• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.341-345
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• 2010

The prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibilities of Staphylococcal isolates from bovine milk samples were assessed. From January 2009 to October 2009, a total 287 bovine milk samples were randomly collected from 15 stock raising farms located in northern area of Kyunggi province and cultured for the presence of Staphylococci spp. A total 79 staphylococcal isolates were recovered from the milk samples. The predominant isolates were S. aureus (43.03%) and S. chromogenes (24.05%). Antimicrobial resistance patterns of 79 Staphylococcal isolates against ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, gentamicin, oxacillin, teicoplanin, tetracyclin, and vancomycin were tested. Staphylococcal isolates revealed the highest resistance to ampicillin (56.96%) and oxacillin (39.23%). Of 31 oxacillin resistance strains, 8 strains carry mecA gene which is responsible for methicillin resistance.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.17-26
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• 1999

To evaluate the spreading possibilities of the marRAB mutation of E. coli Mar mutant among gram-negative bacilli, chromosomal marRAB mutations of Mar mutants were transduced by $\lambda$placMu9 into pUC19 (Lac$^{+}$, Ap$^{r}$) cloning site in another strains of E. coli or onto the chrmosome of S. typhimurium and P. aeruginosa, selected for transduction by Mar phenotype, Lac$^{-}$, or Ap$^{r}$, and tested for their antimicrobial resistance with or without addition of salicylate (SAL). Compared with wild type strains of JM109, NM522, harboring pUC19 or not, respectively, all strains of JM109 or NM522 carrying pUC19::marRAB mutation showed higher levels of antimicrobial resistance and SAL induction of Mar phenotype than those of wild type. However, in contrast to the original Mar mutants, there were some tendencies of decreased antimicrobial resistance of JM109 or NM522 harboring pUC19::marRAB mutation with SAL induction against chlorarnphenicol (Cm) and tetracycline (Tc), or Tc and ciprofloxacin (Cp), respectively. Almost the same results, as shown as the cases of E. coli JM109 or NM522, were obtained from all transductants of S. typhimurium and P. aeruginosa, except Cp, against which increased antimicrobial resistance with SAL induction was shown. This study, employed the methods of transformation or transduction among intercellular gene transfer methods between gram-negative bacteria, shows the evidences that suggest indirectly the spreading possibilities of marRAB mutation among gram-negative bacilli.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.303-307
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• 2010

Acinetobacter baumannii 1625, a clinical isolate identified by Vitek and 16S rDNA sequence, showed an extended resistance to most ${\beta}$-lactams including imipenem, kanamycin, gentamicin, tobramycin, and cephalosporins of the third and fourth generations, and produced metallo-${\beta}$-lactamase (MBL) of IMP-1 type which is rare in Korea. The isolate contained a class 1 integron of about 2.5 kb in size and the integron included accA4 (aminoglycoside resistance gene), $bla_{IMP-1}$ (carbapenem resistance gene), and $bla_{OXA-2}$ (extended-spectrum ${\beta}$-lactam resistance gene) gene cassettes in order. The coexistence of IMP-1 type and OXA-2 type ${\beta}$-lactamase gene cassettes in an integron has not been reported in Korea. The transformed integron rendered the E. coli transformant resistant more than eight folds against imipenem, ampicilin, piperacillin, cefazolin, cefoperazone, and aztreonam comparing to the reference strain. This study clearly showed that the extended multi-drug resistance of A. baumannii 1625 was mainly due to the integron.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.299-305
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• 2006

D-Alaninepeptidase purified from Bacillus amyloliquefaciene CMB01 caused a reduction of survival of Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Staphylococcus aureus placed under the osmotic pressure. D-Alaninepeptidase caused an increase of susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics. An increased number of malformed cells in bacterial groups exposed to D-alaninepeptidase was observed by scanning electron microscopy. These data suggested that bacterial cells exposed to D-alaninepeptidase resulted in an increase of vulnerability of bacterial cells toward environmental stress, such as osmotic pressure and antibiotic substances.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.3 s.83
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• pp.386-395
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• 2007

A total of 27 strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (18 strains isolated from Korea and 9 strains from Japan) were serotyped and examined for biochemical characteristics, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, cytotoxicity assay, thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) production and molecular epidemiology. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method and DNA probe hybridization method, the strains were tested for toxR, tdh, trh and ORF 8 genes. The V. parahaemolyticus isolated from patients were belonged to 8 different serotypes : O3:K6, O1:K38, O3:K57, O4:K9, O4:Kl2, O4:K68, O5:Kl5 and O6:K46. Urease-positive strain possessed the trh gene, and conversely, urease-negative strains lacked the gene, indicating that urease production by V. parahemolyticus strains strongly correlates with the possession of the trh gene. Most strains showed multiple resistant to more than three antibiotics and the antibiogram could be classified into 6 group (I to VI). All of the O3:K6 strains isolated in South Korea and Japan producted TDH at high levels. The TDH titers ranged between 256 and 2.048, and the average titer was 1009. To distinguish the new and increasingly common V. parahaemolyticus strains from clinical isolates, ORF 8 is a useful genetic marker. After Southern hybridization, the HindIII restriction fragment patterns of the tdh gene were grouped one type, respectively. One type showed two bands one of which was 4.3kb and the other was 11.5kb in size. Variation between the O3:K6 serotype are minor when compared to the differences seen with the non O3:K6 strains. The migration patterns of Not I -digested of the total DNA of the O3:K6 strains were similar, and only slight variations were observed between the serotypes. By contrast, the O3:K6 strains and non O3:K6 had markedly different profiles. In conclusion, Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profile using appropriate primers was an effective epidemiological marker.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2018

