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Biomedical subjects

Y C Ko

Publications and source records attributed to Y C Ko.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Female to male transmission of hepatitis B virus between Chinese spouses.

Three hundred thirty-seven community-based spouses were tested for the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers to assess the direction of HBV transmission between couples. The prevalence rate of HBV infection among husbands whose wives were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive was higher compared with those whose wives were HBsAg-negative. Moreover, the frequency of HBV seropositivity among husbands was 100% if their wives carried HBeAg and showed a trend correlation (P = .009). The prevalence difference was 13.8%, and the 95% confidence interval (95% Cl) was 7.9-19.7% after adjusting for spouses' age. In contrast, HBV infection rate of wives did not show an association with the husbands' HBsAg or HBeAg carrier status. The prevalence difference was 7.1%, but 95% Cl was -2.5-16.8% after adjusting for spouses' age. Female to male transmission of HBV between spouses appears to be more efficient.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Seroepidemiology of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis D virus, and human immunodeficiency virus infections among parenteral drug abusers in southern Taiwan.

A total of 390 parenteral drug abusers (PDAs) at the Kaohsiung Municipal Narcotics Abstention Institute were examined for markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis D virus (HDV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). All sera were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), surface antibody (anti-HBs), and core antibody (anti-HBc) by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and for antibody to HIV (anti-HIV) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and antibody to HDV (anti-HDV) were also tested for HBsAg-positive serum samples. Although the HBsAg-positive rate (22.1%) among PDAs was similar to that of the general population in southern Taiwan, the HBV infection rate (99.2%) and the anti-HDV-positive rate (78.5%) among HBsAg-positive subjects were significantly higher than those of the general population in southern Taiwan (P less than 0.0001). None of the PDAs studied were positive for anti-HIV. The levels of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) among PDAs were significantly higher than those of the general population in southern Taiwan (P less than 0.0001). The more frequent the institutionalisation, the higher the infection rates with HBV and HDV and elevated levels of SGOT and SGPT. Horizontal transmission through parenteral drug abuse may be considered a possible reason for the significantly higher rates of HBV and HDV among parenteral drug abusers.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

Study on the immunity to measles in pre-school children.

One hundred and ninety-seven pre-school children, composed of 109 boys and 88 girls, who resided in a rural community in southern Taiwan were studied. The age range was from 6 months to 5 years old (y/o) and vaccination coverage was determined by home visits and the vaccination records of the health station. Immunological status was tested by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine the positive rate of measles-specific IgG. The results were as follows: 1, vaccination coverage in the studied sample was 87.9%; 2, the educational level of fathers had a significant influence on vaccination; 3, the positive rate of measles antibody in the vaccinated children was 73.9%; 4, the measles immunity level in the studied sample was 67.8%; and 5, the positive rate of measles antibody, as analyzed by a stratified test, indicated that vaccination age, the current age, and the number of siblings were the significant influence factors. When adjusted to the above variables, it was found that the number of siblings was the significant influencing factor.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

[Epidemiology of dengue fever in Taiwan].

Dengue fever, a tropical communicable disease, is caused by an infectious viral disease. It is also known as break bone fever. There have been a number of epidemics over the last century in Taiwan. Following an islandwide epidemic in 1942, dengue fever had not been presented on the island for about forty years. In 1981, an outbreak of dengue occurred in Liuchiu Hsiang, a small off-shore island of Pingtung county. The estimated attack rate was 80%. DEN-2 was isolated during that outbreak. Another occurrence occurred in the fall of 1987 in the southern part of Taiwan. The accumulated reported cases reached 1,387 at the end of that year. A majority of cases were reported in the Sanmin district of Kaohsiung city. The reported cumulative incidence was 0.2% in Sanmin. However, according to one survey, the attack rate in that area was 2.9%. DEN-1 was most commonly isolated but DEN-2 was also found in five cases. The latest outbreak took place in 1988. The estimation of reported cases exceeded 10,000 at the end of November, 1988. Two cases of dengue haemorrhagic fever were confirmed. More than fifty percent of the report case came from Kaohsiung city. The reported cumulative incidence rate was 0.5% in that area. Another survey reported that the adult attack rate exceeded 5% in the same area. It is estimated that the number of patients with mild symptoms and those without any symptoms would be a few times more than the number of those actually reported. However, a large space of herd immunity for susceptible hosts has remained. DEN-1 was isolated from all of the reported cases except two in which DEN-4 were isolated. Among the various variables which would effect the proliferation of disease, such as Aedes aegypti density, precipitation, and temperature, only a prior month of precipitation can explain the outbreak of dengue by stepwise multiple regression. Besides this, there was also a higher relative risk due to a higher population density with a trend correlation. Because of the ineffectiveness of the present control program, it is predicted that there may be yet another outbreak in the following year effecting those susceptible when the rainfall season comes.

Dengue↗
PubMed1989

Attack rate of dengue-like illness among teachers in Kaohsiung City, 1988.

