Coinfection with Respiratory Pathogens in COVID-19 in Korea

Detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in upper and lower respiratory specimens and coinfection with other respiratory pathogens in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were investigated. From the study subjects (N = 258) retrospectively enrolled when confirmed as SARS-CoV-2 positive, nasopharyngeal (NPS), oropharyngeal swabs (OPS), and sputum specimens were restored for retesting SARS-CoV-2 and detecting respiratory pathogens. Majority of the study subjects (95.7%, N = 247) were confirmed as SARS-CoV-2 positive using NPS/OPS specimens, suggesting that the upper respiratory specimen is most valuable in detecting SARS-CoV-2. Coinfection rates in COVID-19 patients (N = 258) with respiratory pathogens were 9.7% (N = 25); 8.5% (N = 22) respiratory viruses and 1.2% (N = 3) Mycoplasma pneumoniae, an atypical bacterium. Of the respiratory virus coinfection cases (N = 22), 20 (90.9%) were co-infected with a single respiratory virus and 2 (0.8%) (metapneumovirus/adenovirus and rhinovirus/bocavirus 1/2/3/4) with two viruses. Respiratory viruses in single viral coinfection cases with SARS-CoV-2 were as follows: non-SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses (229E, NL63, and OC43, N = 5, 1.9%), rhinovirus (N = 4, 1.6%), metapneumovirus (N = 3, 1.2%), influenza A (N = 3, 1.2%), respiratory syncytial virus A and B (N = 3, 1.2%), and adenovirus (N = 2, 0.8%). No mixed coinfections with respiratory viruses and M. pneumoniae were found. In conclusion, the diagnostic value of utilizing NPS/OPS specimen is excellent, and, as the first report in Korea, coinfection with respiratory pathogens were detected at a rate of 9.7% in patients with COVID-19.

Comparative Evaluation of the HPV28 Detection and HPV DNA Chip Test for Detecting and Genotyping Human Papillomaviruses

BACKGROUND: The HPV28 Detection test (Seegene) is a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay that is designed for testing a total of 28 human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes and estimating the approximate HPV viral load. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical applicability of the HPV28 Detection test with regard to the prevalence of HPV infection and distribution of HPV genotypes by using the HPV28 Detection and HPV DNA Chip tests (Biomedlab). METHODS: HPV DNA Chip and HPV28 Detection tests were performed for 500 cervical swab specimens. HPV genotype results were confirmed by sequencing analysis of the specimens that showed discordant results in the 2 test methods. RESULTS: The positive rate of HPV detection determined by using HPV28 Detection and HPV DNA Chip tests were 43.8% and 40.6%, respectively. The sequencing results in 64 discordant specimens that showed single HPV infection in the 2 test methods were in complete agreement with the test results obtained with the HPV28 Detection test. The genotyping results of the HPV28 Detection test were 100% concordant in repeated experiments with HPV-infected specimens that have 12 different HPV genotypes, i.e., types 16, 31, 33, 39, 42, 51, 52, 53, 58, 66, 68, and 70. The HPV28 Detection test was 100-fold more sensitive than the HPV DNA Chip test with serially diluted HPV DNAs. CONCLUSIONS: The HPV28 Detection test can be applied in the clinical field as an HPV genotyping test can accurately identify various HPV genotypes with high specificity and low detection limit.

Experience of Simultaneous Pancreas and Kidney Transplantation in Seoul National University Hospital / 대한이식학회지

Purpose: Aim of this study is to review the simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation (SPK) cases performed in Seoul National University Hospital for DM nephropathy patients. Methods: Medical records of the SPK recipients from April 2002 to February 2006 were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. Results: There were 10 cases of SPK transplantation in SNUH from April 2002 to February 2006, which were composed of 8 type II DM patients and 2 type I DM patients. We experienced 1 operative mortality case and 3 acute rejection cases. All the acute rejection cases were recovered by steroid pulse therapy. We performed two graft pancreatectomy operations due to CMV infection followed by duodenal perforation and severe graft pancreatitis with pancreatic leakage. With the exception of 1 mortality case and 2 graft loss cases, all 7 patients stopped insulin and oral hypoglycemic agent and are keeping blood glucose level within normal range. Conclusion: Although patient follow-up is limited up to four years, SPK recipients are free from insulin use and show good graft functions. SPK could be a good treatment modality for insulin dependent type II DM nephropathy patients.