Publications by authors named "Hak-Jun Hyun"
Introduction: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination rates in pregnant women remain low owing to safety concerns. When evaluating vaccine safety, comparisons with unvaccinated individuals may lead to healthy vaccinee bias. This study aimed to investigate the association between mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination and pregnancy-related adverse outcomes compared with influenza vaccination.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRespiratory microbiome and clinical course of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii pneumonia in critically Ill patients.
Medicine (Baltimore)
August 2024
Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) pneumonia has been a serious problem in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, defined characteristics of respiratory microbiome in CRAB pneumonia are lacking nowadays. This study aimed to analyze respiratory microbiome of CRAB pneumonia compared to non-CRAB pneumonia and reveal the clinical significance of respiratory microbiome data in these patients.
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- - The study aimed to compare the occurrence of adverse events of special interest (AESIs) between two types of COVID-19 vaccines: adenoviral vector-based (ChAdOx1) and mRNA-based (BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273).
- - Researchers analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Service database, finding that both vaccine types had low incidences of AESIs, but noted higher rates of certain heart-related issues in those who received mRNA vaccines.
- - Key findings highlighted significant differences in safety profiles between the two vaccine platforms, especially regarding myocarditis and Guillain-Barré syndrome, while overall adverse event risks were low for both.
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- Prophylactic immunization is crucial for HIV-infected patients, but there is limited data on their vaccination rates, the impact of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), and vaccination influencing factors.
- A study analyzed VPD incidence/prevalence in this population using a Korean AIDS cohort from 2006-2017, along with factors affecting vaccination rates through a comprehensive survey and multilevel analyses.
- Results show an increase in vaccination rates for HBV and pneumococcal vaccines over the years, while influenza rates were stable; peak HIV viral load and nadir CD4 T-cell counts were key factors influencing vaccination uptake.
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- Bivalent COVID-19 vaccines targeting Omicron subvariants BA.1 and BA.4/BA.5 were studied to evaluate their effectiveness in producing neutralizing antibodies (Nabs) after vaccination.
- The study involved 21 participants and found that those previously infected with BA.1/BA.2 or BA.5 had significantly higher levels of Nabs compared to non-infected individuals following the booster shot.
- Both bivalent vaccine formulations demonstrated similar immunogenicity, but even with the booster, the neutralizing activity against newer Omicron strains (BQ.1.1, BN.1, and XBB.1) was still deemed insufficient for adequate protection.
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- The study investigated the link between COVID-19 vaccination (BNT162b2 and ChAdOx1) and the risk of reactivating herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles.
- Researchers reviewed herpes zoster cases from February to June 2021 using matched case-control and propensity score matching analyses.
- Findings indicated that the mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 raises the risk of herpes zoster within 18 days post-vaccination, particularly after the first and second doses, while the adenovirus-vectored vaccine ChAdOx1 showed no increased risk.
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- Heterologous boost regimens involving an mRNA vaccine after a DNA vaccine are gaining interest for enhancing immunity against SARS-CoV-2.
- In a clinical trial with 32 participants, those who received an mRNA vaccine 6 to 8 months after the GLS-5310 DNA vaccine reported no adverse events, indicating a good safety profile.
- The study found significant improvements in immune responses, with increased antibody and T-cell levels, marking it as the first report on immune responses from this specific vaccination strategy.
Article Synopsis
- * Researchers analyzed blood and stool samples from 30 COVID-19 patients and 16 healthy controls, finding variations in gut microbiota tied to clinical outcomes.
- * Key findings suggest that certain gut bacteria are associated with better health outcomes, and that glucose control through diet may play a role in moderating the immune response to the virus.
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- The CoV2-001 phase I trial tested the GLS-5310 DNA vaccine for safety and immune response over 48 weeks with 45 participants who had not previously been vaccinated.* -
- Participants received two doses of the vaccine, administered intradermally at varying doses and intervals, and the vaccine was found to be well-tolerated with no serious side effects.* -
- The results showed high antibody and T cell responses, with 95.5% of participants producing anti-spike antibodies and 97.8% showing T cell responses, highlighting the vaccine's strong immunogenicity compared to other vaccines.*
Although some intravenous drugs have been used to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), no effective antiviral agents are currently available in the outpatient setting. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and adverse events of 14-day ciclesonide treatment vs. standard care for patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19.
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- Social distancing effectively helps reduce the spread of viral infections when antiviral treatments and vaccines are limited, with subway usage reflecting social activity and distancing levels.
- This study analyzed the relationship between subway ridership and incidence rates of influenza and COVID-19 using statistical methods, revealing a significant link between subway use and influenza-like illness (ILI) rates.
- The findings indicate that while subway use correlated with ILI rates, it showed a negative relationship with COVID-19 activity, suggesting that reducing public transport usage alone won't significantly impact COVID-19; enhanced mask-wearing and targeted public health strategies are essential instead.
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- The study compares the second and third waves of COVID-19 in South Korea, focusing on epidemiologic features and public health responses.
- It found that the third wave had a longer duration, higher case fatality rate, and delays in implementing social distancing compared to the second wave.
- Significant differences in transmission patterns were noted, including lower local clusters but higher rates of personal contact and unknown transmission routes in the third wave.
Campylobacter jejuni Bacteremia in a Liver Cirrhosis Patient and Review of Literature: A Case Study.
Infect Chemother
September 2017
Campylobacter infection causes gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain or diarrhea. Occasionally, Campylobacter bacteremia affects immunocompromised patients; however, serious outcomes are known to be rare. Here, we present a case of a patient with Campylobacter bacteremia who had underlying liver cirrhosis.
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- The study investigated the effects of administering influenza and pneumococcal vaccines together in older adults, focusing on immune response and safety concerns.
- Participants aged 60 and older were divided into three groups: one received both vaccines, another received only the pneumococcal vaccine, and the last received only the influenza vaccine, with assessments made on immune responses after vaccination.
- Results showed that administering both vaccines simultaneously did not affect the immune response or safety; all groups demonstrated strong antibody responses without any serious adverse events.
Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a tick-borne disease characterized by high fever, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and multiple organ failure and is caused by a novel bunyavirus. Human-to-human transmission has been reported previously, but the mode of transmission has not been clarified thoroughly.
Study Design: We identified a case of a 73-year-old woman with SFTS and performed a semi-quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (real-time RT-PCR) assay on her blood, tracheal aspirate, gastric aspirate and urine to detect SFTS virus (SFTSV).