Infection and Chemotherapy最新文献

Background: There have been few studies on the outcome of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the era when antiretroviral therapy (ART) is generalized and most of them have achieved viral suppression. Using claims data, we aimed to assess the mortality after atherosclerotic cardiovascular events in people with HIV (PWH) who maintain optimal adherence to ART.

Materials and methods: We used claims data from the National Health Insurance of the Korea to confirm newly diagnosed PWH from 2009 to 2019, and measured ART adherence. ACS and mortality were confirmed in PWH who showed optimal adherence to ART.

Results: Among 7,100 PWH with optimal adherence and during 27,387 person-year of follow-up duration, ACS was confirmed in 140 (2.0%) cases, which was 1.3 times greater than statistics of the Korean general population (511.0 vs. 383.1 per 100,000). Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus were associated with the development of ACS in PWH with optimal adherence. Mortality was confirmed in 10 cases, which is 7.1% overall and 2.9% when limited to myocardial infarction. It was comparable with the mortality rate of the Korean general population after myocardial infarction (8.9%).

Conclusion: ACS prevalence was higher in PWH even when optimal adherence was maintained. However, mortality after ACS was comparable to that in the HIV-negative population.

Although adult immunization is different from children's, vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) for adults are significant in that they are more severe and cause more deaths than VPDs for children. Additionally, the emergence of new vaccines and an increase in the elderly population are increasing demands for policy support for adult vaccination. Accordingly, in this paper, I will look at the characteristics of adult immunization, policies that have been implemented in Korea, and considerations.

Background: The 2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus outbreak in Korea led to profound emotional and social burdens, especially in patients and health care professionals.

Materials and methods: Focus group interviews were conducted with 2 patients, 1 family member and 6 health care professionals about psychological distress related to MERS in 2017 and analyzed the interview data using the consensual qualitative research method.

Results: Four domains and 17 core ideas were identified within three interview groups, including psychological distress during the outbreak, problems regarding the response to the outbreak, positive experiences, and future directions for enhancing intervention to improve mental health and prevent psychosocial problems during the outbreak. Psychological consequences were affected by the characteristics of the emerging infectious disease and the structure and process of institutional or governmental response to the MERS outbreak. Mental health services and psychosocial support reduced the negative impact on psychological distress.

Conclusion: The MERS outbreak in 2015 gave rise to emotional and social injuries to patients and health care professionals, some of which can be long-lasting constraints in their lives. Preparedness in a society's response to a pandemic considering mental health in related parties can minimize negative psychological consequences and enhance resilience at the individual and society levels.

Background: Chryseobacterium indologenes is ubiquitous in nature and rarely causes infections. However, the clinical impact of C. indologenes has increased in recent years, especially in immunocompromised patients, and has resulted in high mortality rates. We aimed to investigate the clinical and microbiological characteristics of C. indologenes bacteremia.

Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of a 642-bed university-affiliated hospital in Korea, dating from January 2001 to December 2020, to investigate C. indologenes bacteremia.

Results: A total of 22 C. indologenes isolates were identified from blood culture records. All patients were hospitalized at the time of bacteremia, and the most common manifestation was primary bacteremia. A sizable majority of the patients (83.3%) had underlying diseases, and all patients received intensive care unit care during their admission. The 14-day and 28-day mortality rates were 8.3% and 16.7%, respectively. Importantly, all C. indologenes isolates were 100% susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

Conclusion: In our study, most of the infections were hospital-acquired, and the susceptibility pattern of the C. indologenes isolates showed multidrug resistance. However, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is a potentially useful antibiotic for C. indologenes bacteremia treatment. More attention is required to identify C. indologenes as one of the most important nosocomial bacteria with detrimental effects in immunocompromised patients.

Background: Sporadic measles outbreaks have continued to occur in Korea, mainly in adults in their 20s and 30s, most notably in 2014 and 2019. We here evaluated the possible causes of a low seroprevalance of measles by testing young healthcare workers (HCWs).

Materials and methods: This study was conducted in a 2,743-bed tertiary-care hospital in Seoul between 2020 and 2021. We performed a measles antibody test (chemiluminescence immunoassay), measured the IgM/IgG index ratio, and conducted an avidity test at 1-month after Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccination in HCWs who had been seronegative for measles. Measles vaccination histories were obtained from the national vaccine registry.

Results: Of the 3,173 HCWs newly employed in our hospital during the study period, 54 with a negative measles IgG at commencement were enrolled. Thirty six (67%) of these subjects were female, and the median age was 25 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 24 - 27). Fourty nine (91%) showed seroconversion at 1 month after the first vaccination. Of these individuals, 38 received both measles IgM and IgG test, and all had an IgM/IgG index <1. Of the 49 seroconverters, all HCWs showed a high avidity index. According to the national immunization registry, 45 (83%) received at least 2 doses of an MMR vaccination.

