• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.709-717
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• 2015

Airborne bacteria from hog farms may have detrimental impacts on human health, particularly in terms of antibiotic resistance and pathogen zoonosis. Despite human health risks, very little is known about the composition and diversity of airborne bacteria from hog farms and hog-related spray fields. We used pyrosequencing analysis of 16S rRNA genes to compare airborne bacterial communities in a North Carolina hog farm and lagoon spray field. In addition, we isolated and identified antibiotic-resistant bacteria from both air samples. Based on 16S rRNA gene pyrosequence analysis, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla in airborne bacterial communities from both hog farm and spray field sites. Within the Firmicutes genera, Clostridium spp. were more abundant in the hog farm, whereas Staphylococcus spp. were higher in the spray field. The presence of opportunitic pathogens, including several Staphylococcus species and Propionibacterium acnes, was detected in both bioaerosol communities based on phylogenetic analysis. The isolation and identification of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from air samples also showed similar results with dominance of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria in both hog farm and spray field air. Thus, the existence of opportunistic pathogens and antibiotic resistant bacteria in airborne communities evidences potential health risks to farmers and other residents from swine bioaerosol exposure.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.316-319
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• 2017

The antibiotic resistant genes (ARG) and mobile genetic elements (MGE) were investigated with the effluent of waste-water treatment plant (WWTP), and river waters of upstream and downstream in order to elucidate the effect of effluent on antibiotic resistance in a natural river. Total numbers of 134~183 of ARG and MGE were detected and the abundance of ARG and MGE was 0.063~0.422 copies per one of 16S rRNA gene in three water samples. Effluent sample contained the highest amount of the total number and abundance of ARG and MGE whereas total viable cells were observed in the lowest amount among the three samples. This indicated that the genes were originated from cells died during the wastewater treatment process. In addition, the co-relationship of abundance between ARG and MGE suggested that acquired resistance was a prevalent mechanism among the antibiotic-resistant bacteria existing in WWTP.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.225-231
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• 2014

In this study, 185 cefotaxime-resistant Escherichia coli were isolated from different stages of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Daegu in Korea. Among them, 99.5% (184 isolates) originated from raw sewage and 0.5% (1 isolates) from the final effluent. Cefotaxime-resistant E. coli were high resistant to ampicillin, piperacillin, cefazolin, cephalothin, cefachlor and cefamandole (99.5~100%). About 93% of the cefotaxime-resistant E. coli were extended-spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamases (ESBL)-producing E. coli. The $bla_{TEM+CTX}$ gene was the most predominant of the ESBL genes (72.5%), followed by $bla_{CTX-M}$ (16.2%), $bla_{TEM}$ (8.7%), $bla_{TEM+CTX+SHV}$ (1.1%), $bla_{TEM+SHV}$, $bla_{TEM+OXA}$, and $bla_{TEM+CTX+SHV}$ (respectvely 0.5%). Class 1 and 2 integron were found in 49.7% and class 3 integron was not found. All of integron positive isolates were multiresistant (i.e. resistant to four or more antibiotics). Our findings showed WWTP is contaminated with antibiotic resistant bacteria with resistance genes.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2021

Tetracycline (TC) is one of the antibiotics used for treatment of bacterial infection in Korea. Inadequate usage and abuse cause the resistance to antibiotics, like Tetracycline, Erythromycin, and Fluoroquinolone. It can also affect severe economic loss in aquaculture field in Korea. We isolated 101 bacterial samples from diseased fish at aquaculture sites in Gyeonggi-do during 2015~2018. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method has been used to determine distribution and to identify bacterial isolates resistant to antibiotics including Oxytetracycline (OTC), Ampicillin (AMP), Clindamycin (CLI), Enrofloxacin (ENRO), Gentamycin (GEN). TC resistant isolates were confirmed antibiotic resistant genes by conventional PCR. Bacterial isolates were identified as Aeromonas spp. (43.5%), Pseudomonas spp. (4.0%) and Vibrio spp. (5.0%). It was confirmed that multi-resistant isolates (77.2%) were predominant over single-resistant one (22.8%). TC resistant genes like tet(A), tet(D), tet(E), tet(G), tet(M), and tet(S) were detected and tet(A) was the most prevalent. Aeromonas spp. is a dominant strain in bacterial infections in fishes of aquaculture sites, and further investigation on various antibiotic resistance genes will be needed for clear understanding of aquaculture sites in Gyeonggi-do.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.449-457
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• 2021

The aim of the present study was to survey the frequency of inducible and constitutive phenotypes and inducible cross-resistant genes by regulating the methylation of 23S rRNA (ermA, ermB, and ermC) and macrolide efflux-related msrA gene in Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis strains. A total of 172 bacterial isolates (identified based on standard tests), were examined in this study. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by the disk diffusion method, and all isolates were evaluated with respect to inducible and constitutive phenotypes. The presence of ermA, ermB, ermC, and msrA genes was investigated by a PCR assay. The constitutive resistance phenotypes showed a higher distribution among the isolates. R phenotype was detected more among S. epidermidis isolates (46.25%). ermB, ermC, and msrA genes were detected more in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis (MRSE) isolates that had R and HD phenotypes (>77% strains). The ermA gene had the lowest frequency among MRSA, MRSE, MSSA, and MSSE strains (<14% isolates). Distribution of inducible resistance genes in MRSA and MRSE strains, and possibly other species, leads to increased constitutive resistance to erythromycin, clindamycin, and other similar antibiotics. Therefore, it can be challenging to treat infections caused by these resistant strains.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.136-139
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• 2014

