Clinical Implication of Candida Score in Multidrug-Resistant Pneumonia with Airway Candida Colonization / 감염과화학요법

Background@#The growth of Candida in respiratory secretions is usually considered colonization, and antifungal therapy is rarely required. The role of Candida colonization in the progression of bacterial pneumonia remains controversial. The aim of this study was to identify the clinical implication of Candida score by analyzinge the relationship with multidrug-resistant (MDR) pneumonia and prognosis in patients with airway Candida colonization. @*Materials and Methods@#This study was a retrospective review of patients with airway Candida colonization by bronchial washing or bronchoalveolar lavage. The Candidascore was calculated according to the four factors (severe sepsis, surgery at baseline, total parenteral nutrition, and multifocal Candida colonization). Pneumonia related mortality or hopeless discharge expecting death was defined as a poor outcome. @*Results@#A total of 148 patients were enrolled in the study. In a multivariate analysis model, Candida score was identified as an independent predictor of poor outcomes (odds ratio 2.23;95% confidential interval 1.57 – 3.17; P<0.001) in pneumonia patients with airway Candida colonization. With a Candida score of three or higher compared with low score group, it was associated with bacterial pneumonia, especially methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection (0.0% vs. 15.2%, P = 0.004). In addition, patients with a high Candida score had a longer hospital stay (13 vs. 38 days, P <0.001), longer duration of intensive care (7 vs.18 days, P <0.001), and higher pneumonia-related mortality (0.0% vs. 45.5%,P <0.001) as compared to the low Candida score group. The Candida score showed a positive correlation with other pneumonia severity scales such as CURB-65 (Confusion, Urea, Respiratory rate, Blood pressure, and age ≥65 years) (r = 0.461, P <0.001), Pneumonia Severity Index (r = 0.397, P <0.001), and predisposition, insult, response, and organ dysfunction (PIRO) score (r = 0.425, P <0.001). @*Conclusion@#This study revealed that Candida is no longer a bystander of airway colonization, and that it affects the progression of bacterial pneumonia, including multidrug-resistant pathogens, particularly MRSA infection. Also Candida score can be used to predict the prognosis of patients with pneumonia.

Lenalidomide for anemia correction in lower-risk del(5q) myelodysplastic syndrome patients of Asian ethnicity

Background@#To estimate real-world outcomes in East Asian populations, we conducted a nationwide retrospective analysis of the efficacy and safety of lenalidomide for del(5q) myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients with transfusion-dependent anemia in Korea. @*Methods@#Patients aged ≥19 years who had received lenalidomide for the treatment of lower-risk, red blood cell (RBC) transfusion-dependent del(5q) MDS were selected. A filled case report form (CRF) with information from electronic medical records was requested from members of the acute myeloid leukemia (AML)/MDS Working Party of the Korean Society of Hematology. All the CRFs were gathered and analyzed. @*Results@#A total of 31 patients were included in this study. Of 28 evaluable patients, 19 (67.9%) achieved RBC transfusion independence (RBC-TI). Female sex and the development of thrombocytopenia during treatment were associated with achieving RBC-TI. The most common non-hematologic toxicities were pruritus, fatigue, and rashes. All non-hematologic toxicities of grades ≥3 were limited to rash (12.9%) and pruritus (6.5%). Dose reduction was required in 15 of the 19 responders (78.9%). The most common final stable dosing schedule for the responders was 5 mg once every other day (31.6%). @*Conclusion@#Lenalidomide efficacy and tolerability were similar in the Asian del(5q) MDS patients and western patients. Dose reduction during treatment was common, but it was not associated with inferior outcomes.

