본 연구는 장기요양 기관 종사자들의 감염관리에 대한 인지도와 수행도 현황조사를 통해 감염 관리 실태를 파악하여 장기요양 기관의 종사자를 위한 효율적인 감염관리 및 교육 프로그램 개선을 위해 수행되었다. 연구 대상자는 C 지역의 장기요양 기관 35곳의 종사자 134명이며 2021년 7월 12일부터 7월 30일까지 구조화된 설문지를 사용하여 자료를 수집하였으며 SPSS 22.0 program을 이용하여 자료 분석하 였다. 연구 결과 대상자의 감염관리 인지도에 영향을 미치는 요인은 종사자의 직종(F=3.181, p=.032), 감 염관리 교육 경험(F=6.372, p=.013) 이었으며 감염관리 수행도 또한 종사자의 직종(F=3.972, p=.010), 감 염관리 교육 경험(F=4.403, p=.038)이 영향을 크게 미쳤다. 대상자의 감염관리 인지도와 수행도는 양의 상 관관계가 있었다(r=.919, p<.001). 본 연구의 결과를 종합해 볼 때, 코로나-19 팬데믹 상황에서 장기요양 기관의 환자 안전을 위해서는 종사자가 감염관리 중요성을 인지하는 것뿐만 아니라 직접 감염관리 행위를 수행하는 것이 매우 중요하다. 이를 위해서는 기관의 규모에 상관없이 직종별, 교육 주제별 체계적이고 지 속적인 교육과정 마련과 감염관리체계의 질적 향상을 위한 평가 시스템의 법적 강화가 필요할 것으로 생각 한다.

본 연구는 지카바이러스(ZIKV) 감염이 눈에 미치는 다양한 합병증을 제시하여 ZIKV 감염 예방의 중요성을 알리고자 연구하였다. ZIKV는 1952년 인체에서 처음 발견되었고, 2016년 브라질을 중심으로 남아메리카 대륙에서 폭발적인 감염을 일으키며 세계의 주목을 받게 되었다. ZIKV에 감염된 성인의 80%는 무증상 감염자이고 임산부를 통해 수직 감염되어 신생아에는 소두증 및 선천적 안구 장애를 합병증으로 가질 수 있음이 보고되었다. 눈은 고유의 혈액-망막 장벽을 가지고 안구를 보호하는 면역특권 기관이지만 바이러스 저장소 역할을 하여 ZIKV가 눈의 합병증을 유발한다는 최근의 학계 발표에 주목하고 있다. ZIKV의 감염 경로에 대해서는 활발히 연구 중이지만 지금까지는 백신이 없고 특별한 치료법이 없어 미리 예방하는 것만이 감염을 차단하는 유일한 방법이다. 특히, ZIKV 감염증은 태아 감염을 통한 잠재적 매개 변수를 가지는 더 위험성이 있기에 정부 당국과 지방 자치에서는 지속적 감시가 필요할 것으로 사료되어 이 논문을 제시한다.

Helicobacter (H.) pylori is one of the most common pathogenic bacteria in the human gut, and is also one of the most important factors that cause digestive disorders such as chronic inflammation, gastric ulcers, and even gastric cancer. Since the use of various antibiotics to treat H. pylori infection is associated with the development of resistance in this bacterium, the aim of this study was to determine the anti-H. pylori effects of Peucedanum japonicum extracts (PJE) in the stomach tissue of C57BL/6 mice. In this experimental study, 50 C57BL/6 mice in five groups were evaluated. After induction of H. pylori infection in mice with the standard strain of H. pylori (ATCC 43504), the infected mice were treated with 3 different doses of PJE in different groups. Then, the anti-H. pylori effects of PJE were evaluated by rapid urease test (CLO), histopathological exam and blood interleukin (IL)-8 ELISA analysis. Based on CLO results, H. pylori eradication effects of PJE was observed. H. pylori infection of C57BL/6 mice showed significant increase of histopathological lesion scores. However, the treatment of PJE showed significant decrease of histopathological lesion scores. The treatment of PJE decreased gastric inflammation and mucosal lesions in the stomach of H. pylori-infected mice. Blood IL-8 levels were elevated 4 weeks after H. pylori inoculation. However, the treatment of PJE showed significant decrease of IL-8 level. According to the results of this study, PJE could be useful in the reduction of H. pylori infection in the mouse model.

