PHWR Public Health Weekly Report

Vol.14 No.15, April 08, 2021 Article TypeEpidemiology and SurveillanceNoncommunicable Disease Statistics

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-04-08

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  Results of the 2020 Homeless Tuberculosis (TB) Screening in South Korea

  Shin JeeYeon, Kim HeeAe, In HyeKyung, Shim Eunhye, Park AhYoung, On JinHee, Kim YunSoo

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(15): 858-870

  

  

  Abstract

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  Tuberculosis(TB) is a respiratory infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB can be completely cured by taking regular medication for more than six months. However, homeless people are a high-risk group for TB due to poor housing, hygiene, and nutritional conditions, and low accessibility to medical use. The aim of this study was to report results of Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s (KDCA) 2020 homeless TB screening in South Korea.
  12,692 people were participated in total; homeless on streets 1,859, homeless in shelters 6,531, residents of jjokbangs 3,006, undocumented residents/registered foreigners 297, workers in shelters 999. As homeless people are recommended to be screened more than once every six months, 15,777 screenings were conducted. As a result of chest x-rays (15,777) and sputum examinations (2,362), 21 TB patients (165.5 people per 100,000 population) were reported. This was about 4.3 times higher than the incidence of TB in the general population (38.8 people per 100,000 population, 19,933 people).
  In the case of males, elderly people, symptoms of TB, histories of TB, drinking, and underlying diseases, no TB screenings in the last year increased the TB incidence. The treatment status of 21 TB patients found is 2 were cured and 1 was completed their treatment, and 17 were undergoing treatment and one returned home infection disappeared.
  The KDCA is continuing its homeless TB screening project in 2021. This will strengthen the management of TB and resolve blind spots for vulnerable groups by supporting various health and welfare links to expand screening of undocumented residents and improve the success rate of treatment for TB patients.

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-04-08

  0 606 126

  The Current Status of Human Babesiosis Worldwide

  Kim Tae Yun, Lee Hee-Il

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(15): 871-880

  Abstract

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  Babesiosis is a zoonotic disease caused by an infection with the intraerythrocytic parasite Babesia spp. To date, four species are known to cause human babesiosis: Babesia microti, Babesia divergens, Babesia duncani, and Babesia venatorum. Although most of the human babesiosis has been reported in the United States and Canada, cases including infections with a new species (Babesia crassa-like) have increased in China recently. In Korea, two indigenous human babesiosis was reported. Recent survey performed by KDCA revealed Babesia parasites in ticks on wild rodents of Korea, and possibile appearance of human babesiosis in Korea should be warned. As human babesiosis is an emerging and increasing tick-borne disease worldwide, we suggest that more studies need to be conducted on ticks and Babesia sp.

• Noncommunicable Disease Statistics 2021-04-08

  0 171 112

  Trends in prevalence of psychological stress among Korean adolescents, 2007-2020

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(15): 881-884

  

  

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