Lenalidomide for anemia correction in lower-risk del(5q) myelodysplastic syndrome patients of Asian ethnicity

Background@#To estimate real-world outcomes in East Asian populations, we conducted a nationwide retrospective analysis of the efficacy and safety of lenalidomide for del(5q) myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients with transfusion-dependent anemia in Korea. @*Methods@#Patients aged ≥19 years who had received lenalidomide for the treatment of lower-risk, red blood cell (RBC) transfusion-dependent del(5q) MDS were selected. A filled case report form (CRF) with information from electronic medical records was requested from members of the acute myeloid leukemia (AML)/MDS Working Party of the Korean Society of Hematology. All the CRFs were gathered and analyzed. @*Results@#A total of 31 patients were included in this study. Of 28 evaluable patients, 19 (67.9%) achieved RBC transfusion independence (RBC-TI). Female sex and the development of thrombocytopenia during treatment were associated with achieving RBC-TI. The most common non-hematologic toxicities were pruritus, fatigue, and rashes. All non-hematologic toxicities of grades ≥3 were limited to rash (12.9%) and pruritus (6.5%). Dose reduction was required in 15 of the 19 responders (78.9%). The most common final stable dosing schedule for the responders was 5 mg once every other day (31.6%). @*Conclusion@#Lenalidomide efficacy and tolerability were similar in the Asian del(5q) MDS patients and western patients. Dose reduction during treatment was common, but it was not associated with inferior outcomes.

The clinical and economic burden of community-onset complicated skin and skin structure infections in Korea

Background/Aims@#To investigate epidemiologic characteristics, clinical and economic burdens, and factors associated with mortality in complicated skin and skin structure infection (cSSSI) patients in Korea. @*Methods@#A retrospective, observational, nationwide study was conducted between April to July 2012 at 14 tertiary-hospitals in Korea. Eligible patients were hospitalized adults with community acquired cSSSI, who underwent surgical intervention and completed treatment between November 2009 and October 2011. Data on demography, clinical characteristics, outcomes and medical resource utilization were collected through medical record review. Direct medical costs were calculated by multiplying quantities of resources utilized by each unit price in Korea. @*Results@#Of 473 patients enrolled, 449 patients (except 24 patients with no record on surgical intervention) were eligible for analysis. Microbiological testing was performed on 66.1% of patients and 8.2% had multiple pathogens. Among culture confirmed pathogens (n = 297 patients, 340 episodes), 76.2% were gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus; 41.2%) and 23.8% were gram-negative. The median duration of hospital stay was 16 days. Among treated patients, 3.3% experienced recurrence and 4.2% died in-hospital. The mean direct medical costs amounted to $4,195/ person, with the greatest expenses for hospitalization and antibiotics. The in-hospital mortality and total medical costs were higher in combined antibiotics therapy than monotherapy (p < 0.05). Charlson’s comorbidity index ≥ 3, standardized early warning scoring ≥ 4, sub-fascia infections and combined initial therapy, were all found to be associated with higher mortality. @*Conclusions@#Korean patients with community-onset cSSSI suffer from considerable clinical and economic burden. Efforts should be made to reduce this burden through appropriate initial treatment.

Detection and genetic analysis of zoonotic hepatitis E virus, rotavirus, and sapovirus in pigs

The zoonotic transmission of viral diseases to humans is a serious public health concern. Pigs are frequently a major reservoir for several zoonotic viral diseases. Therefore, periodic surveillance is needed to determine the infection rates of zoonotic diseases in domestic pigs. Hepatitis E virus (HEV), rotavirus, sapovirus (SaV), and norovirus (NoV) are potential zoonotic viruses. In this study, 296 fecal samples were collected from weaned piglets and growing pigs in 13 swine farms, and the viral RNA was extracted. Partial viral genomes were amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or nested-PCR using virusspecific primer sets under different PCR conditions. HEV-3, rotavirus A, and SaV genogoup 3 were detected from 11.5, 2.7, and 3.0% of the samples, respectively. On the other hand, NoV was not detected in any of the samples. Genetic analysis indicated that the nucleotide sequences of swine HEV-3 and rotavirus A detected in this study were closely related to those of human isolates. However, swine SaV was distant from the human strains. These results suggest that HEV-3 and rotavirus A can be transmitted from pigs to humans. Therefore, strict preventive measures should be implemented by workers in the swine industry to prevent infections with HEV-3 and rotavirus A excreted from pigs.

