ABSTRACT
Since mid-December of 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has been spreading from Wuhan, China. The confirmed COVID-19 patients in South Korea are those who came from or visited China. As secondary transmissions have occurred and the speed of transmission is accelerating, there are rising concerns about community infections. The 54-year old male is the third patient diagnosed with COVID-19 infection in Korea. He is a worker for a clothing business and had mild respiratory symptoms and intermittent fever in the beginning of hospitalization, and pneumonia symptoms on chest computerized tomography scan on day 6 of admission. This patient caused one case of secondary transmission and three cases of tertiary transmission. Hereby, we report the clinical findings of the index patient who was the first to cause tertiary transmission outside China. Interestingly, after lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra, AbbVie) was administered, β-coronavirus viral loads significantly decreased and no or little coronavirus titers were observed.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , China , Clothing , Commerce , Coronavirus , Fever , Hospitalization , Korea , Pneumonia , Thorax , Viral LoadABSTRACT
Background: Dengue is one of the most serious mosquito borne viral infection mainly affecting tropical and subtropical countries of the world. In absence of specific treatment and vaccine for dengue fever (DF); vector control is the only method by which the spread of dengue can be prevented. Aims & Objective: This study was conducted to report the prevalence of Dengue virus infection in Gujarat, Western India. Material and Methods: Study was performed at a tertiary care hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in year 2012. Patients attending various hospitals across Gujarat for suspected dengue were tested. Blood samples collected in plain tubes were tested for dengue IgM antibodies, NS1 antigen and viral nucleic acid detection by Dengue IgM capture enzyme linked immune sorbent assay, Dengue Early ELISA and real time reverse transcriptase PCR, respectively. The laboratory records were analyzed for demographic features and seasonal variations. Descriptive statistics were used. Data were expressed in proportions. Results: Out of total 4401 serum samples tested, 927 were found positive for dengue virus infection. 65% positive samples were of male patients and 58% positive samples were from 18 to 35 years age group (Adult population) (58%). Seasonal trend showed a gradual increase in dengue positives started from August with a peak in October (34.5%). The most common presentation was fever (97%) while only 1% cases presented haemorrhagic manifestations. Conclusion: Dengue has established its transmission in urban and semi-urban areas of Gujarat with predominantly affecting males and active adult population. Virus activity is high during monsoon and post monsoon period which coincides with increased vector breeding. This study thus emphasizes the need for continuous sero epidemiological surveillance for the timely formulation and implementation of effective dengue control programme.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Borna disease virus (BDV) is a highly neurotropic agent causing various neuropsychiatric symptoms in animals. Over the past two decades, it has been suggested that BDV might be associated with human psychiatric diseases. We aimed to investigate whether BDV is associated with psychiatric patients in Korea. METHODS: We recruited 60 normal controls and 198 psychiatric patients (98 patients with depressive disorder, 60 with schizophrenia, and 40 with bipolar disorder). We used an indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) test for the BDV antibody and a real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assay for p24 and p40 RNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). RESULTS: Neither the BDV antibody nor p24, p40 RNA was detected in controls and patients groups. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that BDV might not be associated with psychiatric patients in Korea.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Borna Disease , Borna disease virus , Corynebacterium , Depressive Disorder , Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect , Korea , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , RNA , SchizophreniaABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Borna disease virus (BDV) is a highly neurotropic agent causing various neuropsychiatric symptoms in animals. Over the past two decades, it has been suggested that BDV might be associated with human psychiatric diseases. We aimed to investigate whether BDV is associated with psychiatric patients in Korea. METHODS: We recruited 60 normal controls and 198 psychiatric patients (98 patients with depressive disorder, 60 with schizophrenia, and 40 with bipolar disorder). We used an indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) test for the BDV antibody and a real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assay for p24 and p40 RNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). RESULTS: Neither the BDV antibody nor p24, p40 RNA was detected in controls and patients groups. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that BDV might not be associated with psychiatric patients in Korea.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Borna Disease , Borna disease virus , Corynebacterium , Depressive Disorder , Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect , Korea , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , RNA , SchizophreniaABSTRACT
Objective To analyze the clinical value of minimal residual disease(MRD) of acute myeloblastic leukemia(AML) with AML 1-ETO by using the real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RQ-RT-PCR).Methods From Jan.2001 to Jan.2007,the MRD of 32 AML1-ETO-positive AML patients were analyzed by using PQ-RT-PCR.The detection of the AML1-ETO was taken after the induced chemotherapy every 1.5-2.0 months during the consolidation therapy.The survival of different stages in children with AML was analyzed by SPSS 10.0 software and calculated by using Kaplan-Meier analysis.Results Thirty-two patients received the induced chemotherapy and 29 patients with complete remission morphologically,3 patients had no complete remission morphologically and then gave up.Patients with molecular remission were associated with a high probability of survival(P=0.001 8).Patients with high transcript levels at diagnosis had no difference in event free survival with patients with low transcript levels.The quality of molecular response after induction,6 months in the chemotherapy as well as consolidation period,has significant impact on the event free survival(P=0.023,0.000 1,0.004 9).Conclusion The current study demonstrate that quantitative evaluation of AML1-ETO transcript levels is important and may be helpful for therapeutic decisions in future.
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Objective To investigate the frequency of CD4~+CD25~+FoxP3~+regulatory T cells (Treg)and the expression of the functional protein,FoxP3,in patients with active tuberculosis and the relationship between Treg and the pathogenesis of tuberculosis.Methods Forty-five patients with active tuberculosis(including 25 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and 20 tuberculous lymphadenitis), 20 healthy controls,20 recovered tuberculosis patients and 6 patients with reactive hyperplasia in cer- vical lymph node were enrolled.The frequency of CD4~+ CD25~+ FoxP3~+ Treg in the peripheral blood was measured by flow cytometry.FoxP3 mRNA expression was determined by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)and the expression of FoxP3 protein in lymphoid tissues was measured by immunohistochemistry.Results The frequency of natural Treg in the peripheral blood from the patients with active tuberculosis was 2.91%?0.23%,which was signifi- cantly higher than that of healthy control group(1.22%?0.18%)and recovered tuberculosis patients(1.50%?0.17%,P