Prevalence and Burden of Human Adenovirus-Associated Acute Respiratory Illness in the Republic of Korea Military, 2013 to 2022.

BACKGROUND: Human adenovirus (HAdV) is a common cause of acute respiratory disease (ARD) and has raised significant concerns within the Korean military. Here, we conducted a comprehensive epidemiological analysis of HAdV-associated ARD by evaluating its prevalence, clinical outcomes, and prognosis. METHODS: We reviewed data from multiple sources, including the New Defense Medical Information System, Defense Medical Statistical Information System, Ministry of National Defense, Army Headquarters, Navy Headquarters, Air Force Headquarters, and Armed Forces Medical Command. We analyzed data of patients who underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for respiratory viruses between January 2013 and July 2022 in all 14 Korean military hospitals. The analysis included the PCR test results, demographic characteristics, health care utilization, and prognosis including types of treatments received, incidence of pneumonia, and mortality. RESULTS: Among the 23,830 individuals who underwent PCR testing at Korean military hospitals, 44.78% (10,670 cases) tested positive for respiratory viruses. Across all military types and ranks, HAdV was the most prevalent virus, with a total of 8,580 patients diagnosed, among HAdV, influenza virus, human metapneumovirus, human parainfluenza virus, and human respiratory syncytial virus. HAdV-infected patients exhibited higher rates of healthcare use compared to non-HAdV-infected patients, including a greater number of emergency visits (1.04 vs. 1.02) and outpatient visits (1.31 vs. 1.27), longer hospitalizations (8.14 days vs. 6.84 days), and extended stays in the intensive care unit (5.21 days vs. 3.38 days). Furthermore, HAdV-infected patients had a higher proportion of pneumonia cases (65.79% vs. 48.33%) and greater likelihood of receiving advanced treatments such as high flow nasal cannula or continuous renal replacement therapy. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that HAdV posed a significant public health concern within the Korean military prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Given the potential for a resurgence of outbreaks in the post-COVID-19 era, proactive measures, such as education, environmental improvements, and the development of HAdV vaccines, are crucial for effectively preventing future outbreaks.

The effects of remdesivir on mortality and the requirement for mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19: a systematic review stratified by disease severity.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The effectiveness of remdesivir treatment in reducing mortality and the requirement for mechanical ventilation (MV) remains uncertain, as randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have produced conflicting results. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and other data resources to find RCTs published prior to April 10, 2023. The selection of studies, assessment of risk of bias, and meta-analysis were conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and the need to initiate MV. RESULTS: A total of 5,068 articles were screened, from eight RCTs comprising 11,945 patients. The meta-analysis found that, compared to standard care or placebo, remdesivir treatment provided no significant all-cause mortality benefit (pooled risk ratio [RR], 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85-1.02; 8 studies; high certainty evidence), while subgroup analyses revealed a trend towards reduced mortality among patients requiring oxygen but not MV (pooled RR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.77-1.00; 6 studies; I2 = 4%). The need to initiate MV (pooled RR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.59-0.94; 7 studies; moderate certainty evidence) in remdesivir-treated patients was also reduced compared to controls. Remdesivir significantly increased clinical improvement and discharge and significantly reduced serious adverse events. CONCLUSION: In this systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs, it was found that remdesivir treatment did not show a substantial decrease in the risk of mortality. However, it was linked to a reduction in the necessity for additional ventilatory support, suggesting remdesivir could be beneficial for COVID-19 patients, particularly those who are not on MV.

Risk factors and clinical outcomes of cytomegalovirus diseases in hematologic malignancy patients without hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation.

PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate the risk factors and prognosis for CMV diseases in hematologic malignancy patients without hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT). METHODS: We performed a case-control study (1:2) between 2012 and 2022. Adults with pathologic-confirmed CMV diseases (n=60) among hematologic malignancy patients were matched and compared to whom without CMV disease. RESULTS: Lymphoma was the most common underlying malignancy, and gastrointestinal tract involvement was the most common CMV disease. In the case group, high-dose steroid administration and transfusion within one month before diagnosis were higher (p<0.001). Steroid administration (aOR=5.78; 95% confidence interval: 1.25-26.68, p=0.024), red blood cell transfusion within one month (aOR=14.63; 2.75-77.76, p=0.002), low BMI (aOR=13.46, 2.07-87.45, p=0.006), and hypoalbuminemia (aOR=26.48, 5.93-118.17, p<0.001) were independent risk factors associated with CMV disease. The 30-day mortality was higher in the case group and CMV disease was significantly associated with all-cause mortality (aOR=14.41, 3.23-64.31, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: In hematologic malignancy patients without HSCT, risk factors for CMV organ disease included high-dose steroid administration and RBC transfusion within one month, low BMI, and hypoalbuminemia. Overall mortality was significantly higher with CMV disease, and CMV disease occurrence was a significant risk factor for mortality.

Two Years of Experience and Methodology of Korean COVID-19 Living Clinical Practice Guideline Development.

BACKGROUND: In Korea, during the early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we responded to the uncertainty of treatments under various conditions, consistently playing catch up with the speed of evidence updates. Therefore, there was high demand for national-level evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for clinicians in a timely manner. We developed evidence-based and updated living recommendations for clinicians through a transparent development process and multidisciplinary expert collaboration. METHODS: The National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency (NECA) and the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences (KAMS) collaborated to develop trustworthy Korean living guidelines. The NECA-supported methodological sections and 8 professional medical societies of the KAMS worked with clinical experts, and 31 clinicians were involved annually. We developed a total of 35 clinical questions, including medications, respiratory/critical care, pediatric care, emergency care, diagnostic tests, and radiological examinations. RESULTS: An evidence-based search for treatments began in March 2021 and monthly updates were performed. It was expanded to other areas, and the search interval was organized by a steering committee owing to priority changes. Evidence synthesis and recommendation review was performed by researchers, and living recommendations were updated within 3-4 months. CONCLUSION: We provided timely recommendations on living schemes and disseminated them to the public, policymakers and various stakeholders using webpages and social media. Although the output was successful, there were some limitations. The rigor of development issues, urgent timelines for public dissemination, education for new developers, and spread of several new COVID-19 variants have worked as barriers. Therefore, we must prepare systematic processes and funding for future pandemics.

Breakthrough invasive fungal infection in patients with myeloid malignancy receiving posaconazole tablet prophylaxis: Clinical features, risk factors, and posaconazole profiles.

Posaconazole (PSC) delayed-release tablet prophylaxis is the standard of care for preventing invasive fungal infection (IFI) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia undergoing myelosuppressive chemotherapy. The clinical features, risk factors, and PSC profiles of breakthrough IFI (bIFI) in patients receiving PSC tablet prophylaxis were investigated. A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted, including adult patients with myeloid malignancy who received prophylactic PSC tablets while undergoing chemotherapy from June 2016 to June 2021. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for bIFI. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to predict the relationship between PSC trough level at steady state and bIFI. A total of 434 patients with myeloid malignancy who received PSC tablets were screened. A total of 10 patients with bIFI were compared with 208 non-IFI patients. There were four proven and six probable IFI cases, nine due to Aspergillus, and one due to Fusarium species. The bIFI patients had higher in-hospital mortality (30.0%) than the non-IFI patients (1.9%; P < 0.001). History of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (odds ratio [OR] 6.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.63-24.09), prolonged neutropenia ≥28 days (OR 4.33; 95% CI 1.20-15.70), and low plasma PSC concentration <0.7 µg/ml (OR 16.33; 95% CI 4.15-64.26) were risk factors for bIFI. The optimal cutoff value of plasma PSC concentration predicting bIFI was 0.765 µg/ml (sensitivity, 60.0%; specificity, 91.3%; area under the curve, 0.746). bIFI was not uncommon in patients with myeloid malignancy receiving PSC tablet prophylaxis and associated with poor outcomes. Therapeutic drug monitoring may still be necessary, even in patients receiving PSC tablets.