Impact of Cytomegalovirus Disease on New-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Population-Based Matched Case-Control Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: A latent cytomegalovirus (CMV) cause chronic inflammation through undesirable inflation of cell-mediated immune response. CMV immunoglobulin G has been associated with cardiovascular disease and type 1 diabetes mellitus. We evaluated impact of CMV diseases on new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).METHODS: From the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service claim database of entire population with 50 million, we retrieved 576 adult case group with CMV diseases diagnosed with International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related-Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10) B25 code between 2010 and 2014 after exclusion of patients with T2DM to 2006. The 2,880 control patients without T2DM from 2006 to cohort entry point were selected between 2010 and 2014 by age, sex matching with case group. The subjects without new-onset T2DM were followed until 2015. T2DM, hypertension (HTN), dyslipidemia (DYS), and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were coded as ICD-10.RESULTS: The frequency of new-onset T2DM in case group was significantly higher than that in control (5.6% vs. 2.2%, P<0.001). The group with T2DM (n=95) had higher incidence of CMV diseases than the group without T2DM (n=3,361) (33.7% vs. 16.2%, P<0.001). In multivariate regression model adjusted by age, sex, lower income, HTN, and DYS, the incidence rate (IR) of T2DM in case group was significantly higher than that in the control group (IR per 1,000, 19.0 vs. 7.3; odds ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.3 to 3.2). The co-existence of HTN, DYS, and ESRD with CMV diseases did not influence the IR of T2DM.CONCLUSION: CMV diseases increase the patients' risk of developing T2DM.

The Timing and Route of Transfer for End-of-Life Care in Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the timing and route of arrival of patients with cancer referred to a hospital near their residence for end-of-life care.METHODS: The medical records of patients with cancer receiving palliative systemic treatment at other hospitals who were transferred to our hospital for terminal care were reviewed retrospectively.RESULTS: Records of 60 patients (mean age, 57.4 years) were reviewed. The median survival after transfer was 40 days; 56.3% and 43.3% of the patients were referred to the outpatient and emergency departments of our hospital, respectively. Only 45% of the patients were enrolled in the hospice palliative care system. The most common reason for not enrolling was rejection of the patients or their families for hospice palliative care.CONCLUSION: For end-of-life care, the time from the referral to death was short, and many patients were transferred to the emergency department of our hospital.

Detection of hepatitis E virus genotypes 3 and 4 in pig farms in Korea

Zoonotic transmission of hepatitis E virus (HEV) is mostly mediated by HEV-3 and HEV-4 genotypes, and domestic pigs are an important reservoir of these genotypes. A survey of 14 pig farms in Korea revealed HEV RNA in 30 of 148 (20.3%) fecal samples. HEV-3a and HEV-4c subtypes were identified in five pig farms (35.7%) and two pig farms (14.3%), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the isolated HEV strains were closely related to previously reported zoonotic strains in Korea. The results of the genetic analysis partially explain the possible source of the zoonotic transmission of HEV to humans in Korea.

Vaccination for Patients with Rheumatic Diseases in the Era of Biologics

A large proportion of patients with rheumatic disease have an immunocompromised status resulting from disease pathogenesis itself and/or several immunosuppressive drugs including biologics. These conditions are closely related to a higher risk of a variety of infectious diseases. Therefore, a few vaccinations for vaccine‐preventable pathogens should be considered in patients with rheumatic disease at the appropriate time. The quadrivalent inactivated influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations, including both 13‐valent conjugate and 23‐valent polysaccharide vaccines, are strongly recommended in all patients with rheumatic disease. The immunogenicity of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination have generally been demonstrated in patients with rheumatic disease on biologics except for rituximab and abatacept. Vaccines can be administered during therapy with tumor necrosis factor-α antagonists but may be more ideal during a stable or remission status without immunosuppressive therapy. In particular, vaccination should be done at least 6 months after an injection of rituximab as a B‐lymphocyte‐depleting biologic. Basically, all live-attenuated vaccines should be avoided in highly immunocompromised rheumatic disease patients. The vaccination for herpes zoster (HZ) can be taken carefully according to degree of immunosuppression because the currently available vaccine is only live‐attenuated. The newly developed subunit HZ vaccine is promising in immunocompromised patients with rheumatic disease.

Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study: study design and baseline characteristics / 한국역학회지

The number of persons infected by HIV/AIDS has consistently increased in Korea since the first case of HIV/AIDS infection in 1985 and reached 15,208 by 2016. About 1,100 new patients with HIV/ AIDS infections have emerged every year since 2013. In Korea, the Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study was established for the evidenced-based prevention, treatment, and effective management of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in December 2006. This study monitored 1,438 patients, who accounted for about 10% of all patients with HIV/AIDS in Korea, for 10 years with the following aims: (1) to develop an administrative system for the establishment of a HIV/AIDS cohort-based study; (2) to standardize methodologies and the case report forms; and (3) to standardize multi-cohort data and develop a data cleaning method. This study aims to monitor at least 1,000 patients (excluding those for whom investigation had been completed) per year (estimated number of patients who can be monitored by January 2018: 939). By December 2016, the sex distribution was 93.3% for men, and 6.7% for women (gender ratio, 13.9:1.0), and 98.9% of all participants were Korean. More than 50.0% of the participants were confirmed as HIV positive after 2006. This study reports competitive, long-term research that aimed to develop policies for the prevention of chronic infectious diseases for patients with HIV. The data collected over the last decade will be used to develop indices for HIV treatment and health promotion.

Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study: study design and baseline characteristics / 한국역학회지

The number of persons infected by HIV/AIDS has consistently increased in Korea since the first case of HIV/AIDS infection in 1985 and reached 15,208 by 2016. About 1,100 new patients with HIV/ AIDS infections have emerged every year since 2013. In Korea, the Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study was established for the evidenced-based prevention, treatment, and effective management of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in December 2006. This study monitored 1,438 patients, who accounted for about 10% of all patients with HIV/AIDS in Korea, for 10 years with the following aims: (1) to develop an administrative system for the establishment of a HIV/AIDS cohort-based study; (2) to standardize methodologies and the case report forms; and (3) to standardize multi-cohort data and develop a data cleaning method. This study aims to monitor at least 1,000 patients (excluding those for whom investigation had been completed) per year (estimated number of patients who can be monitored by January 2018: 939). By December 2016, the sex distribution was 93.3% for men, and 6.7% for women (gender ratio, 13.9:1.0), and 98.9% of all participants were Korean. More than 50.0% of the participants were confirmed as HIV positive after 2006. This study reports competitive, long-term research that aimed to develop policies for the prevention of chronic infectious diseases for patients with HIV. The data collected over the last decade will be used to develop indices for HIV treatment and health promotion.

Usefulness of Plasma Pentraxin 3 Levels in Acute and Chronic Inflammatory Diseases

No abstract available.

Effect of Central Line Bundle Compliance on Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of central line (CL) bundle compliance on central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in different departments of the same hospital, including the intensive care unit (ICU) and other departments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The four components of the CL bundle were hand hygiene, use of maximal sterile barrier precautions, chlorhexidine use, and selection of an appropriate site for venous access. Compliance of the CL bundle and CLABSIs were measured for every department [emergency room (ER), ICU, general ward (GW), and operating room (OR)]. A total of 1672 patients were included over 3 years (August 2013 through July 2016). RESULTS: A total of 29 CLABSI episodes (1.73%) were identified, and only 53.7% of the patients completed CL bundles. The performance rates of all components of the CL bundle were 22.3%, 28.5%, 36.5%, and 84.6% for the ER, ICU, GW, and OR, respectively. The highest CLABSI rate was observed in patients of the ICU, for whom all components were not performed perfectly. Conversely, the lowest CLABSI rate was observed for patients of GWs, for whom all components were performed. Among individual components, femoral insertion site [relative risk (RR), 2.26; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09–4.68], not using a full body drape (RR, 3.55; 95% CI, 1.44–8.71), and not performing all CL bundle components (RR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.19–6.54) were significant variables associated with CLABSIs. CONCLUSION: This study provides direct evidence that completing all CL bundle components perfectly is essential for preventing CLABSIs. Customized education should be provided, according to specific weaknesses of bundle performance.

Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study: study design and baseline characteristics / 한국역학회지

The number of persons infected by HIV/AIDS has consistently increased in Korea since the first case of HIV/AIDS infection in 1985 and reached 15,208 by 2016. About 1,100 new patients with HIV/ AIDS infections have emerged every year since 2013. In Korea, the Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study was established for the evidenced-based prevention, treatment, and effective management of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in December 2006. This study monitored 1,438 patients, who accounted for about 10% of all patients with HIV/AIDS in Korea, for 10 years with the following aims: (1) to develop an administrative system for the establishment of a HIV/AIDS cohort-based study; (2) to standardize methodologies and the case report forms; and (3) to standardize multi-cohort data and develop a data cleaning method. This study aims to monitor at least 1,000 patients (excluding those for whom investigation had been completed) per year (estimated number of patients who can be monitored by January 2018: 939). By December 2016, the sex distribution was 93.3% for men, and 6.7% for women (gender ratio, 13.9:1.0), and 98.9% of all participants were Korean. More than 50.0% of the participants were confirmed as HIV positive after 2006. This study reports competitive, long-term research that aimed to develop policies for the prevention of chronic infectious diseases for patients with HIV. The data collected over the last decade will be used to develop indices for HIV treatment and health promotion.

Long Pentraxin 3 as a Predictive Marker of Mortality in Severe Septic Patients Who Received Successful Early Goal-Directed Therapy

PURPOSE: Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) has been suggested to be a prognostic marker of mortality in severe sepsis. Currently, there are limited data on biomarkers including PTX3 that can be used to predict mortality in severe sepsis patients who have undergone successful initial resuscitation through early goal-directed therapy (EGDT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted among 83 severe sepsis patients with fulfillment of all EGDT components and the achievement of final goal. Plasma PTX3 levels were measured by sandwich ELISA on hospital day (HD) 0, 3, and 7. The data for procalcitonin, C-reactive protein and delta neutrophil index were collected by electric medical record. The primary outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality. RESULTS: 28-day all-cause mortality was 19.3% and the median (interquartile range) APHCH II score of total patients was 16 (13–19). The non-survivors (n=16) had significantly higher PTX3 level at HD 0 [201.4 (56.9–268.6) ng/mL vs. 36.5 (13.7–145.3) ng/mL, p=0.008]. PTX3 had largest AUC(ROC) value for the prediction of mortality among PTX3, procalcitonin, delta neutrophil index, CRP and APACHE II/SOFA sore at HD 0 [0.819, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.677–0.961, p=0.008]. The most valid cut-off level of PTX3 at HD 0 was 140.28 ng/mL (sensitivity 66.7%, specificity 73.8%). The PTX3 and procalcitonin at HD 0 showed strong correlation (r=0.675, p<0.001). However, PTX3 at HD 0 was the only independent predictive marker in Cox's proportional hazards model (≥140 ng/mL; hazard rate 7.16, 95% CI 2.46–15.85, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: PTX3 at HD 0 could be a powerful predictive biomarker of 28-day all-cause mortality in severe septic patients who have undergone successful EGDT.

Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma Presenting with Chylothorax / 대한내과학회지

A 72-year-old male presented with respiratory discomfort. A simple chest X-ray and abdominal computed tomography showed pleural effusion and multiple lymph node enlargement. The pleural effusion was determined by thoracentesis to be chylothorax. An inguinal lymph node biopsy showed peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Following three cycles of cyclophospamide, hydroxyl doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone (CHOP) chemotherapy, a partial response was observed. Chylothorax is an extremely rare complication of T-cell lymphoma. We present a case of peripheral T-cell lymphoma presenting with chylothorax. We suggest that clinicians should consider chylothorax when examining patients with lymphoma who present with atypical pleural effusion.

Immunological Prediction of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Replication Risk in Solid Organ Transplantation Recipients: Approaches for Regulating the Targeted Anti-CMV Prevention Strategies / 감염과화학요법

