PHWR Public Health Weekly Report

Vol.14 No.41, October 07, 2021 Article TypeCOVID-19 Special ReportEpidemiology and SurveillanceIssues on COVID-19 vaccinesNoncommunicable Disease Statistics

• COVID-19 Special Report 2021-10-07

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  Cross-reactivity of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 patients by classification of clade

  Lee Hyeokjin, Lee EunJu, Oh Sae Jin, Kim Heui Man, Kim Jeong-Min, Rhee JeeEun, Kim Eun-Jin

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(41): 2874-2878

  

  

  Abstract

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  Variant viruses or mutant viruses are neither new nor unexpected. The nature of RNA viruses, such as the SARS CoV-2 coronavirus, is to evolve and change over time. In addition to the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) virus first detected in China, the Republic of Korea has recorded multiple variants.
  The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of the neutralization antibody cross-reaction of various COVID-19 variant viruses through an analysis of the neutralization antibody cross-reaction of the COVID-19 non-variant virus. Furthermore, by examining the neutralizing ability of variant viruses, this study aimed to analyze whether the neutralizing ability also acts on different viruses.
  Seven clades (S, L, V, GR, G, GH, GV) were isolated. The clades were confirmed by analyzing the sera (i.e., upper respiratory tract tissue samples) of 19 confirmed COVID-19 patients. The sera were analyzed using Real-time RT-PCR and full-length genomic analysis, and the cross-reactivity of neutralizing antibodies was confirmed using the non-variant viruses of the seven clades.
  A plaque reduction neutralization antibody test was performed using seven types of non-variant virus isolates. Among the sera samples, there were ten cases of S clade, five cases of V clade, and four cases of GH clade identified through a full-length genomic analysis. Results showed that neutralizing antibodies against the same clade virus in one case of V clade serum and one GH genotype serum exhibited more than four times the neutralizing ability against viruses of different clades (i.e., GR, G, and GV). Although differences in the neutralizing ability of viruses of the same or different clades were found, this study confirmed that a similar level of neutralizing antibody cross-reactivity was observed in all 19 sera.
  In this study, we confirmed the possibility of protecting existing infected people from exposure to the risk of reinfection because of the existence of neutralizing antibody cross-reactivity against COVID-19. Nevertheless, we still cannot rule out the risk of reinfection completely. Further study needs to inform strategies for developing effective immunotherapies and universal vaccines against emerging variant COVID-19 viruses because antigenic cross-reactivity is a key scientific question that needs to be addressed.

• Issues on COVID-19 vaccines 2021-10-07

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  Characteristics of mortality cases reported post COVID-19 vaccination, 2021 - The result of causality assessment by adverse reaction demage investigation team

  Kim Dong-Keun, Jung Yeon-Haw, Lee Hyun-Ju, Kwon Geun-Young

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(41): 2879-2883

  Abstract

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  On February 26, 2021, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) began coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) vaccinations for staff and patients in nursing hospitals and nursing facilities. The aim of this article was to report the result of causality assessment and characteristics of COVID-19 vaccine-related mortality cases. Adverse reactions to the vaccine were collected using the vaccine adverse event reporting system (VAERS) of essential vaccinations. A rapid response system was established, including a city-state/public-private quick reaction team to rapidly evaluate the causality of reported adverse reactions. The city-state/public-private quick reaction team and the KDCA's COVID-19 vaccination damage investigation team began operations in March 2021. By July 12, 2021, the two teams had held twenty-two meetings to assess the causality of 373 COVID-19 vaccine adverse reaction cases of mortality. The cases consisted of 191 males and 182 females. There were 146 cases related to the AstraZeneca vaccine (ChAdOx) and 227 cases related to the Pfizer BioTec vaccine (BNT162b2). 165 people died within six days of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, and 112 autopsies were conducted. 355 people had underlying diseases, and hypertension was the most common disease due to causal evaluation; one person was diagnosed with thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome. The rest of the cases did not accept causality, and the leading cause of death was ischemic heart disease.

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-10-07

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  Occurrence status of imported parasitic infections, 2011-2020

  Kim HyunJung, Shin Hyun-Il, Ju Jung Won, Lee Hee Il

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(41): 2886-2895

  

  

  Abstract

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  Imported parasitic infections are a class 4 legal infectious disease in the Republic of Korea. A surge in immigration and international travel has led to an increase in the number of imported parasitic infectious cases.
  The aim of this study was to survey the occurrence of eleven imported parasitic infections in the Republic of Korea between 2011 and 2020: Leishmaniasis, Babesiosis, African trypanosomiasis, Schistosomiasis, Filariasis, Chagas disease, Angiostrongyliasis, Gnathostomiasis, Hydatidosis, Toxoplasmosis, and Dracunculiasis. The data came from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), which monitored the occurrence of imported parasitic infections through sentinel surveillance and laboratory tests. The findings of this study indicated that 101 cases were reported through specimen monitoring agencies. Toxoplasmosis was the most reported infectious disease, followed by Hydatidosis, Babesiosis and schistosomiasis. A total of 186 cases were requested for laboratory tests by the KDCA, and the most requested infectious disease was Filariasis, followed by Leishmaniasis and Babesiosis. Eleven cases were confirmed as positive in laboratory tests; Leishmaniasis (4 cases), Babesiosis (2 cases), Chagas disease (1 case), and toxoplasmosis (4 cases).
  Although the occurrence of imported parasitic infections was infrequent over the past 10 years, Toxoplasmosis, Hydatidosis, Babesiosis, and Leishmaniasis cases increased and were sporadically reported. This fact highlighted the necessity of managing laboratory testing methods since the characteristics of each infectious disease varies. By way of example, one of the challenges in identifying imported parasitic infections is that they are often characterized by low severity and chronic infection. In addition, this study recommended that the KDCA periodically review and prepare rapid laboratory testing methods for emerging imported parasitic disease.

• Noncommunicable Disease Statistics 2021-10-07

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  Trends in prevalence of obesity, 2007-2019

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(41): 2896-2899

  

  

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