Invasive fungal infections increase mortality in acute myeloid leukemia patients. This study investigated breakthrough invasive fungal infection cases in patients receiving posaconazole tablet prophylaxis. Our results will contribute to improving the outcome of patients with myeloid malignancy.

Clinical Features and Outcomes of Invasive Fusariosis: A Case Series in a Single Center with Literature Review.

Fusarium species, which are commonly found in soil, water, and organic substrates, can cause serious infections especially in immunocompromised patients. Fusarium infection is notoriously difficult to treat, because of their inherently high minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to most antifungal agents. There have been limited data on invasive fusariosis in Korea. We identified 57 patients with culture-proven fusariosis at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, from September 2003 through January 2017. Invasive fusariosis was defined as any case with at least one positive blood culture or with concurrent involvement of 2 or more non-contiguous sites. Superficial infections such as keratitis and onychomycosis were excluded. We reported 14 cases of invasive fusariosis categorized according to the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group criteria, of which 6 cases were fusarium fungemia. Hematologic malignancies (7/14, 50%), solid organ transplantation (2/14, 14.2%), or immunosuppressive therapy (2/14, 14.2%), were the predominant underlying conditions. The overall mortality rate was 37%, however, that of disseminated fusariosis was up to 83%. Antifungal treatment with voriconazole or liposomal amphotericin B was commonly administered. In this report, we described the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of invasive fusariosis in Korea. Given the high mortality in disseminated cases, invasive fusariosis is becoming a therapeutic challenge to clinicians treating immunocompromised patients.

Predictive and prognostic factors associated with unliquefied pyogenic liver abscesses.

INTRODUCTION: Poor liquefaction of pyogenic liver abscesses, which makes drainage impossible at the time of diagnosis, is not infrequent. The impact of poor liquefaction and subsequent drainage failure on clinical outcomes is unknown. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study with all patients diagnosed with liver abscesses from July 2017 through June 2020. Late drainage (LD) was defined as drainage performed ≥48 h after diagnosis due to poor liquefaction. Logistic regression was performed to identify the factors associated with late or non-drainage (LD/ND). The Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify the variables related to abscess recurrence by 90 days after diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 153 patients were included. Thirty (19.6%) patients underwent LD and 54 (35.3%) did not undergo drainage. Other than non-cystic appearance, LD/ND was associated with smaller size (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.73-0.98, p = 0.031) and culture-negativity (aOR 2.69, 95% CI 1.14-6.67, p = 0.027). Current hepatopancreaticobiliary malignancy was the only significant predictor of 90-day recurrence. Neither LD/ND (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.13-2.41; p = 0.426) nor LD (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 0.23-5.55; p = 0.719) was associated with recurrence by 90 days. The incidence of late complications was reduced by drainage, without a reduction in the duration of hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Several clinical features were associated with undrainable liver abscesses. Neither LD/ND nor ND had an adverse impact on clinical outcomes.

Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters of vancomycin for predicting clinical outcome of enterococcal bacteremia.

PURPOSE: To find pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters of vancomycin associated with the optimal outcome of severe infection due to Enterococcus species. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed enterococcal bacteremia cases treated with vancomycin from January 2015 to December 2020. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. We calculated cutoff values of the ratio of vancomycin area under the concentration-time curve over 24 h to the minimum inhibitory concentration (AUC24/MIC) and trough concentration (Ctrough) during the initial 72 h of treatment. The optimal cutoff value was determined using the Youden index. Binary variables created based on these cutoffs were further assessed using multivariable analysis. RESULTS: A total of 65 patients were included. The majority (87.7%) had solid or hematologic malignancies. Thirty-day mortality and nephrotoxicity occurred in nine (13.4%) and 14 (21.5%) patients, respectively. Both vancomycin AUC24/MIC and Ctrough showed fair performance in predicting 30-day mortality (AUC of receiver-operator curve for AUC24/MIC, 0.712; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.539-0.886; AUC for Ctrough, 0.760; 95% CI 0.627-0.892; pairwise AUC comparison: p = 0.570). Ctrough ≥ 13.94 µg/mL, but not AUC24/MIC ≥ 504, had a significant association with 30-day mortality after adjusting for confounders (odds ratio, 8.40; 95% CI 1.60-86.62; p = 0.010). CONCLUSION: Mean Ctrough ≥ 13.94 µg/mL during the initial 72 h was associated with higher 30-day mortality in enterococcal bacteremia. Further studies are warranted to elucidate optimal pharmacokinetic targets for enterococcal bacteremia.