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the severe nosocomial infectious agents. The traditional diagnostic methods including biochemical test, antibiotic susceptibility test and PCR amplification are time consuming and require much work. The Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) biosensor is a rapid and powerful tool for analyzing the chemical composition within a single living cell. To identify the biochemical and genetic characterization of clinical MRSA, all isolates from patients were performed with VITEK2 gram positive (GP) bacterial identification and Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (AST). Virulence genes of MRSA also were identified by DNA based PCR using specific primers. All isolates, which were placed on a gold coated nanochip, were analyzed by a confocal Raman microscopy system. All isolates were identified as S. aureus by biochemical tests. MRSA, which exhibited antibiotic resistance, demonstrated to be positive gene expression of both femA and mecA. Furthermore, Raman shift of S. aureus and MRSA (n=20) was perfectly distinguished by a confocal Raman microscopy system. This novel technique explained that a SERS based confocal Raman microscopy system can selectively isolate MRSA from non-MRSA. The study recommends the SERS technique as a rapid and sensitive method to detect antibiotic resistant S. aureus in a single cell level.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.63 no.2
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• pp.16.1-16.6
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• 2023

Salmonella spp. are pathogens involved in most salmonellosis in rabbits. This study examined Salmonella disease in rabbits raised in Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam. Two hundred and 56 rectal swabs of rabbits were taken, and a carrier rate of 33.98% was found. In addition, all the isolated Salmonella spp. strains were 100% motile; positive for H₂S, catalase, Voges Proskauer, coagulase, citrate, maltose, and dextrose; and negative for indole, methyl red, urease, oxidase, sucrose, and lactose. The Kirby-Bauer method showed that these Salmonella strains were susceptible to doxycycline (93.2%), tetracycline (84.1%), and levofloxacin (65.9%). On the other hand, they were highly resistant to streptomycin (95.5%), ampicillin (93.2%), colistin (40.9%), and gentamicin (34.1%). Furthermore, polymerase chain reaction used to screen for virulence and specific genes of Salmonella strains showed that all Salmonella strains isolated carried InvA, fimA, and Stn.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.171-180
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• 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors in staphylococci isolated from canine otitis externa. A total 295 causative microorganisms were isolated. The most common isolated species were Staphylococcus (S) pseudintermedius (94 isolates) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (60 isolates), S. schleiferi (25 isolates), Escherichia coli (23 isolates) and Proteus mirabilis (20 isolates). Staphylococci isolates were showed high resistance to penicillin (78.6%), erythromycin (55.9%), tetracycline (52.4%), clindamycin (51.7%) and ciprofloxacin (42.8%). Of the 145 staphylococci isolates, 49 (33.8%) methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) were observed, distributed among S. pseudintermedius (n=34), S. schleiferi (n=6), S. epidermis (n=4), S. hominis (n=2), S. aureus, S. caprae and S. saprophyticus (n=1, respectively). Forty-three (87.8%) of 49 MRS and 10 (10.4%) of 96 methicillin-susceptibility staphylococci harbored mecA gene. About 80% of MRS were multidrug-resistant with resistance to at least one antibiotic in three or more antibiotic classes. Resistance genes blaZ (93/114, 81.5%), ermB (35/81, 43.2%), ermC (3/81, 3.7%), aacA-aphD (50/54, 92.5%), tetM (69/76, 90.7%) and tetK (6/76, 7.8%) were detected among resistant isolates. Virulence factors genes lukF and lukS were found in 100%(145/145) and 43.4%(63/145), respectively. Genes encoding ermA, eta, etb and tsst were not detected. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study which investigated for the presence of genes encoding antimicrobial resistance and staphylococcal toxins in staphylococci isolated from canine otitis externa. A continuous monitoring and surveillance program to prevent antimicrobial resistance in companion animals is demanded.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.61-65
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• 2013

Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic and inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by stimulating the dissociation of the peptidyl-tRNA molecule from the ribosomes during elongation. The use of macrolides has increased dramatically over the last few years and has led to an increase in bacterial resistance to these antibiotics. Bacterial resistance to erythromycin is generally conferred by the ribosome methylation and/or transport (efflux) protein genes. Among the identified erythromycin-resistant genes, erm(B) (erythromycin methylation) and mef(A) (macrolide efflux) are generally detectable in erythromycin-resistant streptococcal species. The distribution of these genes in oral streptococcal isolates has been reported in studies from other countries but has not been previously examined in a Korean study. We here examined by PCR the presence of erm(B) and mef(A) in oral streptococci isolated from Korean dental plaques. Among the 57 erythromycin-resistant strains tested, 64.9% harbored erm(B) whereas 40.4% were positive for mef(A). Eleven isolates had both the erm(B) and mef(A) genes. Twenty six isolates had only erm(B) and 12 isolates had only mef(A). Eight of the 57 strains examined were negative for both genes.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.214-216
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• 2023

Meropenem-resistant Pseudomonas peli CJ30 was isolated from the Han River, South Korea. The genome of strain CJ30 comprising 4,919,106 bp with a G + C content of 60.0% was assembled to nine contigs. The draft genome sequence contained 5,411 protein-coding genes, 18 rRNA genes, and 70 tRNA genes. Strain CJ30 contained bla_SFC-3 and ampC β-lactamase gene.