본 연구는 고밀도폴리에틸렌 코편을 마스크에 적용 후 MRI 검사에 사용하여 SNR의 변화를 측정하고 만족도를 평가하였다. 연구 방법은 팬텀을 이용하여 HDPE 마스크 적용 전 후의 SNR 측정과 KF 94 마스크 적용 전 후의 SNR 측정을 하였고, 사용한 기법은 T1WI, T2WI, DWI였다. 또한 HDPE 마스크 착용군의 T2 mDixon, 3D T1영상 획득 후 안와와 교뇌의 SNR을 측정하였고, 설문을 통하여 MRI 검사 시 답답함 정도와 호흡의 용이성, HDPE 마스크의 선호도 평가를 하였다. 팬텀 실험 결과 HDPE 마스크 사용 전과 후의 SNR은 유의한 차이가 없었으며(p>0.05), KF 94 마스크는 적용 전 값과 유의한 차이가 있었다(p<0.05). HDPE 마스크 착용군의 SNR 측정 결과에서는 미착용군과 유의한 차이는 없었다(p>0.05). 마스크 착용 후 답답한 정도 측정 결과 착용군은 3.53 ± 0.73, 미착용군은 3.83 ± 0.75이었고, 호흡의 용이성 측정 결과 HDPE 마스크 착용군은 3.1 ± 0.89, 미착용군은 3.27 ± 0.91으로 나타났고, 두 조사 결과 모두 유의한 차이는 없었다(p>0.05). HDPE 마스크의 선호도는 4.48 ± 0.54으로 선호도가 높은 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구 결과 HDPE 마스크는 착용 후에도 MRI 영상의 신호 변화 없이 정확한 검사가 가능하고 환자의 만족도 또한 높게 평가되었기에 검사 중 호흡기 감염 예방을 위해 적극적으로 사용되어야 할 것으로 사료된다.

Purpose: This study aims to identify the degree of intention to hand hygiene and hand hygiene behavior in new nurses based on education experience on infection control. Method: The participants comprised 108 new nurses working in a general hospital in S city, Korea. Data were collected from September to December, 2020. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson correlation with SPSS 26.0 program. Results: There were statistically significant differences in intention to hand hygiene (F=3.39, p=.021) and hand hygiene behavior (F=3.33, p=.022) depending on education experience related to infection control during undergraduate courses. Hand hygiene intention (F=4.41, p=.008) and hand hygiene behavior (F=4.13, p=.008) showed statistically significant differences depending on educational satisfaction with infection control during undergraduate courses. There were significant positive correlations between intention to hand hygiene and hand hygiene behavior (r=.21, p=.026). Conclusion: This suggests that education in infection control can reinforce intention to hand hygiene and hand hygiene behavior in new nurses.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand in-depth experiences of role conflict among infection control nurses’ (ICNs) in terms of the gaps between the role expectations and actual roles. Methods: This study was a qualitative study to explore and describe the implications of role conflict experiences of ICNs through a phenomenological approach. One-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted with ICNs who worked as full-time for more than three years in the infection control department, and the results were analyzed using Colaizzi’s (1978) phenomenological method. Results: Topics brought up by the participants were categorized into five themes. The themes included "lack of awareness of infection control", "psychological burden of professional competence", "infectious control not being accepted due to different management and operational goals", "unrelentingly overworked", "shadow labor without adequate compensation", and "The process of earning mutual trust". Conclusion: In order to resolve the role conflict of ICNs, it is necessary to establish a career management system for ICNs and to have an appropriate compensation system.

The infection of marine diatom Coscinodiscus wailesii by a parasitic protist from the Yongho Bay of Busan, Korea was observed during the diatom bloom events in 2017 through 2018. The morphological and molecular features suggested that the parasitic nanoflagellate Pirsonia diadema was responsible for the infection. During the study period, the parasite prevalence ranged from 0.3% to 3.3%, and infected C. wailesii cells were observed only at surface seawater temperatures ranging between 10.9 and 19.9°C, although the host population appeared at temperatures above 25°C. The parasite and host system was successfully established as cultures. Using the cultures, we determined the morphological features over the infection cycle, parasite generation time, parasite prevalence as a function of inoculum size, and zoospore infectivity and survival time. The diatom C. wailesii was readily infected by the parasite P. diadema, with a parasite prevalence reaching up to 100% and a zoospore to host inoculum ratio above 20 : 1. The survival and infectivity of the parasite zoospores decreased with age. While the zoospores could survive up to 88 hours, they quickly lost their ability to infect after 48 hours. These results could lead to a better understanding of the biology and ecology of the parasitoid infecting the giant-sized diatoms in coastal waters.

Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic pathogen that significantly reduced the postharvest quality and longevity of cut roses. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of nano silver, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), and salicylic acid on B. cinerea infection in cut rose flowers. Cut ‘Revival’ roses were treated with nano silver, NaOCl, salicylic acid, and distilled water, and simultaneously held in the solutions. Subsequently, the cut flowers were sprayed with B. cinerea solution and held under export conditions for 4 days. The results showed that nano silver was the most effective treatment in suppressing B. cinerea growth in cut roses during vase life. Nano silver effectively extended the vase life of cut roses by 2.3 days, compared with non-treated flowers. The addition of nano silver also enhanced water uptake and sustained the water balance and fresh weight of the cut rose flowers. Our results indicated that nano silver is an effective treatment solution to inhibit B. cinerea infection and improve postharvest quality and longevity of cut rose flowers for export.

만성 위염, 위암, 위궤양 등을 유발하는 Helicobacter pylori는 항생제의 부작용, 내성, 다제 내성균의 등장으로 항생제만으로 안전하게 치료하기는 어려운 실정이다. 안전하게 제균을 하기 위해 항생제를 대체할 수 있는 천연물 소재 치료제를 개발하기 위해 많은 연구들을 하고 있다. 선행 연구를 통해 in vitro 실험 H. pylori 항균 효과 평가를 통해 항균 효과가 우수한 추출물을 알아보고자 한다.

This study investigated the efficacy of four Brucella (B.) abortus recombinant proteins, namely adenylate kinase (Adk), nucleoside diphosphate kinase (Ndk), 50S ribosomal protein (L7/L12) and preprotein translocase subunit (SecB), as a combined subunit vaccine (CSV) against B. abortus infection in BALB/c mice. Immunoblotting assay showed that these four recombinant proteins as well as pcold-TF vector reacted individually with Brucella-positive serum, but not with Brucella-negative serum. The peripheral blood CD4+ T cell population was increased in CSV-immunized mice compared to PBS and pcold-TF vector groups. In addition, CSV and pcold-TF groups displayed induced IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies production compared to PBS and RB51 group, whereas IgG2a titer was higher than IgG1 titer in CSV group. The secretion profiles of IgG1 and IgG2a production together with an enhancement of CD4+ T cell population suggested that CSV did not only induce T helper 1 (Th1) T cell immunity but also humoral immunity. Therein, Th1 T cell immunity is more predominant in eliminating intracellular bacteria B. abortus. Furthermore, CSV immunization significantly reduced the bacterial burden in the spleen as well as the spleen weight in comparison to PBS and pcold-TF groups. Altogether, combination of these antigens could be potential to induce protective immunity against B. abortus infection in animals.

1. 경북지역 한지형 마늘 주산지인 의성지역을 중심으로 OYDV, LYSV, GCLV, SLV 그리고 Allexivirus를 진단한 결과, 모든 마늘잎의 시료가 한 가지 이상의 바이러스에 복합감염되어 있었다.. 2. 생장점 배양한 마늘은 1세대부터 3세대까지 OYDV와 SLV는 전혀 검출되지 않았다. 생장점 배양 마늘의 1세대는 GCLV 3.8%, Allexivirus 3.1%의 바이러스 감염률을 나타내었으며, 생장점 배양 마늘 2세대는 LYSV 3.4%, GCLV 21.7% 그리고 Allexivirus 10.0%를 나타내었다. 생장점 배양 마늘 3 세대는 GCLV 17.5%, Allexivirus 7.5%의 바이러스 감염률을 나타내었다. 3. 의성지역의 바이러스에 감염된 일반마늘 1통의 평균 무게는 29.3 g 이었으나, 생장점 배양에 의하여 증식된 2세대 마늘 1통의 평균 무게는 57.6 g, 3세대 마늘 1통의 평균 무게는 66.2 g 이었다.

항생제의 오남용은 세균의 항생제 내성을 증가시켜 세균감염에 의한 질병 치료에 어려움을 초래한다. 본 연구에서는 동애등애유충으로부터 분리된 펩타이드의 신장에서의 폐렴간균 감염 억제 효능을 관찰하였다. 마우스는 비강을 통해 폐렴간균을 감염시키고 1일 후 펩타이드를 마우스에 근육 주사로 투여하였다. 10일 후 마우스를 희생하여 신장에서 세균 감염증을 조사하였다. 대조군에 비해 펩티드를 투여한 마우스의 신장에서 세균 감염증상, 몸무게의 감소가 유의하게 억제되었고 생존률이 농도 의존적으로 증가하는 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 결과들은 동애등애로부터 분리된 펩타이드가 폐렴 간균의 신장에서의 감염증상을 억제할 수 있음을 보여준다. 따라서 동애등애로부터 분리된 펩타이드는 효과적인 항생제 개발에서 가능성 높은 후보물질이 될 수 있을 것이다.