Impact of vancomycin use trend change due to the availability of alternative antibiotics on the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus with reduced vancomycin susceptibility: a 14-year retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the trend change in vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA)/heterogeneous VISA (hVISA) prevalence among methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) bacteremia strains and antistaphylococcal antibiotic use together with mutation studies of vancomycin resistance-related gene loci to evaluate the impact of changes in antibiotic use after new antistaphylococcal antibiotics became available. METHODS: Among 850 healthcare-associated MRSA isolates from 2006 to 2019 at a tertiary hospital in South Korea, hVISA/VISA was determined by modified PAP/AUC analysis, and the identified hVISA/VISA strains were genotyped. Gene mutations at vraSR, graSR, walKR, and rpoB were studied by full-length sequencing. Antistaphylococcal antibiotic use in 2005-2018 was analyzed. RESULTS: Two VISA and 23 hVISA strains were identified. The prevalence rate ratio of hVISA/VISA carrying mutations at the two-component regulatory systems among MRSA was 0.668 (95% CI 0.531-0.841; P = 0.001), and the prevalence rate ratio of hVISA/VISA carrying rpoB gene mutations was 1.293 (95% CI 0.981-1.702; 174 P = 0.068). Annual vancomycin use density analyzed by days of therapy (DOT) per 1,000 patient-days did not decrease significantly, however the annual average length of time analyzed by the number of days vancomycin was administered for each case showed a significantly decreasing trend. CONCLUSIONS: During the 14-year period when the average length of vancomycin therapy decreased every year with the availability of alternative antibiotics, the prevalence of hVISA/VISA did not decrease significantly. This seems to be because the resistant strains carrying the rpoB mutations increased despite the decrease in the strains carrying the mutations at the two-component regulatory systems.

Effect of Intraoperatively Detected Bacteriobilia on Surgical Outcomes After Pancreatoduodenectomy: Analysis of a Prospective Database in a Single Institute.

BACKGROUND: Bacteriobilia, the colonization of bacteria in bile, can be caused by obstructive cholangitis or preoperative biliary drainage (PBD), and is not uncommon condition in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). This study aims to investigate the effect of intraoperatively detected bacteriobilia on surgical outcomes after PD. METHODS: For patients who underwent PD in Samsung Medical Center between 2018 and 2020, an intraoperative bile culture was performed prospectively, and their clinicopathological data were retrospectively reviewed. Surgical outcomes were compared between the patients, classified according to PBD and bacteriobilia. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors increasing postoperative complications. RESULTS: A total of 382 patients were included, and 202 (52.9%) patients had PBD (PBD group). Bacteriobilia was significantly more common in PBD group comparing to non-PBD group (31.1% vs 75.2%, P < 0.001), but there was no difference in postoperative complications. Among PBD group, there were more patients with major complications and CR-POPF in endoscopic drainage group comparing to percutaneous drainage group (37.9% vs 14.6%, P = 0.002; 17.0% vs 4.2%, P = 0.025, respectively). In multivariable analysis, bacteriobilia increased the risk of wound complications (P = 0.041), but not the risks of other short-term adverse outcomes. CONCLUSION: Bacteriobilia itself does not exacerbate short-term postoperative outcomes after PD except for wound complication. Therefore, surgery could be performed as planned regardless of bacteriobilia, without the need to wait for negative cultures.

