ABSTRACT
We aimed to characterize the genomes of monkeypox virus isolates from the Far East, providing insights into viral transmission and evolution. Genomic analysis was conducted on 8 isolates obtained from patients with monkeypox virus disease in the Republic of Korea between May 2022 and early 2023. These isolates were classified into Clade IIb. Distinct lineages, including B.1.1, A.2.1, and B.1.3, were observed in 2022 and 2023 isolates, with only the B.1.3 lineage detected in six isolates of 2023. These genetic features were specific to Far East isolates (the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Taiwan), distinguishing them from the diverse lineages found in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Oceania. In early 2023, the prevalence of the B.1.3 lineage of monkeypox virus identified in six patients with no overseas travel history is considered as an indicator of the potential initiation of local transmission in the Republic of Korea.
ABSTRACT
Since severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 variant B.1.1.529 (omicron) was first reported to the World Health Organization on November 24, 2021, the cases of the omicron variant have been detected in more than 90 countries over the last month. We investigated the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the first 40 patients with the omicron variant who had been isolated at the National Medical Center in South Korea during December 4–17, 2021. The median age of the patients was 39.5 years. Twenty-two patients (55%) were women. Seventeen patients (42.5%) were fully vaccinated, and none were reinfected with the omicron. Eighteen (45%) had recent international travel history. Half of the patients (19, 47.5%) were asymptomatic, while the others had mild symptoms. Six patients (15%) showed lung infiltrations on chest image; however, none required supplemental oxygen. These mild clinical features are consistent with recent case reports on the omicron variant from other countries.
ABSTRACT
Concerns about the effectiveness of current vaccines against the rapidly spreading severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 omicron (B.1.1.529) variant are increasing. This study aimed to assess neutralizing antibody activity against the wild-type (BetaCoV/Korea/ KCDC03/2020), delta, and omicron variants after full primary and booster vaccinations with BNT162b2. A plaque reduction neutralization test was employed to determine 50% neutralizing dilution (ND 50 ) titers in serum samples. ND 50 titers against the omicron variant (median [interquartile range], 5.3 [50 titers than the detection threshold (50 titers against BetaCoV/Korea/KCDC03/2020, delta, and omicron, although titers against omicron remained lower than those against the other variants (P < 0.001). Our study suggests that booster vaccination with BNT162b2 significantly increases humoral immunity against the omicron variant.
ABSTRACT
This nationwide, prospective cohort study evaluated pulmonary function and radiological sequelae according to infection severity in 73 survivors from the 2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreak in Korea. Patients with severe pneumonia in MERS-coronavirus infection had more impaired pulmonary function than those with no or mild pneumonia at the 1-year follow-up, which was compatible with the radiological sequelae. Severe pneumonia significantly impairs pulmonary function and makes long radiological sequelae in MERS.
Subject(s)
Humans , Cohort Studies , Coronavirus , Coronavirus Infections , Follow-Up Studies , Korea , Middle East , Pneumonia , Prospective Studies , SurvivorsABSTRACT
Rabies is a representative zoonotic disease caused by rabies virus. The discriminative features of rabies are broad range of hosts including humans, a wide variety of incubation periods ranging from a few weeks to more than a year, ability to bring about acute fetal consequence, and scare pathological lesions. Although rabies is fatal, it is preventable disease by vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). This review will focus on general features of rabies, and immunoglobulin and vaccines for PEP.
Subject(s)
Humans , Immunoglobulins , Oligopeptides , Post-Exposure Prophylaxis , Rabies , Rabies virus , Vaccination , VaccinesABSTRACT
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a member of mosquito-borne flaviviruses, is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in a large geographic area of Southeast Asia and Australia. JEV contains a single-stranded positive-sense RNA genome, which encodes its own RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (NS5) that is required for genomic RNA replication. In this study, we have described a pair of mouse antisera specific to the N- or C-terminal region of the NS5. Initially, two hydrophilic regions corresponding to the N-terminus and C-terminus of the NS5 protein were individually amplified by reverse transcription-PCR from the genomic RNA of JEV K87P39 strain. The amplified DNA fragments were cloned into a prokaryotic expression vector, pGEX-4T-1; the resulting constructs were used for the expression of GST fusion proteins, designated GST/NS5N and GST/NS5C, in E. coli BL-21 strain. Following immunization of three BALB/c mice with each of the purified GST/NS5N and GST/NS5C, we obtained two pools of the antisera, specifically recognizing the ~103-kDa NS5 and several smaller NS5-related proteins in BHK-21 and Vero cells infected with JEV K87P39 strain. Overall, we have successfully expressed the N- and C-terminal regions of JEV NS5 fused to the C-terminus of GST and generated the mouse antisera capable of recognizing the NS5 and its related proteins in JEV-infected cells. This would provide a valuable reagent for the study of JEV NS5 in the viral life cycle.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Mice , Antibody Formation , Asia, Southeastern , Asian People , Australia , Clone Cells , DNA , Encephalitis Virus, Japanese , Encephalitis, Japanese , Encephalitis, Viral , Flavivirus , Genome , Immune Sera , Immunization , Proteins , RNA , RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase , Sprains and Strains , Vero CellsABSTRACT
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a member of Flaviviruses, transmitted by mosquitoes. The core of JEV is composed of the capsid (C) proteins. In order to produce the recombinant viral C protein and the antiserum specifically recognizing the JEV C protein, we have expressed and purified the JEV C protein as a Glutathion-S-Transferase (GST) fusion protein in E. coli. The JEV C protein-coding region was PCR-amplified using the infectious cDNA of a JEV Korean isolate, and the amplicons were cloned into the pGEX4T-1 E. coli expression vector. GST-C fusion proteins were purified using a glutathione sepharose column. Subsequently, the GST-C fusion proteins were used for immunization of rabbits, and the antisera were obtained from those immunized animals. Western blot analysis using the JEV-infected BHK21 cell lysates showed that these antisera specifically reacted with the JEV C proteins. This study will provide a useful reagent for the diagnosis and understanding of the viral morphogenesis in the JEV-infected cells.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Rabbits , Asian People , Blotting, Western , Capsid Proteins , Capsid , Clone Cells , Culicidae , Diagnosis , DNA, Complementary , Encephalitis Virus, Japanese , Encephalitis, Japanese , Flavivirus , Glutathione , Immune Sera , Immunization , Morphogenesis , Sepharose , Staphylococcal Protein AABSTRACT
Endometrial carcinoma is predominantly a disease of postmenopausal women, so we don't have to consider fertility. But in case of young women who want to preserve their fertility, it is very difficult to approach. We experienced one case of treatment using high-dose Megestrol Acetate (Megace(R)) combined with PDT (Photodynamic Therapy) on early stage of endometrial carcinoma, in young aged woman who wanted to preserve her fertility. And, we described briefly clinicopathologic findings, reviews of literatures and possibility of combined therapy with Megestrol and PDT.