PHWR Public Health Weekly Report

Vol.14 No.1, January 01, 2021 Article TypeEpidemiology and SurveillanceNoncommunicable Disease Statistics

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-01-01

  0 276 126

  A Study on the Necessity of Monitoring Enteric Protozoa as a Cause of Acute Diarrhea

  Ju Jung-Won, Kwon Ji-young, Seo Ji-hye, Lee Hee-il

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(1): 2-9

  

  

  Abstract

  Full Text Cite Share

  Background: Protozoa containing Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium parvum and Cyclospora cayetanensis are known to be the causative agents of diarrhea in humans. These protozoans are transmitted by the fecal-oral route and are infected commonly by the consumption of contaminated food and water. This study reported on the surveliance results of parasitic protozoans in patients with acute diarrhea and informed the necessity of monitoring enteric protozoa.
  Methods: A total of 2,598 subjects with acute diarrhea were tested through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to detect four species of protozoa including the detection of Microsporidia in some subjects. Kudoa septempunctata were analyzed through the PCR method in acute food poisoning subjects.
  Results: From 2,598 subjects, 10 subjects (0.38%) were positive. Among these, C. parvum and C. cayetanensis was detected in 9 subjects (0.35%) and 1 subject (0.04%), respectively. Out of 94 acute diarrhea specimens, 29 (30.9%) subjects were found for Microsporidia spp. and 6 (6.4%) subjects for E. intestinalis. In 70 cases of food poisoning, 178 subjects were requested for K. septempunctata and 92 subjects (51.7%) were positive.
  Conclusions: In 2019, the protozoa detection rate for patients with diarrhea in Korea was not high compared to other countries. Recently, there have been no outbreaks by enteric protozoa infection, but the risk of intestinal protozoa infection is rising due to overseas travel and increased imports of agricultural products. Furthermore, a new type of protozoan was identified in patients with acute diarrhea and in patients with food poisoning. For the risk management of intestinal protozoa infection, this study intends to improve detection methods for accurate diagnosis and plans to establish a more advanced surveillance system.

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-01-01

  0 227 103

  The use of whole genome single nucleotide polymorphisms (wgSNP) analysis in cluster investigation of tuberculosis outbreak cases

  Song Seung-Eun, Kim Dong Hyeok, Ha Jee Min, Chun Jeong-Hoon, Hwang Kyu Jam

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(1): 10-15

  

  

  Abstract

  Full Text Cite Share

  Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) is a species of pathogenic bacteria in the family Mycobacteriaceae and the causative agent of tuberculosis. Understanding the dynamics of M.tb disease transmission through complex genotyping is critical to creating policies and monitoring the disease with the end goal of TB elimination. Current genotyping methods combine the results of two assays, spoligotyping and Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific multiple locus (Variable Number of Tandem Repeats (MIRU-VNTR,) to give an M. tuberculosis TBG type. However, whole genome single nucleotide polymorphism (wgSNP) analysis was used to determine the genetic relatedness between strains is a preferred method due to its improved discrimination.
  Between 2015 and 2018, a total of 11 strains were collected through TB contact investigation by four universities in a region in Korea. Analysis of spoligotyping and 24-loci MIRU-VNTR showed that all strains were of the same genotype, namely TBG0014. Patients at each university had an epidemiologic link, confirming that the event was an outbreak, but epidemiological relationships between universities could not be identified. In each outbreak case, the number of SNPs between tuberculosis strains was 0-1, but the number of SNPs between universities was 196-264.
  A wgSNP analysis was performed to explore the genetic relationship between TB isolates that could not be confirmed through conventional methods. As a result, there were 0-1 SNPs between TB isolates in the outbreak. The number of SNPs between TB cases at the three universities was 196-264, and it was identified that there were no transmission cases among universities.
  A wgSNP analysis recommend performed to assess the potential of recent transmission and this information will be provided to the national TB management program.

• Noncommunicable Disease Statistics 2021-01-01

  0 168 98

  Trends of Survival and Neurological Recovery in Sudden Cardiac Arrest Patients, 2008-2019

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(1): 16-17

  

  

  Full Text Cite Share