The objective of this study was to investigate the plasmid profiling of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Vibrio in influent (inflow) and effluent (discharged) water samples of fish farms in Jeju, South Korea. MDR isolates identified through disc diffusion susceptibility tests, were subjected to plasmid profiling. One hundred fifty Vibrio isolates were obtained from each influent and effluent water sample. All MDR isolates were subjected to plasmid profiling. Greater number of bacteria were enumerated from effluents (61%) comparing to influents (39%). High incidence of neomycin, sulfamethoxazole, amoxicillin and oxytetracycline resistance was observed among the isolates, which was higher in effluent samples. In contrast, Vibrio isolates were more susceptible to florfenicol, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, and nalidixic acid. Among 99 (influent 39 and effluent 60) MDR isolates, a total of 58 (influent 38 and effluent 20) were found to bear plasmids ranging from 1.7 kb to >10 kb and showed 19 different antibiograms according to the size of plasmids. MDR isolates showed six and four distinct plasmid profiles in influent and effluent, respectively. Effluent samples contained more plasmid-carrying MDR Vibrio isolates with more diverse plasmid profiles and antibiograms, suggesting that fish farm tanks may serve as a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes. The presence of plasmid-carrying MDR Vibrio isolates in fish farm effluent water may contribute to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes to the environments, which ultimately poses threat to human health.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.86-93
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• 1971

Escherichiae-like organisms were isolated from rectal specimens of 56 children who were either in preschool age or in elementary school. The isolated strains were subjected to tests to screen enteropathogens producing heat-labile enterotoxin and susceptibility test to various antibiotics by disc diffusion method on agar plates. Production of heat-labile enterotoxin by the strains was assyed in the sensitive and reproducible cultured adrenal tumor cell system. The assay was sterodogenesis of the cell in the presence of heat-labile enterotoxin. Among 56 strains, gave positive reaction in the test of toxin production. This meant that about 10% of the children population objected to the study harbored the toxigenic strain of enteropathogenes. Some of these toxigenic strains were resistant to the antibiotics employed in the test. This study suggested that considerable population in Korea may harbor entertoxigenic E. coli as a part of intestinal normal flora. The toxigenic strains which are resistant to antibiotics may bring issue of public health in the future.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.70-88
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• 2020

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) form an essential part of the intestinal microbiota of the human body and possess the ability to stabilize the intestinal microbiota, strengthen immunity, and promote digestion as well as intestinal synthesis of vitamins, amino acids, and proteins. Hence, LAB are currently widely used in various products. However, due to the indiscriminate overuse of antibiotics in humans and livestock, bacterial resistance to antibiotics has been increasing rapidly, which has led to serious problems in the treatment of bacterial infections. Additionally, several reports have revealed that antibiotic-resistant LAB may infect people whose immune systems are not fully developed or whose immune systems are temporarily weakened. Therefore, it is imperative to consider the possibility of antibiotic-resistant LAB causing diseases in humans and animals, investigate the mechanism of action between antibiotics and LAB, and determine the relevant regulations for the safe use of LAB.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.76-88
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution of Enterococci isolated from clinical specimens, and identify the aspect of antibiotic susceptibility and analyze the genetic difference by executing Rep-PCR over the strains resistant to aminoglycoside-typed antibiotics. From an assortment of the clinical specimens, 100 strains were isolated. The collection consisted of 49 strains of E. faecalis, 34 strains of E. faecium, 9 strains of E. avium, 4 strains of E. gallinarum, 3 strains of E. casseliflavus, and 1 strain of E. hirae. Ninety five were isolated from inpatients, and five strains were isolated from outpatient. Most of the E. faecalis and E. faecium were originated from urine, pus, and sputum. Most Enterococci showed 80% resistance to the cephalosprin-typed antibiotics. E. faecium showed the high resistance to all the antibiotic substances. One tenths of Enterococci showed the resistance to vancomycin. And also, most Enterococci showed the high resistance to amikacin and gentamicin as aminoglycoside-typed antibiotics. Genetic diversity of the resistant strains to aminoglycoside estimated using Rep-PCR was not significanty different.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 1992

Of the cadmium-tolerant 162 bacterial strains isolated from soils, river waters or active sludges of waste-water disposal plants in the Gyeongnam province a strain C1, which showed considerably higher growth rate in the agar plate containing 2000 ppm than any other strains isolated, was identified as a Pseudomonas putida or its similar strain when analyzed by taxonomical characteristics. Optimum pH and temperature for the growth of the P, putida were 7.0 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. This strain was resistant to antibiotics(ampicillin, chloramphenicol and streptomycin), and heavy metals(lithium, cupper, lead and zinc). This strain utilized salicylate, naphthalene or xylene as a sole carbon source. The rate of cadmium accumulation in P. putida cell was enhanced at low concentration of Cd in the growth media. The maximum cadmium absorption by this strain grown in 1 and l0ppm of Cd was respectively 78% and 60% 24 hrs after culture, but in 100 ppm Cd, 40% 48 hrs after culture. Addition of a non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100(0.1%) to the medium enhanced the accumulation of cadmium in the P. putida up to approximately 37%.