The present study is based on a questionnaire evaluating 2,770 school teachers, including those from elementary, junior-high, senior-high, and occupational schools, in Kaohsiung city. The response rate was 91.1% (2,626/2,770). The self-reported cumulative incidence of dengue-like illness was 7.9% (207/2,626) and the physician-diagnosed cumulative incidence was 5.6% (148/2,626). There is no significant difference between distribution of infections among subjects' gender, educational background, and the associated school regardless of self-reported cases or diagnosed cases. Among those self-reported dengue infected teachers, 60.1% (119/207) required sick leaves. The difference of sick leaves among subjects by either education background or associated school was not significant. However, more females stayed home because of the illness than males did.

Cohort Studies↗
PubMed1989

[A study on the prevalence and risk factors of muscular fibrotic contracture in Jia-Dong Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan].

In order to examine the prevalence and risk factors of muscular fibrotic contracture (MFC) among school children in Jia-Dong Township, Pingtung County, a prevalence survey combined case-control study was carried out from January to April, 1988. All the school children aged from 6 to 19 years old were first screened at schools and then referred to the Provincial Pingtung Hospital for confirmatory diagnosis based on the non-invasion criteria. A total of 83 MFC cases were identified including 79 gluteal fibrotic contracture (GFC) patients, 3 deltoid fibrotic contracture (DFC) patients, and 1 affected both GFC and DFC. The prevalence was significantly higher in males (17.3 per 1,000) than in females (10.5 per 1,000). The prevalence was found to increase with age after 6 years of age, peaked at the age group of 13-15 years, and decline thereafter. Most MFC cases clustered in both Wen-Fon and Yuan-Wen villages locate in the southern coast of Taiwan Island. Among 83 MFC patients, 65 were further interviewed to obtain information on the risk factors of MFC. A total of 65 healthy classmates one-to-one matched with MFC cases on aged, sex, and living villages were selected as the control group which was also interviewed. The case-control study showed a positive association between the frequency of injection and the MFC in a dose-response relationship. The injection site also correlated with the development of the GFC and DFC. It was reasoned that the injection might be the most important risk factor of MFC. Follow-up study of 65 operated MFC cases indicated a high percentage (89.2%) of hyperscar formation in the incision region.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Seroepidemiological studies on hepatitis B and D viruses infection among five ethnic groups in southern Taiwan.

In order to compare the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection among five ethnic groups in Pingtung County of southern Taiwan, a total of 240 serum samples were collected from September to October, 1985, from the following five ethnic groups: Taiwanese, Hakka, Mainland Chinese, aboriginal Paiwanese, and aboriginal Rukaiese. Ages of subjects ranged from 5 to 69 years. All sera were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), surface antibody (anti-HBs), and core antibody (anti-HBc) by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and antibody to hepatitis D antigen (anti-HDV) were also tested for those with HBsAg-positive sera. Results showed that 44.1% of all sera examined were negative for HBsAG but positive for both anti-HBs and anti-HBc; additionally, 24.6% were negative for both HBsAg and anti-HBs but positive for anti-HBc. Only 134 serum samples showed negative results for HBV markers, indicating an HBV infection rate of 88.8%. The anti-HDV positive rate was estimated to be 2.7% among HBsAg-positive subjects. The HBsAg-positive rates among Rukaiese, Paiwanese, Hakka, Taiwanese, and Mainland Chinese were 25.8, 22.5, 16.7, 12.9, and 10.0%, respectively; while the prevalence rates of HBV infection among the above five groups were 94.2, 94.6, 85.4, 87.5, and 82.5%, respectively. Differences in the HBsAg-positive rate and HBV infection rate among these ethnic groups were statistically significant. We conclude that people living in Pingtung County are more frequently infected with HBV when compared with inhabitants in northern Taiwan.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Study of noise exposure and high blood pressure in shipyard workers.

A cross-sectional and case-reference study of occupational noise exposure and blood pressure was conducted in a shipyard company. There were 158 male workers from the higher noise environment (greater than 85 dBA) and 158 matched workers from a lower noise environment (less than 80 dBA). The workers in the higher noise environment had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p less than .05) after adjusting for confounding factors. Comparison of regression revealed that there is no different increase in blood pressure with age in different environmental noise exposure. Based on 63 matched hypertensive-normotensive pairs from 2,730 shipyard workers, the relative risk of hypertension among workers exposed to an over-85-dBA acoustic environment, compared to those under 80 dBA, was 2.38. It is suggested that there may be a population of noise-exposed workers at increased risk of high blood pressure.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

A critical review of epidemiologic studies on black-foot disease.

An endemic disease in Taiwan named "Black-foot Disease", which has been researched since 1958 and about which many papers have been published, was considered caused by arsenic poisoning from artesian well water. In the beginning some information related to the disease before 1958 is introduced and then, reviews of the six papers titled "Epidemiologic Studies" on "Black-foot Disease" are made without referring to any findings from other papers. The data related to the incidence and severity of the disease from the papers are reevaluated, paying special attention to the fact that the incidence of the disease increased after the installation of pipe system water-supply to replace the artesian wells. With the above-mentioned result the theory which considers arsenic poisoning as the cause of the disease, is disproved.

Arsenic Poisoning↗