Although canine brucellosis has been known to be an important re-emerging zoonosis, the pathophysiological mechanisms of Brucella canis infection remains clues to be solved. Different culture models, single and co-culture models, were constructed with canine epithelial cells, D17 and macrophage, DH82 to investigate the induction of immune responses in in vivo B. canis infection. Expression of genes related with induction of immune responses, Th1, Th2 and Th17, was compared in the two different models after the bacterial infection. In this study, expression of cytokine genes, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-23, and TNF-α was quantified in the DH82 at different time points using RT-qPCR in the two different culture systems after the infection. Cytokine genes related with Th1, IL-1β and TNF-α and Th17, IL-6 and IL-23 were expressed with time-dependent manners in the both systems (p<0.05). However, increase of Th2-related cytokine genes expression was not detectable in the both systems by comparison with control. The expression of Th1 and Th17 related cytokine genes was earlier in single cell culture than those in co-culture model (p<0.05). In general, amounts of the expressed genes were shown higher in single cell model than those in co-culture models. This study indicate that Th1 and Th17-associated immune responses are central to B. canis infection in dogs. In addition, it suggests a specific role of epithelial cells in the B. canis infection in vivo, which should resolved in the further study.

Brucellosis is the most common zoonosis worldwide, which is caused by Brucella spp. In humans, it can be mainly occurred by direct contact with infected animals or consumption of contaminated dairy products. This study focused on human brucellosis caused by B. melitensis discovered from Chinese worker in Korea in 2015. We investigated molecular epidemiological evidence to find the infection source. We first performed several PCR methods including 16S rRNA PCR, multiplex PCR and real-time PCR to identify Brucella species. We also conducted MLVA typing for epidemiological trace-back analysis. The isolate from the patient was confirmed to B. melitensis through Brucella-specific PCR. In clustering analysis with B. melitensis from foreign countries, this human isolate was correlated with B. melitensis isolates from humans and sheep in China by 99.9% similarity. Thus, we assumed the brucellosis patient has been already infected in China followed by migration to Korea according to molecular epidemiological analysis with history evidence. Moreover, we suggest it needs to take measures to reduce the risk for intercountry transmission of brucellosis due to the influx of infected people from abroad.

Various viral and bacterial pathogens interact with environmental factors to cause diarrhea in piglets. Enterococcus spp. are Gram-positive anaerobic bacteria that are commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract of several animal species, including pigs. Enterococcus spp. have been reported to infect several animal species as a pathogen. However, gastrointestinal infection by Enterococcus hirae is rare in pigs; only a few cases have been reported worldwide. Four piglets with diarrhea were examined in the diagnostic laboratory of Optipharm Inc. (Cheongju, Korea). During the initial post-mortem examination, no disease lesions were observed. Upon microscopic examination, we found numerous Gram-positive cocci that were adhered to epithelial villi in the jejunum and ileum. However, the villi did not exhibit significant structural damage. Cultured bacteria were identified as E. hirae using the VITEK 2 system and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Using PCR, we also confirmed that viruses and protozoa that can potentially infect piglet intestines were absent. In antibiotic susceptibility test, the bacteria were resistant to most types of antibiotics. This study presents rare cases of E. hirae infection of the piglet small intestine, which can occur in association with diarrhea possibly by the continuous use of antibiotics.

Brain abscesses caused by odontogenic infection are a rare and life-threatening condition. When dental patients show neurological symptoms such as decreased consciousness, a brain abscess should be considered as a possible diagnosis. We reported that a 65-year-old man visited the emergency room because of left facial edema, high fever, limitation of mouth opening and decreased consciousness. CT, bone scan, and microbiologic examination revealed that the brain abscess originated from left mandibular osteomyelitis with an apical lesion in tooth #36. It was hard to diagnose the location of odontogenic infection. Because there were no evidence of submandibular abscess which is a common path of mandibular posterior infection, early diagnosis was difficult. MRI and radiographs such as facial CT and brain CT revealed procedure that inflammatory findings progressed through the coronoid process, the temporal space, into the subdural space. We compared the present case to previous cases, articles published after the year 2000 in Korea and abroad were investigated. The patient was treated successfully with extraction of causative teeth, drainage surgery, intravenous antibiotics by collaboration between the department of oral maxillofacial surgery and neurosurgery. It is difficult to diagnose brain abscess because central nervous system can be infected by various pathway. As shown in this case, patients with a brain abscess caused by a dental infection should be diagnosed and treated with a multidisciplinary approach.