Conclusion: Secondary vaccine failure may underlie vaccine failure in young Korean adults. HCWs born after 1985 with a negative measles antibody may need only a single dose booster vaccination rather than a 2-dose vaccination regimen.

Background: There are limited data on the clinical characteristics and the vertical transmission rate of pregnant women with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and their neonates in Korea.

Materials and methods: Pregnant women who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection were retrospectively reviewed in Asan Medical Center from September 1, 2020, to April 26, 2022. All neonates and infected women underwent a polymerase chain reaction test for severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 within 24 hours of birth and at 48-hour interval if they stayed in the hospital.

Results: A total of 60 pregnant women gave birth by cesarean section (n = 40, 66.7%) or vaginal delivery (n = 20, 33.3%). Among them, 3 women gave birth to twins. Delivery occurred, on average, at 38⁺² weeks (± 2⁺⁰) of gestational age, and 9 patients (15.0%) had underlying diseases. Of these 60 patients, 9 (15.0%) received coronavirus disease 2019 vaccinations. Pneumonia was confirmed by a chest radiograph in 7 patients (11.7%), and 2 patients (3.3%) required supplemental oxygen therapy, both of whom eventually recovered. The mean birthweight of the neonates was 3,137 g (± 557.6). Further, 8 neonates (12.7%) were of low-birth weight (< 2,500 g), and 11 neonates (17.5%) were preterm (<37 weeks of gestation). Apgar score was median 8 (8 - 9) at 1 minute and 9 (9 - 9.5) at 5 minutes. Four neonates (6.3%) required invasive mechanical ventilation. All neonates had negative SARS-CoV-2 test results. Therefore, there was no vertical transmission in 63 of the neonates (0%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0 - 6).

Conclusion: Pregnant Korean women with SARS-CoV-2-infection had favorable obstetric outcomes, and the risk of vertical transmission to their neonates was low. Managing the infection risks of pregnant women and their neonates during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic are required.

Late-onset Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) can be developed in solid organ transplant (SOT) patients. Granulomatous P. jirovecii pneumonia (GPCP) can occur in immunocompromised patients, but has rarely been reported in SOT recipients. The diagnosis of GPCP is difficult since the sensitivity of sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage is low and atypical patterns are shown. A 60-year-old man, who had undergone renal transplantation 24 years ago presented with nodular and patchy lung lesions. He was asymptomatic and stable. After empirical treatment with a fluoroquinolone, the condition partially resolved but relapsed 4 months later. The pulmonary nodule was resected, and GPCP was confirmed. The pathogenesis of GPCP remains unclear, but in SOT recipients presenting with an atypical lung pattern, GPCP should be considered. This case was discussed at the Grand Clinical Ground of the Korean Society of Infectious Disease conference on November 3, 2022.

Background: Domestic data on antiretroviral drug (ARV) resistance are limited, while alterations in ARV resistance are expected as the incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection increases. We evaluated the ten-year change in ARV resistance in people with HIV (PWH) in Korea.

Materials and methods: Adults aged ≥19 years and diagnosed with HIV infection between January 2010 and December 2020 at a 750-bed municipal hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Data on clinical characteristics and resistance mutation test results were collected. The study population was divided into three-year intervals according to diagnosed year and their clinical characteristics were compared.

Results: A total of 248 PWH were analyzed, and ARV resistance was detected in 30 of them (12.1%). Resistance was detected most frequently in PWH aged ≤29 years (16, 6.5%), and the median percentage of resistance detection per year was 14.3% (interquartile range, 12.7 - 16.1). The trend of the overall prevalence of ARV resistance mutations slightly decreased and then increased over time (15.3% in 2012 - 2014, 9.6% in 2015 - 2017, and 12.9% in 2018 - 2020). The prevalence of the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) resistance markedly decreased over time (15.3% in 2012 - 2014, 8.7% in 2015 - 2017, and 2.4% in 2018-2020), while that of protease inhibitor (PI) and integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) increased from 0 until 2018 to 3.5% and 8.2% in 2018 - 2020, respectively.

Conclusion: The trend of NNRTI resistance has decreased over time, and resistance to PIs and INSTIs increased from 2018. Therefore, continuous monitoring of ARV resistance pattern is necessary.

Norovirus infection in children on treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia can lead to severe morbidity due to chronic viral shedding, malabsorption, failure to thrive, and interruption of chemotherapy. We had four children with norovirus diarrhoea in eight years period in our pediatric oncology unit. Three children under two years of age had chronic noroviral shedding and persistent diarrhoea, probably due to poor adaptive immune responses. Two of those children didn't respond to nitazoxanide and succumbed to the illness. The third patient who received nitazoxanide and favipiravir, is currently well on chemotherapy.