Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives

Wooseok Kwak

3 Articles

Epidemic Intelligence Service Officers and Field Epidemiology Training Program in Korea: Geun-Yong Kwon, Shinje Moon, Wooseok Kwak, Jin Gwack, Chaeshin Chu, Seung-Ki Youn; Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2013;4(4):215-221. Published online August 31, 2013; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrp.2013.07.001

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Korea has adopted Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officers through the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) since 1999 for systematic control of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Graduates of medical schools in Korea are selected and serve as public health doctors (PHDs) for their mandatory military service. The duration of service is 3 years and PHDs comprise general practitioners and specialists. Some PHDs are selected as EIS officers with 3 weeks basic FETP training and work for central and provincial public health authorities to conduct epidemiological investigations. The total number of EIS officers is 31 as of 2012. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) has 12 specialists, whereas specialists and each province has one or two EIS officers to administer local epidemiological investigations in 253 public health centers. The Korean EIS officers have successfully responded and prevented infectious diseases, but there is a unique limitation: the number of PHDs in Korea is decreasing and PHDs are not allowed to stay outside Korea, which makes it difficult to cope with overseas infectious diseases. Furthermore, after 3 years service, they quit and their experiences are not accumulated. KCDC has hired full-time EIS officers since 2012 to overcome this limitation.

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Experience of 16 years and its associated challenges in the Field Epidemiology Training Program in Korea
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From Seoul to Lima: Korean Doctors in Peru
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Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives.2015; 6(2): 71. CrossRef
Emerging Pathogens and Vehicles of Food- and Water-borne Disease Outbreaks in Korea, 2007–2012
Shinje Moon, Il-Woong Sohn, Yeongseon Hong, Hyungmin Lee, Ji-Hyuk Park, Geun-Yong Kwon, Sangwon Lee, Seung-Ki Youn
Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives.2014; 5(1): 34. CrossRef

Epidemiological Characteristics of Serologically Confirmed Q Fever Cases in South Korea, 2006–2011: Wooseok Kwak, Hyuk Chu, Seondo Hwang, Ji-Hyuk Park, Kyu Jam Hwang, Jin Gwack, Young-Sil Choi, Seung-Ki Youn, Mi-Yeoun Park; Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2013;4(1):34-38. Published online February 28, 2013; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrp.2012.12.006

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Abstract PDF

Objectives
Q fever has been reported worldwide; however, there was almost no official report of Q fever in Korea. In this study, we describe the current status of human Q fever occurrence in Korea.
Methods
Demographic data of Q fever patients were collected from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System from 2006 to 2011. Case investigation reports from regional public health departments were used for additional information, like risk factors and clinical manifestation, of the patients since 2008.
Results
There were 65 serologically confirmed cases during the study period. The annual notification rate of Q fever was 0.22 cases per million persons. The majority of cases were men (87.7%), adults (98.5%), and urban inhabitants (67.7%). Relevant exposures to risk factors were identified in 45.7% of patients. The most common symptoms of acute Q fever were fever (89.3%), myalgia (67.9%) and asthenia (53.6%). Two cases with endocarditis were identified in chronic Q fever.
Conclusion
This study suggests that Q fever has a low endemicity in Korea. However, management and research at national level is required for prevention of a future epidemic.

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Diagnostic usefulness of molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii from blood of patients with suspected acute Q fever
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Clinical characteristics of acute Q fever patients in South Korea and time from symptom onset to serologic diagnosis
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Serologic Survey and Risk Factors forCoxiella burnetiiInfection among Dairy Cattle Farmers in Korea
Ji-Hyuk Park, Hyuk Chu, Seok-Ju Yoo, Kyu-Jam Hwang, Hyun-Sul Lim
Journal of Korean Medical Science.2018;[Epub] CrossRef
Molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii in heart valve tissue from patients with culture-negative infective endocarditis
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Seroreactivity to Q Fever Among Slaughterhouse Workers in South Korea
Hyuk Chu, Seok-Ju Yoo, Kyu-Jam Hwang, Hyun-Sul Lim, Kwan Lee, Mi-Yeoun Park
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Prevalence of bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis and Q fever in Korean black goats
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Chloroform-Methanol Residue of Coxiella burnetii Markedly Potentiated the Specific Immunoprotection Elicited by a Recombinant Protein Fragment rOmpB-4 Derived from Outer Membrane Protein B of Rickettsia rickettsii in C3H/HeN Mice
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Korean Journal of Veterinary Research.2014; 54(3): 147. CrossRef
Serological characterization of surface-exposed proteins of Coxiella burnetii
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Trends in Water- and Foodborne Disease Outbreaks in Korea, 2007–2009: Jin Gwack, Kyoung-Chan Lee, Hyo Jin Lee, Wooseok Kwak, Dong Woo Lee, Yeon Hwa Choi, Jin Seok Kim, Young Ah Kang; Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2010;1(1):50-54. Published online December 31, 2010; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrp.2010.12.011

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Abstract PDF

Objectives
In Korea, every outbreak of acute gastroenteritis in two or more patients who are epidemiologically related is investigated by local public health centres to determine causative agents and control the outbreak with the support of the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings and conclusions of each outbreak investigation have been summarized annually since 2007 to make reports and statistics of water- and foodborne disease outbreaks.
Methods
All outbreaks reported to Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2007 to 2009 were included in the study. We analysed the trends and epidemiologic aspects of outbreaks by month, year, and location.
Results
The total number of outbreaks decreased steadily each year for the period the study covered, whereas the number of patients per outbreak continued to increase resulting from a dramatic increase in the number of patients per outbreak in food service establishments. The outbreaks occurred in the period of June to September, when temperature and humidity are relatively high, which accounted for 44.3% of total outbreaks. The monthly number of outbreaks decreased steadily until November after peaking in May 2009. The most common causative agent was norovirus (16.5%) followed by pathogenic Escherichia coli. The rate of causative agent identification was 60.1%, with higher identification rates in larger outbreaks.
Conclusions
Although a decreasing trend of outbreaks by year was observed in the study, the food services in schools and companies require more attention to hygiene and sanitation to prevent large outbreaks. The ability to establish the cause of an outbreak should be further improved.

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