Ewha Med J.  2016 Apr;39(2):37-44. 10.12771/emj.2016.39.2.37.

Diagnosis for Imported Cases of Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases in Korea

• Lee M

• KMID: 2171363
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12771/emj.2016.39.2.37

Abstract

Despite recent advances in the development of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines, the ease of international travel and increasing global interdependence have brought about particular challenges for the control of infectious diseases, highlighting concerns for the worldwide spread of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases. Korea is also facing public health challenges for controlling imported cases of infectious diseases; dengue virus, which is the most commonly reported case of imported infectious diseases; the largest outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infections outside the Arabian Peninsula in 2015; and the Zika virus infection, which was declared by the WHO as a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern." Although national and global partnerships are critical to controlling imported infectious disease threats, the role of local hospitals, public health sectors, and laboratory capacity remains the cornerstone for initial disease recognition and response. The current status of laboratory diagnosis for imported infectious diseases is reviewed.

Keyword

Emerging infectious diseases; Dengue; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; Zika virus; Diagnosis

MeSH Terms

Clinical Laboratory Techniques
Communicable Diseases
Communicable Diseases, Emerging*
Coronavirus Infections
Dengue
Dengue Virus
Diagnosis*
Emergencies
Hospitals, Public
Korea*
Middle East
Public Health
Vaccines
Vaccines

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Annual number of cases of dengue fever reported to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System in Korea. Adapted from Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [9].

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  Fig. 2 Proposed testing algorithm for suspected cases of arbovirus infection more than one week after onset of symptoms. Adapted from World Health Organization [44]. *Final interpretation of result should be done in conjunction with clinical presentation. †For paired serum samples, a four-fold rise in lgM in the absence of a rise in antibody titre to other flaviviruses is further evidence of recent Zika virus infection. ZIKV, Zika virus; DENV, Dengue virus; CHIK, Chikungunya virus.

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