer > or =160 or 4 fold-rise were 122 and 639, respectively, and single diagnostic titer was established as > or =640. A total of 126 childern were included by our diagnostic criteria. Male and female ratio was 1.17:1 and the mean age was 6 years 4 months. Pneumonia by M. pneumonuae occurred every years during the study period showing increased cases every 3 years. In the epidemic years, the cases occurred in late spring, summer and early fall. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that the occurrence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in Seoul from 1986 to 1995 was characterized by epidemics every 3 years as well as its endemicity.