Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives

Sang Eun Lee

3 Articles

mRNA vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) and B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant transmission from home care cases to household contacts in South Korea: Hanul Park, Young Joon Park, Sang Eun Lee, Min Jei Lee, Hyungtae Ahn; Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2022;13(6):435-442. Published online November 28, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2022.0243

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Graphical Abstract Abstract PDF: Objectives
Household contacts of confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) areexposed to a high risk of viral transmission, and secondary incidence is an important indicatorof community transmission. This study analyzed the secondary attack rate and mRNA vaccineeffectiveness against transmission (VET) for index cases (patients treated at home) confirmedto be infected with the Delta and Omicron variants.Methods: The subjects of the study were 4,450 index cases and 10,382 household contacts.Logistic regression analysis was performed to compare the secondary attack rate byvaccination status, and adjusted relative risk and 95% confidence intervals were identified.Results: The secondary attack rate of the Delta variant was 27.3%, while the secondary attackrate of the Omicron variant was 29.8%. For the Delta variant, groups with less than 90 daysand more than 90 days after 2 doses of mRNA vaccination both showed a VET of 37%. For theOmicron variant, a 64% VET was found among those with less than 90 days after 2 doses ofmRNA vaccination.Conclusion: This study provides useful data on the secondary attack rate and VET of mRNAvaccines for household contacts of COVID-19 cases in South Korea.

The effectiveness of Paxlovid treatment in long-term care facilities in South Korea during the outbreak of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2: Hanul Park, Young Joon Park, Hye Young Lee, Mi Yu, Yeong-Jun Song, Sang Eun Lee, Ji-Joo Lee, Eun-Sol Lee, Yeonjung Kim; Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2022;13(6):443-447. Published online December 23, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2022.0262

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Graphical Abstract Abstract PDF

Objectives
On November 5, 2021, Pfizer Inc. announced Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir +ritonavir) asa treatment method that could reduce the risk of hospitalization or death for patients withconfirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Methods: From February 6, 2022 to April 2, 2022, the incidence of COVID-19 and the effectsof treatment with Paxlovid were analyzed in 2,241 patients and workers at 5 long-term carefacilities during the outbreak of the Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndromecoronavirus 2 in South Korea.Results: The rate of severe illness or death in the group given Paxlovid was 51% lower thanthat of the non-Paxlovid group (adjusted risk ratio [aRR], 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI],0.24−0.98). Compared to unvaccinated patients, patients who had completed 3 doses of thevaccine had a 71% reduced rate of severe illness or death (aRR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.13−0.64) and a65% reduced death rate (aRR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.15−0.79).Conclusion: Patients given Paxlovid showed a lower rate of severe illness or death and alower fatality rate than those who did not receive Paxlovid. Patients who received 3 dosesof the vaccine had a lower rate of severe illness or death and a lower fatality rate than theunvaccinated group.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

COVID ‐19 infection in patients with haematological malignancies: A single‐centre survey in the latest Omicron wave in China
Xiaolu Zhu, Qian Jiang, Jin Lu, Yuqian Sun, Xiaosu Zhao, Shenmiao Yang, Feifei Tang, Wenjing Yu, Ting Zhao, Xiaohong Liu, Jinsong Jia, Wenbing Duan, Lijuan Hu, Jing Wang, Yang Liu, Nan Peng, Xuelin Dou, Rui Ma, Qiang Fu, Huifang Wang, Kaiyan Liu, Xiaojun
British Journal of Haematology.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
The association mental health of adolescents with economic impact during the COVID-19 pandemic: a 2020 Korean nationally representative survey
Hanul Park, Kang-Sook Lee
BMC Public Health.2023;[Epub] CrossRef

Follow-up Study of Patients Previously Diagnosed with Lymphatic Filariasis in Korea: Hyeng Il Cheun, Hee Eun Shin, Da Won Ma, Sung Hee Hong, Tae Yun Kim, Sang Eun Lee, JungWon Ju, Yun-Kyu Park, Tong-Soo Kim, Shin Hyeong Cho; Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2017;8(6):421-424. Published online December 31, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2017.8.6.10

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Abstract PDF

Objectives

Korea was an endemic area for lymphatic filariasis (LF), caused by the nematode parasite Brugia malayi, until the 1970s. The World Health Organization recognized Korea as LF-free in June 2008. However, it is necessary to confirm that patients that have had LF in the past still test negative, to prevent the re-emergence of LF in Korea.

Methods

We followed up a total of 83 patients who had been diagnosed with LF between 2002 and 2010 in endemic LF areas.

Results

Fifty-two of the 83 subjects were negative for LF, whereas 31 subjects had re-located to a different city or province, were dead, or were unaccounted for. Most subjects with negative test results still exhibited edema in the legs or the arms, and some complained of redness and swelling in the legs or ankle joints. However, we found that these symptoms were due to diseases other than LF.

Conclusion

In this follow-up study, we did not find any evidence indicating the potential re-emergence of LF in Korea.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Lymphatic filariasis in Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Negar Bizhani, Saeideh Hashemi Hafshejani, Neda Mohammadi, Mehdi Rezaei, Mohammad Bagher Rokni
Parasitology Research.2021; 120(2): 411. CrossRef
Status of common parasitic diseases in Korea in 2019
Sun Huh
Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2019; 62(8): 437. CrossRef

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