• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.344-354
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Although antibiotics have contributed to treatment of bacterial infection, the antibiotic abuse can lead to antibiotic resistant bacteria. Impact of human activities on distribution of antibiotic resistance has been intensively issued and occurrence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in contaminated environments would not be a surprise. Nonetheless, anthropogenic contamination with the dissemination of antibiotic resistance along uncontaminated environments has been less considered. The aim of this study is to investigate antibiotic resistant bacteria across Ulleungdo, known as antibiotic resistance free and anthropogenic pollution free environment in Rep. of Korea. METHODS AND RESULTS: Antibiotic resistant bacteria in coastal seawater of Ulleungdo were investigated in July 2021. Antibiotic susceptibility test using the disk diffusion method was applied with six drugs according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline. Total 43 bacterial isolates were tested and 20 isolates among of them showed multidrug resistance. Particularly, the number and ratio of resistant bacteria were relatively high in a densely populated area of Ulleungdo. The bacterial communities were investigated using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding approach in the coastal seawater and soils of Ulleungdo. In the bacterial communities, Firmicutes were selectively distributed only in seawater, suggesting the possibility of anthropogenic contamination in coastal seawater of Ulleungdo. CONCLUSION(S): We found antibiotic resistant bacteria in a populated area of Ulleungdo. The occurrence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in Ulleungdo seems to result from the recent anthropogenic impact. Consistent monitoring of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the uncontaminated environment needs to considered for future risk assessment of antibiotics.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.142-150
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• 2012

Objectives: To estimate the multi-antibiotic resistant bacterial contaminant load discharged from livestock farms, we randomly selected livestock farms specializing in cattle, swine, and fowl and collected bacterial strains from domesticated animal feces and compost samples. Problems with resistance to antibiotics are becoming worldwide issues, and as the consumption of antibiotics appears to be excessive in Korea as well, the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria shows the possibility to cause potentially serious social problems. Methods: To monitor multi-antibiotic resistant bacterial constituents, aerobic bacteria and Escherichia coli were isolated from domesticated animal feces and compost. Antibiotic resistance testing was performed by the disc diffusion method using 13 different antibiotics. Results: Examining the degree of sensitivity to antibiotics of the aerobic bacteria originating from domesticated animal feces, fowl feces showed the highest distribution rate (35.5%), followed by swine feces compost (23.1%), swine feces (18.2%), cattle feces (14.9%), and cattle feces compost (8.2%). Antibiotic resistance tests of aerobic bacteria and E. coli originating from domestic animals feces resulted in 83.6% and 73.5% of each strain showing resistance to more than one antibiotic, respectively. Conclusions: These results suggest that increasing multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria in the environment has a close relation to the reckless use of antibiotics in livestock.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.169-176
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• 2023

The emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria have been increasing with anthropogenic contamination. Understanding the prevalence and distribution of these resistant bacteria in environments is crucial for effectively managing anthropogenic pollutants. Lake Gyeongpo in the Gangwon Province of South Korea is known for its diverse ecological features and human interactions. The lake is exposed to pollutants from nonpoint sources, including urban areas, agricultural practices, and recreational activities, which can introduce antibiotics and foster antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The present study investigates Lake Gyeongpo as a potential reservoir for antibiotic-resistant bacteria in a natural ecosystem. A total of 203 bacterial isolates were collected from six sampling locations in Lake Gyeongpo during May, July, and November 2022. Most isolates were taxonomically identified as Pseudoalteromonas, Bacillus, Shewanella, and Vibrio spp.; their abundance showed a spatiotemporal distribution. An antibiotic susceptibility test was conducted on 75 isolates using the disk diffusion method with six drugs according to the CLSI guideline; 42 isolates were resistant to one or more antibiotics. Among these, 15 isolates were identified as multidrug resistant bacteria. This finding suggests the potential anthropogenic impact on Lake Gyeongpo and provides valuable insights into the dissemination of antibiotic resistance caused by anthropogenic pollutants.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 2016

Objectives: This study aims to examine the concentration, diversity, and antibiotic characteristics of penicillin G resistant enterobacteria present in pharmaceutical effluent. Methods: Water sampling was performed from a pharmaceutical company in Gyeonggi-do Province, Korea in March 2015. Water samples were plated in triplicate on tryptic soy agar plates with 32 mg/L of penicillin G. Penicillin G resistant enterobacteria were selected from the effluent and were subjected to 16S rRNA analysis for penicillin G resistant species determination. Identified resistant strains were tested for resistance to various antibiotics. Results: Penicillin G resistant enterobacteria were present at 6.2% as to culturable heterotrophic bacteria. Identified penicillin G resistant enterobacteria exhibited resistance to more than 10 of the antibiotics studied. These resistant bacteria are gram negative and are closely related to pathogenic species. Conclusion: Multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria in the effluent suggest a need for disinfection and advanced oxidation processes for pharmaceutical effluents.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1970

