Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Genotype in Pusan, Korea / 한국역학회지

The authors investigated the distribution of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype in blood donors with positive for anti-HCV (n=34), health check-up examiness with positive for anti-HCV (n=29), and in patients with various chronic liver disases positive for anti-HCV (n=63) in Pusan, Korea. HCV genotype was determined by using the molecular typing method through the reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT - PCR) with four type specific primers. Among 116 anti-HCV positive study subjects, 66.4% were positive HCV RNA by RT-PCR. The major HCV genotype was type II (31.9%) and it was followed by type III (27.6%). Two cases were type IV (1.7%). Double infection with two different HCV genotypes (mixed type) was found in three cases (2.6%). Three cases (2.6%) were not determined by the four type specific primers, it may have different subtype. Type II was more prevalent than type III in the blood donors and health check-up examinees, but the reverse was true in the chronic liver disease patients including hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Type II was more prevalent than type III among the anti-HCV positive subjects with risk factors such as acupuncture history, surgical operation history, and trans-fusion history. In contrast type III was more prevalent than type II among the subjects without the above risk factors. It is supposed that the pathogenicity of different kind of HCV genotype might be different. The results of this study suggest that the type II and type III may be the major CV genotype in Korea. The differences of HCV genotype distribution between the study groups support that the clinical significance according to the HCV genotype may be different.

An Epidemiologic Investigation of Typhoid Fever Outbreak in Pusan, 1996 / 한국역학회지

An epidemiologic investigation was carried out to identify the source of infection of typhoid fever outbreak, which was occurred in Nam-Gu, Pusan city from April 20 to June 28, 1996. The distribution of 83 reported cases (55 confirmed cases and 28 suspected cases) by sex and age group showed that this epidemic would be occurred by the exposure to a common source with low toxic pathogen because 55.4% of cases were under 20 years old and most of the adults cases were female. The epidemic curve showed a unimodel curve with a peak on about 15 May and tailed down to 23 June, suggesting that the exposure was constant. These results supposed that the contamination of a public water supply would be the source of infection. The analysis of reported cases and population survey conducted to household members and community contacts living in the epidemic area, led the conclusion that the source of infection was tap water supplied through the Dae Youn pumping station, based on the following findings: (1) There were singificant differences of incidence rate among regions (Tong) even though in the same Dong and the spot map of incident cases distributed in accord with the water supply by Dae-Youn pumping station. (2) Among reported cases, 21 cases, including 17 confirmed cases, stated they had used only tap water. (3) The analysis of tap water from the house which had seven typhoid cases, revealed the contamination of E coli and the dilution of residual chlorinated concentration. (4) The outbreak of typhoid fever was stopped after the replacement of The worn-out pipe line of tap water supply to the new one.

Seroepidemiologic Study of Hepatitis B Virus(HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus(HCV) Infection among Koreans in Rural Area, Korea / 예방의학회지

To estimate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus(HBV) and hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection and to determine associated risk factors, a population-based seroepidemiologic study was carried out. In 1993, a health examination survey of the population was carried out in rural area known to have a high incidence of liver cancer. The study population were those who volunteered to participate in a health survey over 10 years of age. Examinees were interviewed by specially trained staffs. Sera from 1,033 study subjects were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by reverse passive hemagglutinin (RPHA) estimation and for hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV) by 2nd generation passive hemagglutinin (PHA) estimation, The age and sex standardized prevalence of HBsAg was 6.3% which was similar to national average, but that of anti-HCV was 5.1% which was 4 to 5 times higher than that of blood or other health examinees in Korea. In a multivariate analysis, transfusion history, surgical operative history, and acupuncture history were not associated with HBsAg positivity. In contrast, acupuncture history (adjusted odds ratio[OR]=2.2 : 95% Confidence interval[CI] 1.0-4.7) and surgical operative history(adjusted OR=2.0 : 95% CI 1.0-4.1) were associated with anti-HCV positivity. The present study suggest that there is an highly endemic area of HCV infection in Korea and probably this endemicity is associated with a parenteral source of HCV infection other than blood transfusion.

Health related practices and morbidity among adult in rural area / 예방의학회지

This research was carried out to determine the performance rate of health related practices, to measure the agreement between morbidity by doctor's diagnosis and morbidity by 'subject' self-reported and the degree of association between health related practices and morbidity rate by doctor's diagnosis, to identify their effects on morbidity among rural area populations. The data were gathered by volunteer residents(over the age of 20) of Haman Myeon, Haman Gun, Kyeongsangnam Do in Korea, from June 10, 1993 to June 12, 1993 (369 male and 516 female). Face to face interview, lab, chest P-A, EKG and physical examination were completed. Descriptive statistics, agreement analysis and multiple logistic regression procedures were employed for analyses. The results of the study were summarized as follows : 1) Age adjusted morbidity rates by doctor's diagnosis and self-reported were 38.5% (male:37.3%, female:36.5%), 26.4% (male:33.3%, female:27.5%), respectively. Kappa coefficient between morbidity by doctor's diagnosis and morbidity by self-reported was 0.21 (male:0.21, female:0.22). 2) The frequency of disease by doctor's diagnosis was as follows: hypertension (15.3%), gastritis (9.6%), diabetes mellitus (8.5%), liver disease (8.1%), and degenerative arthritis (6.2%) in the study population. 3) Order of health practice performance rate was as follows: Males- normal body weight (62.1%), non-heavy alcohol consumption (57.5%), 7-8 hours of sleeping (50.1%), non-smoking (21.7%), and exercise (19.8%). Females- non-heavy alcohol consumption (97.3%), non-smoking (84.7%), normal body weight (57.8%), 7-8 hours of sleeping (45.0%), and exercise (9.9%). 4) There was no significant relationship between health related practice and morbidity except exercise among health related practices. 5) Health related practice index which was recategorized by high, medium, and low had effects on the probability of developing morbidity.