ObjectivesCurrently, the incidence of scrub typhus has increased in urban areas. In this study, we described the epidemiological characteristics of scrub typhus cases reported in the urban areas of Korea in 2009.MethodsWe analysed the case investigation reports of scrub typhus cases that were collected in Korea in 2009. Specially, the different risk factors such as fieldwork and outdoor activity were compared to urban and rural areas, and six urban cities. Statistical analysis was performed using χ2 test.ResultsA total of 4,461 cases (including 1,663 suspected cases) were analysed in this study. Among these, the case reports of 4,254 cases had complete addresses. The cases with outdoor activities were 720 (85.2%) in urban areas. In Daegu and Daejeon, the number of cases participated in outdoor activities was 32 (34.4%) and 23 (31.5%), respectively. In other urban areas, cases with outdoor activities were more than 85%.ConclusionThe most common infection risk factor was outdoor activity in urban areas. However, the proportion and distribution of outdoor activities were different in urban areas. These results will be used to establish strategies for effective prevention and management in urban areas.

There were only a few colleges/junior colleges that enforce the requirement to provide education for BT preparedness and response in curricula. It is necessary to raise the perception of BT preparedness and response to induce the schools to provide such programs.

This article by Choi et al. describes the findings from 19 tertiary-care teaching hospitals in South Korea. At first, the finding that infectious diseases are attributed to 29% of all in-hospital deaths seems unexpected. Then we realize that the numbers, while surprising, are not unusual. In the United States, hospital-acquired infections are a countrywide problem. It has been estimated that each year nearly two million patients get an infection while being treated in our nation's hospitals, and almost 100,000 of them die in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the cost of hospital-acquired infections to be as high as $27.5 billion each year. 1 The findings in this study and elsewhere bring to light the fact that even the "most developed" countries, such as South Korea, the United Kingdom, 2 and the United States, still face a constant and, in some cases, increasing threat from infection-related mortality in hospital settings. It is also interesting to note that pneumonia and septicemia remain the most common causes of death. The sentinel hospital-based surveillance system is an important step toward developing and maintaining a useful monitoring system to control routine and extraordinary infectious diseases. Other studies in the literature set up a standardized methodology for the mining and investigation of infection control surveillance. 3 This article, however, is the first to evaluate the proportions of infectious diseases among all in-hospital mortality cases as either the direct or underlying cause of death and investigate the description of infectious causes of in-hospital death in South Korea.

Background: Since May 2009, a pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus has emerged and spread nationwide. We describe the epidemiological characteristics of the confirmed deaths related with the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic in Korea from May 2009 to mid December 2009.Methods: This study was based on an analysis of the reports from the deaths of confirmed cases pandemic H1N1 virus until 7 December 2009 in Korea. These reports were compiled by the epidemic intelligence team at the Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (KCDC) or at the provinces. The epidemic intelligence team used an identical, well-defined investigate form for reviewing the medical records and for interviewing the physicians in charge of the cases.Results: The first confirmed death occurred on August 15, 2009. Until December 7, 2009, 139 deaths had been reported. Eighty cases (57.6%) were individuals more than 60 years old. Sixty two cases (47.0%) were dead within 7 days from the onset of symptoms. One hundred three cases (74%) had underlying diseases, and cancer was the most common underlying disease. The proportion of patients using antivial medications before confirmation among the patients with underlying diseases was greater than the proportion of patients using antivial medications among the patients with no underlying diseases.Conclusions: During the evaluation period, serious underlying diseases were present in nearly three quarters of the cases of confirmed death. We suggest that health providers consider using antiviral drugs before confirmation of pandemic H1N1 in hospitalized patients, and especially in those with underlying diseases.