Skip Navigation
Skip to contents

JPMPH : Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

OPEN ACCESS
SEARCH
Search

Author index

Page Path
HOME > Browse Articles > Author index
Search
Saerom Lee 2 Articles
Epidemiological Investigation of an Outbreak of Hepatitis A at a Residential Facility for the Disabled, 2011
Hyun-Sul Lim, Kumbal Choi, Saerom Lee
J Prev Med Public Health. 2013;46(2):62-73.   Published online March 28, 2013
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.2013.46.2.62
  • 10,512 View
  • 83 Download
  • 4 Crossref
AbstractAbstract PDF
Objectives

An outbreak of hepatitis A occurred at a residential facility for the disabled in July 10, 2011. This investigation was carried out to develop a response plan, and to find the infection source of the disease.

Methods

A field epidemiologist investigated the symptoms, vaccination histories, living environments, and probable infection sources with 51 residents and 31 teachers and staff members. In July 25, 81 subjects were tested for the hepatitis A virus antibody, and specimens of the initial 3 cases and the last case were genetically tested.

Results

Three cases occurred July 10 to 14, twelve cases August 3 to 9, and the last case on August 29. Among the teachers and staff, no one was IgM positive (on July 25). The base sequences of the initial 3 and of the last case were identical. The vehicle of the outbreak was believed to be a single person. The initial 3 patients were exposed at the same time and they might have disseminated the infection among the patients who developed symptoms in early August, and the last patient might have, in turn, been infected by the early August cases.

Conclusions

The initial source of infection is not clear, but volunteers could freely come into contact with residents, and an infected volunteer might have been the common infection source of the initial patients. Volunteers' washing their hands only after their activity might be the cause of this outbreak. Although there may be other possible causes, it would be reasonable to ask volunteers to wash their hands both before and after their activities.

Summary

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Prevention of Hepatitis A Virus Infection in the United States: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, 2020
    Noele P. Nelson, Mark K. Weng, Megan G. Hofmeister, Kelly L. Moore, Mona Doshani, Saleem Kamili, Alaya Koneru, Penina Haber, Liesl Hagan, José R. Romero, Sarah Schillie, Aaron M. Harris
    MMWR. Recommendations and Reports.2020; 69(5): 1.     CrossRef
  • Outbreak of Hepatitis A Virus Infection Among Adult Patients of a Mental Hospital — Los Angeles County, 2017
    Curtis Croker, Susan Hathaway, Amy Marutani, Margilane Hernandez, Crystal Cadavid, Shobita Rajagopalan, Bessie Hwang, Moon Kim
    Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.2018; 39(07): 881.     CrossRef
  • Estimating human-to-human transmissibility of hepatitis A virus in an outbreak at an elementary school in China, 2011
    Xu-Sheng Zhang, Giovanni Lo Iacono, Eric HY Lau
    PLOS ONE.2018; 13(9): e0204201.     CrossRef
  • Source identification through social networks in an epidemiological investigation of a hepatitis A outbreak at an elementary school in Anhui province, China
    J. B. WU, X. L. LI, J. ZHANG, D. XU, J. J. ZHU, B. S. ZHOU
    Epidemiology and Infection.2014; 142(7): 1450.     CrossRef
Vaccine Storage Practices and the Effects of Education in Some Private Medical Institutions
Saerom Lee, Hyun-Sul Lim, Ohyon Kim, Jeonggyeong Nam, Yeongsun Kim, Hyungrae Woo, Woojin Noh, Kyenam Kim
J Prev Med Public Health. 2012;45(2):78-89.   Published online March 31, 2012
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.2012.45.2.78
  • 10,038 View
  • 81 Download
  • 9 Crossref
AbstractAbstract PDF
Objectives

Although vaccination rates have increased, problems still remain in the storage and handling of vaccines. This study focused on inspecting actual vaccine storage status and awareness, and comparing them before and after education was provided.

Methods

In the primary inspection, a status survey checklist was completed by visual inspection. A questionnaire on the awareness of proper vaccine storage and handling was also administered to vaccine administrators in private medical institutions in 4 regions in Gyeongsangbuk-province. One-on-one education was then carried out, and our self-produced manual on safe vaccine storage and management methods was provided. In the secondary inspection, the investigators visited the same medical institutions and used the same questionnaire and checklist used during the primary inspection. The results before and after education were compared, by treating each appropriate answer as 1 point.

Results

The average checklists score was 9.74 (out of 15 points), which increased significantly after education was provided (by 0.84, p<0.001). The participants demonstrated improved practices in recording storage temperatures (p=0.016), storing vaccines in the center of the refrigerator (p=0.004), storing vaccines with other medication and non-medical items (p=0.031) after education. The average score calculated from the questionnaires was 10.48 (out of 14 points), which increased after education (by 1.03, p<0.001).

Conclusions

This study suggests that vaccine storage practices and awareness are inadequate, but can be partially improved by providing relevant education. Repetitive education and policy-making are required to store vaccines safely because one-off education and unenforced guidelines offer limited efficacy.

Summary

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Effectiveness of the online-eLearning program KeepCoool at improving the vaccine cold chain in general practices
    Anika Thielmann, Marie-Therese Schmitz, Thomas Welchowski, Birgitta Weltermann, Pasyodun Koralage Buddhika Mahesh
    PLOS ONE.2024; 19(4): e0301847.     CrossRef
  • Impfstoffmanagement in der ambulanten Versorgung: ein systematischer Review internationaler Empfehlungen und Implikationen für das deutsche Gesundheitswesen.
    Laura Knepper, Christiane Stieber, Birgitta Weltermann
    Das Gesundheitswesen.2023; 85(10): 857.     CrossRef
  • Impact of educational intervention on the best immunization practices among practicing health care professionals in a south Indian city
    Juny Sebastian, Gurumurthy Parthasarathi, Mandyam Dhati Ravi
    Therapeutic Advances in Vaccines and Immunotherapy.2021;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Improving knowledge on vaccine storage management in general practices: Learning effectiveness of an online-based program
    Anika Thielmann, Marie-Therese Puth, Birgitta Weltermann
    Vaccine.2020; 38(47): 7551.     CrossRef
  • Vaccine cold chain in general practices: A prospective study in 75 refrigerators (Keep Cool study)
    Anika Thielmann, Marie-Therese Puth, Christine Kersting, Johannes Porz, Birgitta Weltermann, Sanjai Kumar
    PLOS ONE.2019; 14(11): e0224972.     CrossRef
  • Visual inspection of vaccine storage conditions in general practices: A study of 75 vaccine refrigerators
    Anika Thielmann, Marie-Therese Puth, Birgitta Weltermann, Abhijit P. Pakhare
    PLOS ONE.2019; 14(12): e0225764.     CrossRef
  • Safety of vaccines that have been kept outside of recommended temperatures: Reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), 2008–2012
    Beth F. Hibbs, Elaine Miller, Jing Shi, Kamesha Smith, Paige Lewis, Tom T. Shimabukuro
    Vaccine.2018; 36(4): 553.     CrossRef
  • Good vaccination practice: it all starts with a good vaccine storage temperature
    Frédéric Vangroenweghe
    Porcine Health Management.2017;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Effectiveness of a web-based education program to improve vaccine storage conditions in primary care (Keep Cool): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
    Anika Thielmann, Anja Viehmann, Birgitta M. Weltermann
    Trials.2015;[Epub]     CrossRef

JPMPH : Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
TOP