This report is to observe the rate of multiple resistance to various antibiotics among staphylococcus aureus and E. coli which were isolated with high frequency at our department during 1969. 1. One hundred fifty two strains(20.6%) resistant to four antibiotics multiple resistant was the highest incidence among 739 strains of Staphylococcus aureus. 2. Regarding the multiple antibiotic resistant of Staphylococcus aureus, 75strains(10.1%) to SA. PC. TC the three antibiotics resistant, have been observed, with the highest incidence, and next to this, 69 strains(9.3%) to SA. PC. SM. TC the four autibiotics resistant, and 68 strains(9.2%) to SA. PC. SM. CM. TC. SM. the six antibiotics resistant, have been observed in descending order. 3. The case of one hundred twenty seven strains(28.0%) of the six antibiotic multiple resistant among 454 strains of Escherchia coli was the highest incidence. 4. Concerning the multiple antibiotic resistant of Escherichia coli, 70 strains(l5.4%) to SA. SM. CM. TC. EM. FD. the six antibiotics resistant, have been observed, with the highest incidence, and next to this, 59 strains(l3.0%) to SA. SM. CM. TC. EM. FD. AC the seven antibiotics resistant, and 42 strains(9.3%) to SA. SM. CM. TC. EM. FD. KM. AC the eight antibiotics resistant have been observed in descending order.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

The surroundings of livestock farms, including dairy farms, are known to be a major source of development and transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. To control antibioticresistant bacteria in the livestock breeding environment, farms have installed livestock wastewater treatment facilities to treat wastewater before discharging the final effluent in nearby rivers or streams. These facilities have been known to serve as hotspots for inter-bacterial antibiotic-resistance gene transfer and extensively antibiotic-resistant bacteria, owing to the accumulation of various antibiotic-resistant bacteria from the livestock breeding environment. This review discusses antibiotic usage in livestock farming, including dairy farms, livestock wastewater treatment plants as hotspots for antibiotic resistant bacteria, and nonenteric gram-negative bacteria from wastewater treatment plants, and previous findings in literature.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.164-168
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• 2007

To investigate natural antibiotics from plant essential oils and to evaluate their synergism with current antimicrobial drugs in inhibiting antibiotic-resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of eleven plant essential oils and their main components were established for two antibiotic-susceptible and two antibiotic-resistant strains of S. pneumoniae, using broth microdilution tests. Potential synergism with oxacillin, norfloxacin, or erythromycin was evaluated using a checkerboard microtitre assay. Among the tested oils, Mentha piperita oil and its main component, menthol, exhibited the strongest inhibitory activities against all of the tested strains. The activity of antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant strains of S. pneumoniae was enhanced significantly by combination with Mentha piperita oils and its main component, menthol. In conclusion, the combination Mentha piperita essential oil or menthol with antibiotics could be used to reduce the effective dose of antibiotic and to modulate the resistance of S. pneumoniae strains.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.63-73
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• 1989

The purposes of this study were to find out the heavy metal and antibiotic resistant coliform bacteria from mineral water and the resistant factors. For the experiment, mineral water samples were taken from A area and B area during the period from march to July, 1988. The results of the experiment were as follows 1. From mineral water, eleven resistant coliforms and one susceptible coliform were isolated. 2. All resistant isolates harbored diverse plasmids of ranged ca. 14-54kb. 3. Susceptible coliform harbored a only plasmid of ca. 2.8 kb. 4. All resistant isolates harbored common size of plasmid of ca. 14kb. 5. As a result of the transformation and agarose gel electrophoresis experiments, resistant factor was R-plasmid. In conclusion, It is suggested that heavy metal contamination of mineral water is the selective pressure for the plasmid encoding the tolerance. Heavy metal resistance, in some case, is present with antibiotic resistance. Therefore, heavy metal contamination of mineral water induces antibiotic resistant bacteria.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.402-408
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• 1997

The antibiotic-producing strain HW-003 was screened from soil and found to be effective against the multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The spore chain of HW-003 was retinaculiaperti, and the spore surface was spiny. Strain HW-003 has a LL-diaminopimelic acid isoform in the cell wall. The aerial mass color of the strain was gray, and the reverse side was yellow-brown. The strain produced melanin, but did not produce soluble pigments. According to the Taxon program, HW-003 showed best match with Streptomyces cyaneus. Antibiotic production reached a maximum after 72-h cultivation. The antibiotic was purified with silica gel column chromatography, octadecylsilyl column chromatography, and HPLC. The purified antibiotic, AMRSA1, showed strong inhibitory activity against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and gram-positive bacteria. The molecular weight of AMRSA1 was about 1, 100. AMRSA1 was a peptide antibiotic containing alanine and serine.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.289-297
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• 2011

Objectives: To estimate the microbial contaminant load discharged from livestock farms, we randomly selected livestock farmers of cattle, swine, and fowl and collected bacterial strains from domestic animals' feces and compost samples. Recently, as multi-antibiotic-resistant bacteria and super bacteria showing resistance to a variety of antibiotics have been reported one after another, the ecological and health hazard of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is emerging as an important issue. Methods: Monitored indicator microorganism constituents were totak coliform (TC), fecal coliform (FC), and aerobic bacteria. The multi-antibiotic-resistant bacteria were identified from investigated indicator microorganisms by 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: By microbiological analysis, the largest population of aerobic bacteria ($1.5{\times}10^5$ CFU/g) was found in cattle fecal compost, and total coliforms ($1.1{\times}10^7$ CFU/g) and fecal coliforms ($1.0{\times}10^5$ CFU/g) were found primarily in swine fecal compost, while the lowest population was found in fowl fecal compost. Among the 67 strains separated from aerobic bacteria, five strains expressing high antibiotic resistance were selected in each sample. We found the multi-antibiotic resistant strains to be Shigella boydii, Staphylococcus lentus, Acinetobacter sp. and Brevibacterium luteolum. Conclusions: These results suggest that increasing numbers of multi-antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment have a close relation to the reckless use of antibiotics with livestock.