The current cytomegalovirus (CMV) prevention strategies in solid organ transplantation (SOT) recipients have contributed towards overcoming the detrimental effects caused by CMV lytic infection, and improving the long-term success rate of graft survival. Although the quantification of CMV in peripheral blood is the standard method, and an excellent end-point for diagnosing CMV replication and modulating the anti-CMV prevention strategies in SOT recipients, a novel biomarker mimicking the CMV control mechanism is required. CMV-specific immune monitoring can be employed as a basic tool predicting CMV infection or disease after SOT, since uncontrolled CMV replication mostly originates from the impairment of immune responses against CMV under immunosuppressive conditions in SOT recipients. Several studies conducted during the past few decades have indicated the possibility of measuring the CMV-specific cell-mediated immune response in clinical situations. Among several analytical assays, the most advancing standardized tool is the QuantiFERON®-CMV assay. The T-Track® CMV kit that uses the standardized enzyme-linked immunospot assay is also widely employed. In addition to these assays, immunophenotyping and intracellular cytokine analysis using flow cytometry (with fluorescence-labeled monoclonal antibodies or peptide-major histocompatibility complex multimers) needs to be adequately standardized and validated for potential clinical applications.

Safety and Efficacy of Ziagen (Abacavir Sulfate) in HIV-Infected Korean Patients / 감염과화학요법

BACKGROUND: Abacavir is a widely-used nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Mandatory postmarketing surveillance was conducted in Korea to monitor the safety and evaluate the effectiveness of Ziagen® (abacavir sulfate 300 mg; ViiV Healthcare, Middlesex, UK). MATERIALS AND METHODS: An open-label, multi-center, non-interventional postmarketing surveillance study was conducted from June 2010 to June 2016 to monitor the safety and effectiveness of Ziagen across 12 hospitals in Korea. Subjects older than 18 years taking Ziagen according to prescribing information were enrolled. The primary outcome was defined as the occurrence of any adverse events after Ziagen administration. Secondary outcomes included the occurrence of adverse drug reactions, occurrence of serious adverse events, and effectiveness of Ziagen administration. RESULTS: A total of 669 patients were enrolled in this study, with a total observation period of 1047.8 person-years. Of these, 90.7% of patients were male. The mean age of patients was 45.8±11.9 years. One-hundred ninety-six (29.3%) patients reported 315 adverse events, and four patients reported seven serious adverse events, without any fatal events. There was one potential case of an abacavir hypersensitivity reaction. Among the 97 adverse drug reactions that were reported from 75 patients, the most frequent adverse drug reactions included diarrhea (12 events), dyspepsia (10 events), and rash (9 events). No ischemic heart disease was observed. In the effectiveness analysis, 91% of patients achieved HIV-1 RNA under 50 copies/mL after 24 months of observation with abacavir administration. CONCLUSION: Our data showed the safety and effectiveness of Ziagen in a real-world setting. During the study period, Ziagen was well-tolerated, with one incident of a clinically suspected abacavir hypersensitivity reaction. The postmarketing surveillance of Ziagen did not highlight any new safety information. These data may be helpful in understanding abacavir and the HIV treatment practices in Korea.

Evaluation of immunocontraceptive vaccine composed of gonadotropin-releasing hormone conjugated with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in male rats

Surgical castration performed to reduce male-associated problems results in pain and microbial infections in male animals. Therefore, immunocontraception, which is mediated by the animal's own antibodies against reproductive hormones, has been recommended as an alternative to surgical castration when considering the animal's welfare. In this study, a new immunocontraceptive vaccine composed of six tandem copies of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) fused to rat granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was developed, and its efficacy was evaluated in male rats. Three different doses (10, 50, and 100 µg) of recombinant GM-CSF–GnRH protein were injected three times at intervals of two weeks into male rats. The rats vaccinated with three doses of GM-CSF–GnRH produced a significantly higher level of antibodies against GnRH than that in the negative control rats. Severe atrophy of gonads was observed in rats vaccinated with three doses of GM-CSF–GnRH but not in the negative control rats. The results reveal that the new GnRH vaccine conjugated with rat GM-CSF induces efficient immunocontraception in male rats. This formulation of the immunocontraceptive vaccine would be applicable to both domestic and pet male animals.

A Case of Community-Acquired Pneumonia Caused by Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Korea / 감염과화학요법

Acinetobacter baumannii is an aerobic Gram-negative coccobacillus that causes nosocomial pneumonia in patients on mechanical ventilation or previously treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Nevertheless, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by A. baumannii, especially multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains, is rare. We experienced the first case of CAP caused by MDR A. baumannii in Korea in a 78-year-old man. This case shows that MDR A. baumannii can cause CAP in Korea.