Kap-Yeol Jung

Prevalence and Determinants of Genital Infection with Papillomavirus, in Female and Male University Students in Busan, South Korea

BACKGROUND Little is known about the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in young adults in Asia. METHODS We invited female and male students in Busan, South Korea, to participate in a survey that included, for females, self-collection of vaginal cells and, for males, physician-performed collection of exfoliated genital cells. The prevalences of 25 HPV types were evaluated, by a polymerase chain reaction-based assay, in 672 female students (median age, 19 years) and in 381 male students (median age, 22 years). RESULTS HPV DNA was detected more frequently in female students (15.2%) than in male students (8.7%); in both sexes, high-risk HPV types were predominant. Among sexually active students, HPV prevalence was 38.8% in females and 10.6% in males. In female students, currently smoking cigarettes and having multiple lifetime sex partners were the strongest risk factors for HPV infection; in male students, associations between HPV prevalence and sexual habits were similar to those in female students but never attained statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS Young women in South Korea start having penetrative sexual intercourse relatively late (median age, 18 years), but, once they begin, HPV prevalence quickly rises to levels comparable with those found in university students in the United States and in northern Europe. The high rate of participation in our study suggests that trials of new vaccines against HPV may be feasible among university students in South Korea.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus infection in women in Busan, South Korea.

To investigate the prevalence of and the risk factors for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in South Korea, we interviewed and examined a randomly selected sample of 863 sexually active women (age range = 20–74 years, median 44) and 103 self‐reported virgins from Busan. The presence of DNA of 34 different HPV types in cervical exfoliated cells was tested among sexually active women by means of a PCR‐based assay. IgG antibodies against L1 virus‐like particles (anti‐VLPs) of HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33 and 58 were also evaluated by means of ELISA. The overall prevalence of HPV DNA was 10.4% (95% confidence interval, CI: 8.5–12.7%). The most often found HPV DNA types were HPV 70, HPV 16 and HPV 33; 19.8% (95% CI: 17.2–22.0) of sexually active women had antibodies against one or more HPV types. The most common anti‐VLPs were against HPV 18, 31 and 16. Prevalences standardized by age on the basis of the world standard population were 13.0% for HPV DNA and 17.1% for anti‐VLPs. The concordance between the 2 HPV markers at an individual level was modest, but the risk factors for detection of HPV DNA and anti‐VLPs were similar: number of lifetime sexual partners (odds ratio, OR for ≥ 4 vs. 1 = 3.5 and 5.4, respectively), seropositivity for herpes simplex virus‐2 antibodies (OR = 2.6 and 2.5, respectively) and being single or divorced. HPV DNA, but not anti‐VLPs, were elevated among women whose husbands were thought by their wives to have extra‐marital affairs and those who had undergone vasectomy. Among 103 virgins, 4.9% had anti‐VLPs (1/73 among those aged 24 years or less).

The Relationship between Cold Exposure and Hypertension

The Relationship between Cold Exposure and Hypertension: Joon‐Youn Kim, et al. Department of Preventive Medicine, Medical College, Dong‐A University, Korea—This study was performed to determine whether there was any relationship between cold exposure and hypertension, and to evaluate risk factors affecting hypertension in cold‐exposed workers. In 11 refrigeration industries, 68 male workers working in cold areas more than once per day were selected as the cold‐exposed group, and 68 workers not exposed to cold were selected as the control group. The questionnaire survey, clinical and laboratory tests were performed. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly higher in the cold‐exposed group, and body core temperature was significantly lower in the cold‐exposed group (p<0.05). In logistic regression analysis, age, cold exposure severity and milk intake were significant variables affecting hypertension in cold‐exposed workers, whose odd ratios were 5.204 (95% CI 1.440–18.812), 2.674 (95% CI 1.080–6.618), and 0.364 (95% CI 0.141–0.942), respectively. Cold exposure was a risk factor for hypertension, and risk factors affecting hypertension in cold exposed workers were age, cold exposure severity, and milk intake. Therefore, cold exposed workers should minimize cold exposure time as much as possible, and ingest foods containing calcium such as milk. In particular, old workers working in cold areas should check their blood pressure and electrocardiogram periodically.

Renal Dysfunction Indicators in Lead Exposed Workers

Real Dysfunction Indicators in Lead Exposed Workers: Kap‐Yeol Jung, et al. Department of Preventive Medicine and Industrial Medicine Research Institute, Dong‐A University School of Medicine—This study was undertaken to find out which indicators were most valuable as markers of renal dysfunction related to lead exposure. We selected 75 male workers from the secondary lead smelter, plastic stabilizer and radiator manufacturing industries (the “exposed” group) and 64 male office workers (the “control” group). Blood lead, blood zinc protoporphyrin, urine lead, urine coproporphyrin, δ‐aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity, and urine δ‐aminolevulinic acid were chosen as indicators of lead exposure. Blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, serum uric acid, urine N‐acetyl‐β‐D‐glucosaminidase, urine albumin, urinea α1‐microglobulin and urine β2‐microglobulin were used as indicators of renal dysfunction. The urine α2‐microglobulin level was significantly associated with the lead exposure level. Blood urea nitrogen, urine N‐acetyl‐β‐D‐glucosaminidase and urine α1‐microglobulin levels were highly correlated with indicators of lead exposure. Urine α1‐microglobulin had the highest correlation with other indicators of renal function. Conclusively, blood urea nitrogen, urine N‐acetyl‐β‐D‐glucosaminidase and urine α1‐microglobulin are useful indicators, but urine α1‐microglobulin is the earliest and the most valuable indicator of renal dysfunction due to lead exposure.

Sexual activity and hepatitis B and C virus infection among young adults after introduction of a vaccination program in an area of high endemicity.

Background In areas where hepatitis is endemic, little is known about the sexual transmission of HBV after introduction of an HBV vaccination program. Methods We used a self-administered questionnaire and serological tests for HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc, and anti-HCV to examine the role of sexual activity, as well as sociodemographic status, lifestyle habits, and a history of vaccinations, transfusions, and surgery, in the transmission of HBV and HCV in Korea. The subjects were 865 female and 541 male university students (median age, 19 years; age range, 16–25). Results Overall seropositivity was 8.1% for HBsAg, 69.3% for anti-HBs, 21.3% for anti-HBc, and 0.4% for anti-HCV. Regarding HBV, 8% of the subjects were chronic carriers or had recently been infected, 22.8% were never exposed and nonvaccinated, 16.6% were exposed noncarriers, and 52.7% had most likely been vaccinated. We found a significant association between HBsAg seropositivity and history of sexual intercourse (Odds Ratio, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1–2.8). Students without serologic evidence of immunization against HBV were more likely to have become HBsAg-positive after becoming sexually active. Conclusions Our findings suggest that sexual transmission does occur among adolescents and young adults who have not been vaccinated, whereas vaccination protects individuals from becoming an HBV carrier after becoming sexually active.