PHWR Public Health Weekly Report

Vol.17 No.49, December 19, 2024 Article TypePolicy NotesQuickStatsSurveillance Reports

• Surveillance Reports 2024-12-19

  1 424 29

  Analysis of Laboratory Diagnostic Tests for Scrub Typhus from 2019 to 2023

  Kyeong-Ah Lee , Byoungchul Gill *, Hwa Su Kim , Jaeil Yoo

  Public Health Weekly Report 2024; 17(49): 2177-2196 https://doi.org/10.56786/PHWR.2024.17.49.1

  

  

  Abstract

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  Scrub typhus is a tick-borne infectious disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi. When bitten by an infected tick, an eschar forms and symptoms such as fever, chills, and rash appear. This study systematically analyzed the prevalence of scrub typhus reported from 2019 to 2023 by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and 19 regional institutes of public health and the environment, examining trends according to diagnostic methods, sex, age, and region. Of the 2,607 individuals with suspected infection, 12.4% (322 patients) tested positive for scrub typhus, with 17.9% (466 patients) undergoing both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) tests. Among the 466 patients who were tested using both methods, Group A (positive PCR and IFA test results) demonstrated the highest positivity rate of 68.9%, suggesting a combination of past infections and reinfections. The positivity rate of the gene detection test (20.0%) was higher than that of the antibody detection test (7.8%), suggesting that PCR-based gene detection has a relatively higher sensitivity for confirming current infections. Analysis by sex and age revealed the highest positivity rate in women in their 70s (18.2%), with women consistently exhibiting higher positivity rates than men across all age groups. A regional analysis indicated that Gwangju contributed to 26.8% of patients with a positive test result, while Gangwon Province had the highest testing rate per capita (343.2%). Performing both IFA antibody detection and PCR gene detection tests simultaneously to diagnose scrub typhus is valuable for more accurately distinguishing current infections, offering critical insights to enhance the diagnostic and management strategies for scrub typhus.

• Surveillance Reports 2024-12-19

  0 117 18

  Distribution of Pathogenic Vibrio spp. and Analysis of the Environmental Factors Affecting Their Occurrence in the Aquatic Environment of Republic of Korea, 2023

  Hyeon Gyeong Kim , Hyeon Jeong Lee , Chi-Kyeong Kim , Wook-Gyo Lee *

  Public Health Weekly Report 2024; 17(49): 2197-2210 https://doi.org/10.56786/PHWR.2024.17.49.2

  

  

  Abstract

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  Vibrio spp. are water and foodborne pathogens for humans. In 2023, the Division of Laboratory Diagnosis Analysis, Honam Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention, analyzed the distribution of pathogenic Vibrio spp. in the aquatic environment in the Republic of Korea and determined the correlation with aquatic environmental factors. Among the 1,511 seawater samples, V. vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus were detected at high rates (35.1% and 72.8%, respectively), and V. cholerae was detected in 16.1%, all of which were confirmed to be non-pathogenic (non-O1, non-O139) serotypes. Additionally, it was confirmed that pathogenic Vibrio spp. were highly correlated with seawater temperature, atmospheric temperature, and salinity. If seawater temperature rises and low-salinity environments continue due to climate change, the occurrence of pathogenic Vibrio spp. is expected to increase, highlighting the importance of monitoring pathogenic Vibrio spp. in the aquatic environment. In the future, our department will strengthen surveillance by expanding the surveillance period and increase sampling locations and will continue to analyze the characteristics of pathogenic Vibrio spp. and their correlation with aquatic environmental factors.

• Surveillance Reports 2024-12-19

  2 213 121

  Incidence of Out-of-hospital Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the Republic of Korea, 2023

  Jisu Kim , Jungeun Lee , Eunhee Jeon *

  Public Health Weekly Report 2024; 17(49): 2211-2223 https://doi.org/10.56786/PHWR.2024.17.49.3

  

  

  Abstract

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  Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) surveys have been conducted annually since 2008 to understand the incidence and treatment outcomes of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in Republic of Korea, and provide evidence-based data for related policymaking. In 2023, 33,586 cases with OHCA were transported by 119 emergency medical services. Male patients outnumbered female patients, and 53.5% of the cases were among individuals aged 70 years or older. By city and province, Gyeonggi had the highest number of cases (7,944), while Jeju had the highest incidence rate, with 95.1 cases per 100,000 population. The rate of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has shown an upward trend each year, surpassing 30% for the first time in 2023 and reaching 31.3%. The survival rate was 8.6%, and the brain function recovery rate was 5.6%, both returning to pre-coronavirus disease 2019 levels in 2019 (8.7% and 5.4%, respectively). When CPR was performed by bystanders, the survival rate was 13.2% and the brain function recovery rate was 9.8%, both higher than in cases where CPR was not performed. To improve the survival rate of patients with SCA, raising awareness about CPR and ensuring that people are trained to perform it in real-life situations is important.

• Policy Notes 2024-12-19

  0 352 57

  Production and Management of Reference Materials for Infectious Disease Laboratory Testing

  Eun-Bi Oh , Sung-Hee Hong , Eun-Ju Lee , Jee Eun Rhee , Eun-Jin Kim

  Public Health Weekly Report 2024; 17(49): 2224-2236 https://doi.org/10.56786/PHWR.2024.17.49.4

  

  

  Abstract

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  Reference materials (RMs) are essential for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of infectious disease test results. Since 2016, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has established annual RM project plans that systematically review various requirements and produce high-quality RMs according to the guidelines established by the Korean Industrial Standards (KS) A International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Guide 35 (Guidance on the Evaluation of Homogeneity and Stability of Reference Materials), KS A ISO 17034 (General Requirements for the Competence of Reference Material Producers), and the World Health Organization Technical Report Series. RMs are produced by establishing a material production plan, acquiring raw materials and production materials, and dispensing and packaging materials that have been confirmed to possess conformity characteristics. RMs are produced from manufactured candidate reference materials that have been confirmed to have homogeneous and stable characteristics through homogeneity and stability assessments. The resulting RMs serve multiple purposes, functioning as positive controls for infectious disease testing, internal quality assurance materials, and as a basis for development and validation of testing methodologies for emerging diseases. Additionally, select items are deposited in the National Culture Collection for Pathogens to facilitate their accessibility by relevant public and private organizations.

• QuickStats 2024-12-19

  0 52 16

  Trends in the Proportion of People Who Eat Out More than Once a Day, 2013–2022

  Public Health Weekly Report 2024; 17(49): 2237-2238 https://doi.org/10.56786/PHWR.2024.17.49.5

  

  

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