Fatal Prototheca zopfii Algaemia in a Patient with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: a Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Prototheca algaemia is a rare but life-threatening disease that occurs primarily in immunocompromised patients. We report a fatal case of Prototheca zopfii bloodstream infection in a 54-year-old woman receiving chemotherapy for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. METHODS: The isolate was identified using an automated biochemical identification system (VITEK 2; bioMerieux) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (VITEK MS; bioMerieux). Partial 18S and 28S rDNA sequencing was performed for definitive identification and genotyping. RESULTS: The patient had persistent neutropenic fever, and isolates from blood culture were identified as P. zopfii. Sequencing was performed and the isolate was confirmed to be P. zopfii genotype 2, which was newly named as P. bovis. The patient was treated with liposomal amphotericin B but died of septic shock. CONCLUSIONS: Prototheca spp. should be considered an emerging pathogen, especially in immunocompromised patients, due to its ubiquitous nature.

Correction: Candidemia Risk Prediction (CanDETEC) Model for Patients With Malignancy: Model Development and Validation in a Single-Center Retrospective Study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/24651.].

The impact of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) screening policy change on the incidence of healthcare-associated VRE bacteremia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) screening policy change on the incidence of healthcare-associated (HA)-VRE bacteremia in an endemic hospital setting. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental before-and-after study. SETTING: A 1,989-bed tertiary-care referral center in Seoul, Republic of Korea. METHODS: Since May 2010, our hospital has diminished VRE screening for admitted patients transferred from other healthcare facilities. We assessed the impact of this policy change on the incidence of HA-VRE bacteremia using segmented autoregression analysis of interrupted time series from January 2006 to December 2014 at the hospital and unit levels. In addition, we compared the molecular characteristics of VRE blood isolates collected before and after the screening policy change using multilocus sequence typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: After the VRE screening policy change, the incidence of hospital-wide HA-VRE bacteremia increased, although no significant changes of level or slope were observed. In addition, a significant slope change in the incidence of HA-VRE bacteremia (change in slope, 0.007; 95% CI, 0.001-0.013; P = .02) was observed in the hemato-oncology department. Molecular analysis revealed that various VRE sequence types appeared after the policy change and that clonally related strains became more predominant (increasing from 26.1% to 59.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of HA-VRE bacteremia increased significantly after VRE screening policy change, and this increase was mainly driven by high-risk patient populations. When planning VRE control programs in hospitals, different approaches that consider risk for severe VRE infection in patients may be required.

Association between haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and cancers.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the risk of haematologic and solid organ malignancies in patients with haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) compared with the general population. METHODS: This propensity-score-matched cohort study was conducted using data collected from the Korean national health insurance service (NHIS) between January 2003 and December 2017. The HFRS cohort included 5888 newly diagnosed cases of HFRS, and 412,804 general participants from the NHIS database were included as the control cohort. The incidence rate of malignancies was assessed and compared between the HFRS and control cohorts. RESULTS: There were 64 cases of haematologic malignancy in 236,286 person-years of observation, and 1245 cases of solid organ cancer in 209,333 person-years. The risks of haematologic malignancy and solid organ cancer were significantly higher in the HFRS cohort [adjusted hazards ratio (aHR) 4.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.36-7.14] than the control cohort [aHR 2.97, 95% CI 2.60-3.38). In subgroup analysis, the HFRS cohort was associated with high hazard ratios for leukaemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The HFRS cohort also had increased aHRs for all types of solid organ cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with HFRS are at increased risk of both haematologic and solid organ malignancies compared with the general population, and this increased proportionally over time. Careful monitoring for malignancy after the onset of HFRS may be necessary.

