• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제26권12호
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• pp.2206-2213
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• 2016

Recently, several studies have revealed that commercial microbial identification systems do not accurately identify the uncommon causative species of candidiasis, including Candida famata, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, and C. auris. We investigated the accuracy of species-level identification in a collection of clinical isolates previously identified as C. famata (N = 38), C. lusitaniae (N = 1 2), and M. guilliermondii (N = 5) by the Vitek 2 system. All 55 isolates were re-analyzed by the Phoenix system (Becton Dickinson Diagnostics), two matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry analyzers (a Vitek MS and a Bruker Biotyper), and by sequencing of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions or 26S rRNA gene D1/D2 domains. Among 38 isolates previously identified as C. famata by the Vitek 2 system, the majority (27/38 isolates, 71.1%) were identified as C. tropicalis (20 isolates) or C. albicans (7 isolates) by ITS sequencing, and none was identified as C. famata. Among 20 isolates that were identified as C. tropicalis, 17 (85%) were isolated from urine. The two isolates that were identified as C. auris by ITS sequencing originated from ear discharge. The Phoenix system did not accurately identify C. lusitaniae, C. krusei, or C. auris. The correct identification rate for 55 isolates was 92.7% (51/55 isolates) for the Vitek MS and 94.6% (52/55 isolates) for the Bruker Biotyper, as compared with results from ITS sequencing. These results suggest that C. famata is very rare in Korea, and that the possibility of misidentification should be noted when an uncommon Candida species is identified.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.423-431
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• 2006

Among 53 Acinetobacter baumannii isolates collected in 2004, nine imipenem-resistant isolates were obtained from clinical specimens taken from patients hospitalized in Busan, Korea. Nine carbapenemase-producing isolates were further investigated in order to determine the mechanisms underlying resistance. These isolates were then analyzed via antibiotic susceptibility testing, microbiological tests of carbapenemase activity, pI determination, transconjugation test, enterobacterial repetitive consensus (ERIC)-PCR, and DNA sequencing. One outbreak involved seven cases of infection by A. baumannii producing OXA-23 ${\beta}-lactamase$, and was found to have been caused by a single ERIC-PCR clone. During the study period, the other outbreak involved two cases of infection by A. baumannii producing IMP-1 ${\beta}-lactamase$. The two clones, one from each of the outbreaks, were characterized via a modified cloverleaf synergy test and an EDTA-disk synergy test. The isoelectric focusing of the crude bacterial extracts detected nitrocefin-positive bands with pI values of 6.65 (OXA-23) and 9.0 (IMP-1). The PCR amplification and characterization of the amplicons via direct sequencing showed that the clonal isolates harbored $bla_{IMP-1}$ or $bla_{oxA-23}$ determinants. The two clones were characterized by a multidrug resistance phenotype that remained unaltered throughout the outbreak. This resistance encompassed penicillins, extended-spectrum cephalosporins, carbapenems, monobactams, and aminoglycosides. These results appear to show that the imipenem resistance observed among nine Korean A. baumannii isolates could be attributed to the spread of an IMP-lor OXA-23-producing clone. Our microbiological test of carbapenemase activity is a simple method for the screening of clinical isolates producing class D carbapenemase and/or class B $metallo-{\beta}-lactamase$, in order both to determine their clinical impact and to prevent further spread.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.161-166
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• 2007

To develop a rapid and reliable single-tube-based PCR technique for detection simultaneously the quinolone resistance qnrA, qnrB and qnrS genes. After multiple alignment, primers were designed to detect known qnr variants. I was used for A total of 43 extented-spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamases (ESBLs) producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from university hospital were tested for screening, as with qnr genes. In optimized conditions, all positive controls confirmed the specificity of the PCR primers. Out of 43 isolates, qnrA genes were detected 19 (44.2%), qnrB genes 5 (11.7%), qnrS genes 15 (34.9%) and 8 (18.6%) isolates were not detected. I report here a fast and reliable technique for rapid screening of qnr positive strains to be used for epidemiological surveys.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.221-229
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• 2018

