Preliminary Report of Histoplasmin and Coccidioidin Sensitivities among Workers in Kimpo AirPort.
Authors: Pak Jong Wook 
Published: May 2022

1. introduction:lt was believed that until this test was conducted. histoplasmosis and Coccidioidomycosis had not existed in this country. Such belief was attributable to two previous skin test performed by Dr. Han in Pusan in 1951 and Dr. Cortinglon in Kwangju in 1958 respectively. The former test was made to 3.000 persons to histoplasmin and all of them showed negative reaction, and all of 260 TB patient to Histoplasmin in the latter test also showed negative reaction. Author examined the skin test to histoplasmin and Coccidioidin to 66 workers in Kim Po AirPort.2. Persons given to Skin Test:This test has been conducted by subjecting a total of sixty-six (66) Government officials and employees of aviation companies, such as the KAL, NWA, and JAL, assigned to Kim Po Airport and other workers at the airport. The number breaks down into sixty-three (63) males and three (3) females. The duration of their service at the airport has been service first. and select only those who have been in service for not shorter than three months.3. Testing Method: Intracutaneous injections (0.1cc each) has been given on both forearm of the subject persons: Histoplasmin on the right arm and coccidioidin on thc left arm. Induration has been measured seventy-two hours later, and induration with a diameter of 6mm and more has been classified as positive. lnoculator were identical to the Reader. Miss pak Chung- Tong, a B.C.C. nurse at Model Tuberculosis Control Center of the Chung-Ku Health Center, has participatcd in this test. “Histoplasmin" antigen made by Park. Davis & Co. has been used in the test. (Bio. 498, Lot No. 958564E). diluted at a ratio of 1 : 100. As for coccidioidin, it was manufactured by the Biological Lab. of Wrair Co. (Lot No. C-08026), diluted at a ratio of 1 : 100. The two antigens were found as being properly kept in appropriate temperature.4. Results:As shown in Table 1, out of the 66 persons, eight (12%) showed positive reaction to histoplasmin only and three(4%) to coccidioidin only. Five persons (8%) showed positive reaction to both antigens. The number of persons who have showed positive reaction to either one of the two antigens or to both reached 16 (25 % ).Table 2 shows the relationship between the duration of service at the airport and persons who showed positive reaction. Table 3 shows the relationship between age group and persons with positive reaction. Table 4 shows the distribution of sizes of induration of histoplasmin and coccidioidin in Kim Po Airport workers. Out of 16 persons with positive reaction. X-lay were taken only on six persons. Of the six. four were determined as in normal and two with n trace of calcification resulted from apex on right chest. When occupationally classified, most of persons with positive reaction are those employees of the Ministry of Justice. Ministry of Transportation, KAL, and JAL, As shown in Table, none of the eight persons serving for five years and longer has shown positive reaction. The number includes three persons who have been serving at the airport for more than 10 years. About half of the number of persons who been in service for three 10 six months showed positive reaction.This fact lead us to presume that Histoplasosis and Coccidiodo-mycosis has brought into this country not long ago. To support this, about slightly more than half of persons whose emplovment period at the Airport ranges from three months to six months showed a positive reaction. Among the, a shoe shine boy showed a positive reaction; it has been barely three months since he first came to the Airport to work. According to Table 3, the number of positive reactions is slightly larger in the age group of 15 to 34 than in other age groups. But it hardly suggests any signiicant meaning.As shown in Table 4, three persons showed positive reaction to histoplasmin by 10 mm and larger. But the Induration to Coccidoioidin were by 0, 2 mm and 5 mm. Positive reactions to Coccidioidin by 9 mm, 10 mm , and 13 mm . 0n the other hand , Induration to histoplasmin were by 0, 0, and 4 mm. lt may be from these facts that the foregoing two diiferent discases have invaded into this country separately from each other. However, it is dificult to determine whether the “cross reaction" or the simultancons contamina tion by the two diseascs is responsible for a similar degree of positive reactions to the two antigens. At any rate. it is quite evident that the diseases are existing in this country. Coccidiodomycosis and blastomycosis make cross reactions to histoplasmin. Conclusion: 1. Intra Cutaneous histonimand coccidioidin reaction test has been conducted to a total of 66 workers at Kimpo Airport. among them, 13 Person (20%) had an induration of 6mm or more to histoplasmin. The number of persons who showed positive reaction to coccidioidin accounted for 12per cent of the total. The number of persons who have shown positive reaction to both antigens reached five (8%) .2. Judging from the relationship between the duration of service at the airport and persons with positive reactions, it is presumed that the disease invaded into this country not longer than five years ago.