Candidemia Risk Prediction (CanDETEC) Model for Patients With Malignancy: Model Development and Validation in a Single-Center Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Appropriate empirical treatment for candidemia is associated with reduced mortality; however, the timely diagnosis of candidemia in patients with sepsis remains poor. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to use machine learning algorithms to develop and validate a candidemia prediction model for patients with cancer. METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective study using the cancer registry of a tertiary academic hospital. Adult patients diagnosed with malignancies between January 2010 and December 2018 were included. Our study outcome was the prediction of candidemia events. A stratified undersampling method was used to extract control data for algorithm learning. Multiple models were developed-a combination of 4 variable groups and 5 algorithms (auto-machine learning, deep neural network, gradient boosting, logistic regression, and random forest). The model with the largest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was selected as the Candida detection (CanDETEC) model after comparing its performance indexes with those of the Candida Score Model. RESULTS: From a total of 273,380 blood cultures from 186,404 registered patients with cancer, we extracted 501 records of candidemia events and 2000 records as control data. Performance among the different models varied (AUROC 0.771- 0.889), with all models demonstrating superior performance to that of the Candida Score (AUROC 0.677). The random forest model performed the best (AUROC 0.889, 95% CI 0.888-0.889); therefore, it was selected as the CanDETEC model. CONCLUSIONS: The CanDETEC model predicted candidemia in patients with cancer with high discriminative power. This algorithm could be used for the timely diagnosis and appropriate empirical treatment of candidemia.

Sequence type 17 is a predictor of subsequent bacteremia in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium-colonized patients: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Sequence type (ST) 17 vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF) is frequently isolated in nosocomial settings. The aim of this study was to identify whether ST17 contributes to subsequent bacteremia more often than other STs among hospitalized patients carrying VREF. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in patients carrying ST17 VREF and those with non-ST17 VREF. Rectal screening according to hospital policy was used to identify patients with VREF. Subsequent VREF bacteremia events within a year of detection of colonization were recorded. Cox regression analysis was used to adjust the covariates involved in determining the association between ST17 and subsequent bacteremia events. RESULTS: The cohorts comprised 52 patients with ST17 and 169 patients with non-ST17 VREF. One-year VREF bacteremia-free rates were 85.9% and 90.2%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, ST17 was associated with subsequent bacteremia at an adjusted hazard risk (aHR) of 4.02 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-12.29). Liver transplantation (aHR, 40.08; 95% CI, 4.87-329.76) and hematologic malignancy (aHR, 20.97; 95% CI, 4.87-87.82) were also significant. All cases of subsequent bacteremia in ST17 VREF carriers were caused by ST17; however, subsequent bacteremia in non-ST17 carriers was often caused by ST17 or another ST variant. CONCLUSIONS: A specific genotype, ST17 is a predictor of subsequent bacteremia in hospitalized patients carrying VREF. Patients with a hematologic malignancy and those receiving a liver transplant are also at high risk. More targeted strategies may be needed to prevent VREF infection in hospitals.

Epidemiological investigation and physician awareness regarding the diagnosis and management of Q fever in South Korea, 2011 to 2017.

BACKGROUND: In South Korea, the number of Q fever cases has rapidly increased since 2015. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the epidemiological and clinical features of Q fever in South Korea between 2011 and 2017. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We analyzed the epidemiological investigations and reviewed the medical records from all hospitals that had reported at least one case of Q fever from 2011 to 2017. We also conducted an online survey to investigate physicians' awareness regarding how to appropriately diagnose and manage Q fever. The nationwide incidence rate of Q fever was annually 0.07 cases per 100,000 persons. However, there has been a sharp increase in its incidence, reaching up to 0.19 cases per 100,000 persons in 2017. Q fever sporadically occurred across the country, with the highest incidences in Chungbuk (0.53 cases per 100,000 persons per year) and Chungnam (0.27 cases per 100,000 persons per year) areas. Patients with acute Q fever primarily presented with mild illnesses such as hepatitis (64.5%) and isolated febrile illness (24.0%), whereas those with chronic Q fever were likely to undergo surgery (41.2%) and had a high mortality rate (23.5%). Follow-up for 6 months after acute Q fever was performed by 24.0% of the physician respondents, and only 22.3% of them reported that clinical and serological evaluations were required after acute Q fever diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Q fever is becoming an endemic disease in the midwestern area of South Korea. Given the clinical severity and mortality of chronic Q fever, physicians should be made aware of appropriate diagnosis and management strategies for Q fever.

Estimating Baseline Incidence of Conditions Potentially Associated with Vaccine Adverse Events: a Call for Surveillance System Using the Korean National Health Insurance Claims Data.