Trichophyton rubrum is one of the well-known pathogenic fungi and causes dermatophytosis and cutaneous mycosis in human world widely. However, there are not an available sequence type (ST) classification methods and previous studies for T. rubrum until now. Therefore, currently, molecular biological tools using their DNA sequences are used for genotype identification and classification. In the present study, in order to characterize the genetic diversity and the phylogenetic relation of T. rubrum clinical isolates, five different housekeeping genes, such as actin (ACT), calmodulin (CAL), RNA polymerase II (RPB2), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), and ${\beta}$-tubulin (BT2) were analyzed using by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Also, DNA sequence analysis was performed to examine the differences between the sequences of Trichophyton strains and the identified genetic variations sequence. As a result, most of the sequences were shown to have highly matched rates in their housekeeping genes. However, genetic variations were found on three different positions of ${\beta}$-tubulin gene and were shown to have changed from $C{\rightarrow}G$ (1766), $G{\rightarrow}T$ (1876), and $C{\rightarrow}A$ (1886). To confirm the association with T. rubrum inheritance, a phylogenetic tree analysis was performed. It was classified as four clusters, but there was little significant correlation. Even so, MLST analysis is believed to be helpful for determining the genetic variations of T. rubrum in cases where there is more large-scale data accumulation. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated the first MLST analysis of T. rubrum in Korea and explored the possibility that MLST could be a useful tool for studying the epidemiology and evolution of T. rubrum through further studies.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제85권3호
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• pp.256-263
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• 2022

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is resistant to the β-lactam antibiotics due to a non-classical transpeptidase in the cell wall with β-lactamase activity. A recent study showed that meropenem combined with clavulanate, a β-lactamase inhibitor, was effective in multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB). However, in Korea, clavulanate can only be used as drugs containing amoxicillin. In this study, we investigated the susceptibility and genetic mutations of drug-resistant Mtb isolates to amoxicillin-clavulanate and meropenem-clavulanate to improve the diagnosis and treatment of drug-resistant TB patients. Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of amoxicillin-clavulanate and meropenem-clavulanate was examined by resazurin microtiter assay. We used 82 MDR and 40 XDR strains isolated in Korea and two reference laboratory strains. Mutations of drug targets blaC, blaI, ldtA, ldtB, dacB2, and crfA were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing. Results: The MIC₉₀ values of amoxicillin/clavulanate and meropenem/clavulanate in drug-resistant Mtb isolates were 64/2.5 and 16/2.5 mg/L, respectively. Gene mutations related to amoxicillin/clavulanate and meropenem/clavulanate resistance could not be identified, but T448G mutation was found in the blaC gene related to β-lactam antibiotics' high susceptibility. Conclusion: Our results provide clinical consideration of β-lactams in treating drug-resistant TB and potential molecular markers of amoxicillin-clavulanate and meropenem-clavulanate susceptibility.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.299-306
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• 2012

Recently, the prevalence of 16S rRNA methylase conferring high-level resistance to aminoglycosides has been increasing in Gram-negative bacilli globally. We determined the prevalence and genotype of these methylase-producing bacteria, and characterized the co-resistance to ${\beta}$-lactam antibiotics and quinolone in Gram-negative clinical isolates collected in 2010 at a hospital in Korea. Among 65 amikacin-resistant isolates screened from 864 Gram-negative bacilli (GNB), 16S rRNA methylase genes were detected from 49 isolates, including Acinetobacter baumannii (43), Klebsiella pneumoniae (2), Proteus mirabilis (2) and Serratia marcescens (1), Empedobacter brevis (1). All of the 16S rRNA methylase genotype was armA and no variant sequences of amplified PCR products for armA were noted. The 16S rRNA methylase producing bacteria showed much higher resistance to aminoglycoside for Enterobacteriaceae and glucose non-fermenting (NF)-GNB and to imipenem for glucose NF-GNB, than the non-producing isolates. All of the 16S rRNA methylase producing Enterobacteriaceae had the extended-spectrum-${\beta}$-lactamase. In addition, two K. pneumoniae concurrently produced both plasmid-mediated AmpC ${\beta}$-lactamase and qnrB gene. All of the amikacin-resistant A. baumannii (43) co-harbored armA 16S rRNA methylase and $bla_{OXA-23}$ carbapenemase. In conclusion, 16S rRNA methylase producing bacteria were very prevalent among GNB in South Korea, and were commonly associated with co-resistance, including carbapenem and quinolone.

