PHWR Public Health Weekly Report

Vol.14 No.28, July 08, 2021 Article TypeCOVID-19 Special ReportEpidemiology and Surveillance

• COVID-19 Special Report 2021-07-08

  0 342 77

  Reinfection of COVID-19 in the Republic of Korea

  Ae Kyung Park, Il-Hwan Kim, Jee Eun Rhee, Eun-Jin Kim, Seong Jin Wang, Sang-Eun Lee, Young Joon Park, Gemma Park, Jung Yeon Kim, Jin Gwack

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(28): 2000-2004

  Abstract

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  The aim of this study was to analyze the epidemiology and characteristics of presumed Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) reinfection cases. Since the first case of reinfection of COVID-19 in the Republic of Korea in April 2020 was identified, an additional four cases have been classified as reinfection cases. To conduct analysis, we performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of the viral RNA at the initial infection and at the reinfection of four presumed reinfection cases. The analysis of genome sequences indicated that there were two cases which showed distinct SARS-CoV-2 strain in reinfection when compared to that of the initial infection. Of the remaining two cases, the viral RNA of the initial infection was unobtainable for one case and a complete genome sequence of reinfection due to the high Ct value was unobtainable for the remaining case. Therefore, considering the epidemiological results, this study concluded that the two cases were reinfection cases. In an environment where concerns about reinfection are growing due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of variants, it is necessary to analyze cases through continuous monitoring.

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-07-08

  0 447 156

  Trends of antimicrobial resistance rates of major clinical pathogens isolated from general hospitals in Korea in 2016-2019: results from Kor-GLASS

  Kim Jung Wook, Bae Song Mee, Lee Sung Young, Yoo Jung Sik, Choo Soo Young, Kor-GLASS group

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(28): 2007-2024

  

  

  Abstract

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  The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (renamed the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency [KDCA]) established an antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance system, compatible with the GLobal AMR Surveillance System (GLASS), called Kor-GLASS, in 2016. The aim of this report was to analyze the results of the AMR status of major resistant bacteria collected through the operation of Kor-GLASS from 2016 to 2019. Among 303,928 blood cultures, 15,116 target pathogens were recovered. The predominant bacterial species were Escherichia coli (n=6,547), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=2,536), and Staphylococcus aureus (n=2,532). From 286,951 urine cultures, 26,873 E. coli and 4,673 K. pneumoniae were recovered. The rate of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) decreased from 53.5% in 2016 to 48.6% in 2019, while the rate of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) remained steadily high. The resistance rates to cefotaxime of E. coli isolated from blood increased from 35.4% in 2016 to 37.1% in 2019, and those of E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolated from urine also increased. The majority of these strains carried the CTX-M type extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) gene. The rates of resistance to carbapenems, which is used for treatment of ESBL-producing gram-negative bacterial infections, were as low as 2% or less in Enterobacterales. On the other hand, the carbapenem resistance rates in Pesudomonas aeruginosa and Acinotobacter baumannii in 2019 were relatively high at 23.6% and 90.3%, respectively.
  Kor-GLASS generated well-curated surveillance data devoid of collection bias or isolate duplication, including patient data associated with the bacterial cultures. The results of this surveillance can provide basic data for making management policies to overcome AMR.

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-07-08

  0 626 205

  Key findings from 2019 Annual Report on Rare Disease Patients in Korea

  Choi Eun-Kyoung and Lee Jiwon M.

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(28): 2025-2036

  

  

  Abstract

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  There is little information about the incidence and prevalence of rare diseases due to scarce knowledge about rare diseases and a paucity of data.
  In order to illustrate current national statistics of rare diseases in South Korea, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) conducted a national statistics project in 2019, and we hereby report the results of the ‘2019 Annual Report on Rare Disease Patients in Korea.’
  Results showed that, in 2019, there were 55,499 patients with 636 different kinds of rare diseases. The sex ratio was comparable; with 26,148 (47.1%) male patients and 29,351 (52.9%) female patients.
  Diseases were categorized according to the criteria of the Korean Standard Classification of Diseases. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue were most frequent (25.0%), followed by the nervous system (14.6%) and congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (13.1%). There were 48 diseases (43,518 patients) with more than 200 newly registered patients, which accounted for 78.4% of total number of registrations.
  This annual report was limited by the fact that the data were collected only from patients who registered under the National Health Insurance Act and the Medical Care Assistance Act. Nevertheless, this 2019 report was significant in the sense that it was the first comprehensive annual report of rare diseases in South Korea.
  The KDCA will continue its policy of ensuring that the produced data from the national statistics project of rare diseases be used as supporting material to provide the evidence and grounds for developing relevant policies and research and development plans.