BACKGROUND: Vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are raising concerns about vaccine safety, particularly in the context of large-scale immunization. To address public concerns, we measured the baseline incidence rates of major conditions potentially related to vaccine-related adverse events (VAEs). We aimed to provide a basis for evaluating VAEs and verifying causality. METHODS: Conditions of interest were selected from the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System Table of Reportable Events and a recent report from a European consortium on vaccine surveillance. We used the National Health Insurance Service database in Korea to identify the monthly numbers of cases with these conditions. Data from January 2006 to June 2020 were included. Prediction models were constructed from the observed incidences using an autoregressive integrated moving average. We predicted the incidences of the conditions and their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for January through December 2021. In addition, subgroup analysis for the expected vaccination population was conducted. RESULTS: Mean values (95% CIs) of the predicted monthly incidence of vasovagal syncope, anaphylaxis, brachial neuritis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, Bell's palsy, Guillain-Barré syndrome, encephalopathy, optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, immune thrombocytopenic purpura, and systemic lupus erythematosus in 2021 were 23.89 (19.81-27.98), 4.72 (3.83-5.61), 57.62 (51.37-63.88), 0.03 (0.01-0.04), 8.58 (7.90-9.26), 0.26 (0.18-0.34), 2.13 (1.42-2.83), 1.65 (1.17-2.13), 0.19 (0.14-0.25), 0.75 (0.61-0.90), and 3.40 (2.79-4.01) cases per 100,000 respectively. The majority of the conditions showed an increasing trend with seasonal variations in their incidences. CONCLUSION: We measured the incidence of a total of 11 conditions that could potentially be associated with VAEs to predict the monthly incidence in 2021. In Korea, conditions that could potentially be related to VAEs occur on a regular basis, and an increasing trend is observed with seasonality.

A case of tuberculosis meningitis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

We report a case of tuberculosis (TB) meningitis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for relapsed acute myeloid leukemia. The patient was 52-year-old woman who had relapsed leukemia with a remission duration of 7 months, and she received re-induction with consolidation, allogeneic HSCT. After 4 days of engraftment, she had headache with fever and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis presented increased intracerebral pressure, white blood cell counts with dominant neutrophils, elevated glucose and protein level. Brain imaging showed diffuse leptomeningeal enhancement with scattered miliary TB lesions suggesting disseminated TB disease. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected in CSF and sputum anti-TB medication was started. She was IGRA positive before transplantation but did not receive treatment for LTBI prior or during the transplant. Unfortunately, she expired because of intracerebral hemorrhage. TB meningitis is a rare but important complication of HSCT as it can cause serious neurologic sequelae, even death. So in transplant recipients having high risk of TB reactivation, LTBI treatment is recommended before or along with transplantation. If latent TB is not treated, vigilant suspicion and early diagnosis of TB meningitis could improve the transplant outcome.

Impact of obesity, fasting plasma glucose level, blood pressure, and renal function on the severity of COVID-19: A matter of sexual dimorphism?

AIMS: This study aimed to assess whether body mass index (BMI), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels, blood pressure (BP), and kidney function were associated with the risk of severe disease or death in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: Data on candidate risk factors were extracted from patients' last checkup records. Propensity score-matched cohorts were constructed, and logistic regression models were used to adjust for age, sex, and comorbidities. The primary outcome was death or severe COVID-19, defined as requiring supplementary oxygen or higher ventilatory support. RESULTS: Among 7,649 patients with confirmed COVID-19, 2,231 (29.2%) received checkups and severe COVID-19 occurred in 307 patients (13.8%). A BMI of 25.0-29.9 was associated with the outcome among women (aOR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.41-3.73) and patients aged 50-69 years (aOR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.06-2.54). An FPG ≥ 126 mg/dL was associated with poor outcomes in women (aOR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.13-3.77) but not in men. Similarly, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 was a risk factor in women (aOR, 3.46; 95% CI, 1.71-7.01) and patients aged < 70 years. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of BMI, FPG, and eGFR on outcomes associated with COVID-19 were prominent in women but not in men.