Lee DH, et al. J Prev Med Public Health. 2010 Mar;43(2):99-104. http://dx.doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.2010.43.2.99

This study analyzed trends in foodborne and waterborne diseases in South Korea between 2015 and 2019. The data consisted of information on outbreaks of waterborne and foodborne infectious diseases reported through the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) system. We analyzed the trends and epidemiological aspects of outbreaks by month, place of occurrence, and causative pathogens in this observational study. The number of outbreaks has steadily increased over the last 5 years, but the number of cases per outbreak has followed a decreasing trend. Incidence at daycare centers and preschools has been steadily increasing over consecutive years. The steady number of patients and decreasing number of cases per outbreak, even as the number of outbreaks has been increasing, suggest that the KCDC's professional management system is operating effectively. It is necessary to continue improving the objectivity and efficiency of the management system and to carefully examine the increasing number of outbreaks in smaller-scale group catering facilities, such as daycare centers and preschools. Outbreaks can be prevented by closely examining those caused by unidentified pathogens and group outbreaks caused by other diseases, identifying problems, and supplementing the management system.

Heo N, et al. J Korean Med Sci. 2023 Apr;38(15):e117. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2023.38.e117

Background/Objectives: Pertussis continues to pose a substantial global health challenge despite widespread vaccination programs. This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of recent pertussis cases in the Gyeongnam region of South Korea. Methods: We analyzed 419 pertussis cases in the Gyeongnam region of South Korea between October 2023 and April 2024, using data collected from epidemiological investigation reports, medical records, and interviews with health officials and school staff. Results: Our analysis revealed a distinct age distribution pattern with minimal cases in infants (0.2% under 1 year) and young children (7.9% in ages 1–6 years), while school-aged children showed the highest incidence (31.8% in ages 7–9 years, 36.0% in ages 10–12 years). The outbreak pattern demonstrated a progressive shift from preschool and elementary school students to middle and high school students. The time from symptoms onset to diagnosis varied significantly across age groups, with a median of 3.0 days (1.0–6.0) overall; notably, this was longer in high school students at 5.0 days (2.3–8.0) (p = 0.023). While 92.4% (365/395) of cases were fully vaccinated, substantial delays were observed in third and fourth dose administration (18.2% and 25.8%, respectively), with considerable timing variability for the fifth and sixth doses. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the changing epidemiology of pertussis in South Korea, characterized by an age shift toward older children. These results emphasize the need for enhanced surveillance focusing on school-aged populations and the reassessment of vaccination strategies, particularly regarding booster dose timings and adherence.

Objectives: We described the trends and epidemiological characteristics of varicella outbreaks from 2016 to 2020 in the Republic of Korea.Methods: We investigated variables such as the outbreak setting, age of patients, vaccination status, and lesion count. The collected data were analyzed with the Cochrane-Armitage trend test and Kruskal-Wallis test. These statistical tests were performed using R ver. 4.0.3.Results: The number of varicella outbreaks increased from 2016 to 2018; however, after a slight decrease in the number of outbreaks in 2019, the number fell sharply in 2020. The median size of outbreaks decreased from 8 to 9 cases during 2016−2019 to 6 cases in 2020. The median duration of outbreaks was 18 days during 2016−2017, 28 days in 2018, 29 days in 2019, and 15 days in 2020. Varicella outbreaks occurred most frequently in elementary schools, and vaccination coverage of patients increased from 89.4% in 2016 to 97.2% in 2019. The median age of patients with outbreak-related varicella decreased from 8 years in 2016 to 6 years in 2020.Conclusion: Significant changes were observed in the age of patients with outbreak-related varicella. Ongoing monitoring of varicella outbreaks should be conducted. Further research will be needed to measure the disease burden of varicella and enable evidence-based policy decisions.