• 대한미생물학회지
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.3-8
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• 1980

Yersinia enterocolitica has been known to be an important enteric pathogen especially in Scandinavian countries and Canada. In Korea, the authors reported the first case of Y. pseudotuberculosis septicemia in 1979. In 1980, three isolates of Y enterocolitica were obtained from 3 adult patients with enteritis, besides the already reported one in a 5-month-old child, during March to June 1980. Difficulty in the isolation was experienced; ie., the organism was isolated only from the SS primary isolation plate in one case and in the other two cases only from the SS plates inoculated with overnight culture of selenite broth. The isolates showed typical cultural and biochemical characteristics except for the nonmotility even at room temperature. Two isolates were indole negative possibly belonging to Wauter's biotype 3 and the other one was indole positive belonging to biotype 2. One patient was tested for the serum agglutinin titer on the 8th hospital day and it was found to be 1:128. All of the isolates were susceptible to chloramphenicol, colistin, gentamicin, kanamycin, tetracyclne, and tobramycin by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. All of the infections were controled by ampicillin, amoxicillin, amikacin, or gentamicin treatment. It is considered urgent to broaden our knowledge on yersiniosis in Korea not only by isolating, serotyping and biotyping of the organism, but also by surveying serum agglutinin titer of enteritis patients and normal individuals.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.354-359
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• 2003

Multiplex-PCR protocols were designed in order to make a rapid identification of MRSA. MecA, femB, and 165 rRNA genes were amplified for making a detection of MRSA. The incidence of MRSA in the clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus was examined by using a multiplex-PCR assay. The mecA gene was detected in 266 strains out of 336 clinical isolates of S. aureus, thus the incidence of MRSA was approximately 76.5%. The MRSAs of 247 strains (96.1%) showed resistance to more than eight species of the antimicrobial agents tested. The isolates of MRSA showed 27 different antimicrobial-resistant patterns. The results indicate that many different MRSA strains having high multidrug resistance are actually prevalent in Korea. Also, VISA was screened from the MRSA. Two strains were grown on the BHI agar plate supplemented with $8\;\mu\textrm{g}/ml$ of vancomycin at a frequency of $1/10^8$ colony forming units or higher.

• 한국수산과학회지
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.247-254
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• 2014

To investigate the acquisition of quinolone resistance, we examined mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of type II topoisomerase genes in ciprofloxacin (CIP)-resistant clinical isolates and in vitro mutants of Streptococcus parauberis. The CIP-resistant clinical isolates had one base change responsible for a Ser-79${\rightarrow}$Thr in the QRDR of parC. However, the CIP-resistant in vitro mutants had an altered QRDR of parC (Ser-79${\rightarrow}$Ile) that differed from that of the isolates. None of the CIP-resistant S. parauberis clinical isolates or in vitro mutants exhibited amino acid changes in gyrA or gyrB. However, even though involvement in the increased resistance was not clear, an Arg-449${\rightarrow}$Ser mutation outside of the QRDR of parE was detected in CIP-resistant mutant 2P1. These results suggest that the topoisomerase IV gene, parC (and possibly parE, as well), is the primary ciprofloxacin target in S. parauberis. Additionally we established a high-resolution melting (HRM) assay capable of detecting the dominant mutation in four type II topoisomerase genes conferring ciprofloxacin resistance. These rapid and reliable assays may provide a convenient method of surveillance for genetic mutations conferring antibiotic resistance.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.174-183
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• 2016

In the present study, a serum-based minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing to caspofungin was optimized and evaluated to solve the limitations of the conventional Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline-based antifungal agent MIC test and the usefulness of this testing for clinical application was determined. A total of 105 Candida albicans clinical isolates were used for measuring MIC to caspofungin. Results showed that growth characteristics were different according to types of serum and the mouse serum was the most suitable for this assay. In order to measure the optimal concentration of mouse serum, 0 to 100% mouse serum were added to the media during fungal culture. The optimal concentration of serum was 50% when consideration of antifungal agent administration and inoculum size, serum components and ease of hyphae separated, and the consideration of the degree of growth. In comparison of the usefulness between the conventional Alamar-modified broth microdilution MIC assay and 50% mouse serum-based MIC testing, the range of $MIC_{80}$ of the Alamar-modified broth microdilution MIC assay was $0.13{\sim}2.0{\mu}g/mL$ (SD ${\pm}0.42{\mu}g/mL$) and that of the 50% mouse serum-based MIC assay was $2.0{\sim}32.0{\mu}g/mL$ (SD ${\pm}9.01{\mu}g/mL$). The range of $MIC_{50}$ of the Alamar-modified broth microdilution MIC assay was $0.13{\sim}2.0{\mu}g/mL$ (SD ${\pm}0.40{\mu}g/mL$) and that of the 50% mouse serum-based MIC assay was $1.0{\sim}16.0{\mu}g/mL$ (SD ${\pm}2.36{\mu}g/mL$). The MICs of 50% mouse serum-based MIC testing was increased by up to 4 to 64 times than Alamar-modified broth microdilution MIC assay. In conclusion, a 50% mouse serum-based MIC assay was more useful for measuring MIC in Candida albicans clinical isolates than conventional colorimetric broth microdilution MIC testing.