• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2013

Purpose: Recently, bacterial contamination of equipment and accessories required for vision correction has become a main causal factor in ophthalmic diseases. Thus, We investigated on both the actual condition of bacterial contamination from glasses of vision correction. Methods: Investigation of microorganisms was carried out with a group of 145 glasses wearers, composed of 36 elementary school students, 37 middle school students, 38 high school students, 10 college students, and 32 aged men. Results: Seventeen species of bacteria are detected from glasses of vision correction: B. cereus, B. licheniformis, Bacillus sp., CNS, Enterococcus sp., Escherichia coli, Proteus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Serretia sp., Streptococcus sp., Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus hemolyticus,, Acinetobacter sp., Enterobacter cloacae, GNR, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Among 17 species of bacteria, there are some potential causative agents for keratitis, corneal ulcer, Acute dacryocystitis, Orbital cellulitis, Periphlebitis retinae, Marginal blepharitis, and Acute conjunctivitis. Enterobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis cause keratitis. Pseudomonas sp., and Staphylococcus aureus cause corneal ulcer. Staphylococcus aureus causes acute dacryocystitis, orbital cellulitis, periphlebitis retinae, marginal belpharitis. Streptococcus hemolyticus causes acute conjunctivitis. Conclusions: In summation, it is verified that hazardous, opportunistic and infectious microorganisms exist in glasses for vision correction. Ophthalmic diseases are predicted. Therefore, supplementary research on the development of a cleaning solution to cleanse the infection and of an effective method to remove microorganisms is required.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.424-428
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• 2013

To identify risk factors for Legionella contamination, water quality variables routinely measured in examination of natural and city waters were meta-analyzed for significance of correlation to Legionella incidences. For evaluation of abundance of Escherichia coli as a risk factor, which is currently used as an indicator of Legionella contamination in an official guideline in Korea, odds ratio (OR) of above-cutoff total coliform counts for Legionella presence/absence was used as the effect size in the meta-analysis. The OR was estimated as 1.05 (0.36-3.12, 95% CI), and the probability of having identical odds reached 0.92. Also, ORs from individual studies showed significant heterogeneity (P=0.008), which contributed to 63% of total variance of the ORs. In the case of heterotrophic plate count (HPC), the OR for Legionella presence/absence was 2.72 (2.04-3.63) with highly significant deviation from identical odds (P<0.0001). ORs from different studies were seemingly homogeneous ($Q_{df=8}$=12.7, P=0.12). Turbidity and concentrations of chlorine, iron ion and cupper ion were other routine variables that could be considered as risk factors. However, statistical measures from different studies were not uniform enough to develop an appropriate effect size while the number of studies reporting the variables was also small (3-5). In conclusion, HPC appeared to be appropriate as indicator of Legionella contamination, rather than fecal bacteria contamination. HPC may imply abundance of habitats (amoebas and biofilms) of Legionella in water. This result warrants further studies for standardizing protocols and cutoff values to infer Legionella risks from HPC.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.665-672
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• 2013

In radiology department, where patients with a variety of diseases receive their tests, there is a large possibility of cross contamination of nosocomial infection. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests take particularly more time than other tests do, which increases the possibility of being exposed to cross contamination. Therefore, this research examines the status of MRI equipment sterilization and investigates the bacterial distribution on head coils, which have the most frequent contact with patients, patient fixation blocks, and bores, which are confined spaces. The status of MRI equipment disinfection was examined by a survey targeting 150 employees, and the distribution of bacteria was measured in ten medical facilities. The result of bacterial distribution tests on MRI equipment showed various bacteria, including Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter, Sphingomona, Pantoea agglomeranss, Micrococcus, Bacillus, Saprophyticus, Brevundimona, and Myroidesspecies. The result of examining the stat us of MRI room disinfection showed that the disinfections of the head coil, block, and bore were implemented well, and the largest proportion was carried out once a day in the morning. The time and implementation of disinfection by the disinfection manager showed that they were implemented well when the manager was the MRI room examiner. The disinfection after examining a patient using an appropriate disinfectant is mandatory to prevent cross contamination.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.211-218
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• 1994

This experiment was conducted to obtain basic information for the establishment of in vitro initial culture system in Fritillaria thuubergii Miq. Methods of surface sterilization of scale segments as explant and effect of antibiotics added into the culture medium on contamination of explant and chilling treatment of mother bulb on bulblet formation were investigated. Portent of contamination of cultured scale segments was significantly higher in the outer scale segments which were unsuitable as initial culture explant than inner scale segments. Contamination of explants taken from inner scale of bulb was reduced by surface sterilizing explants in the solution of $4{\sim}5%$ sodium hypoclorite for $10{\sim}15$ mimutes. Addition of antibiotics such as kanamycin, vancomycia cefotaxim, agrirnycin and agreptomycin and dithane as fungicide and$lncyte^{tm}$ into MS medium was effective to reduce bateriological contamination, but did not work to control fungi. It had effective to delay the degree of contamination caused by fungi and bacteria haboring in cultured explants. Bulblet formation from cultured scale segments was promoted by dry storage for $2{\sim}4$ weeks or moisture storage of mother bulbs for $4{\sim}6$ weeks at $10^{\circ}C$ before excision of explants. Addition of kinetin into medium could not exerted for the bulblet formation from the scale segment of dry storaged bulb compared to control. But explant taken from 6 week moisture storaged bulb formed more than 10 bulblets per explant on the medium containing $3{\sim}5mg/L$ kinetin.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2011

Nivalenol (NIV), deoxynivalenol (DON), T-2 toxin (T-2) and zearalenone (ZEN) are mycotoxins produced by some Fusarium species known to be very frequently contaminated in feed. The study for simultaneous analysis and contamination survey in animal feed carried out. All mycotoxins were analysed by using high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass with internal standard. The limits of detection (LOD) were $2.0\;{\mu}g/kg$, $1.0\;{\mu}g/kg$, $1.0\;{\mu}g/kg$ and $0.1\;{\mu}g/kg$ for NIV, DON, T-2 and ZEN, respectively. Two hundred and thirty nine samples of feed were collected. The average concentration of DON was $212.3\;{\mu}g/kg$, $207.8\;{\mu}g/kg$ and $812.1\;{\mu}g/kg$ in chicken, pig and cattle feed, respectively. The average concentration of ZEN was $31.2\;{\mu}g/kg$, $35.6\;{\mu}g/kg$ and $147.2\;{\mu}g/kg$ for them, respectively. Especially, the levels of contamination for DON and ZEN were higher than those of NIV or T-2. And, the levels of contamination for four Fusarium mycotoxins in cattle feed appeared higher than those of pig and chicken feed. It was investigated that the high level of mycotoxin contamination in cattle feed was caused by com gluten feed of ingredients for feed, mainly.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.232-236
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• 2005

This study was performed to find out the patterns of Listeria spp. contamination during Kimbab preparation at the specialized restaurants. Samples were collected from ingredients, containers, equipments, and environments from two Kimbab restaurants from July through September, 2004. Isolation rate of Listeria spp. was $43.2\%$ among 264 samples. Strains isolated were Listeria innocua $35.9\%$, L. murrayi $6.8\%$, and L. grayii $0.3\%$. No L. monocytogenes was detected. Contamination level of ingredients, containers, equipments, and Kimbab sampled during afternoon was all significantly higher than the samples collected during morning(P < 0.05). The most influencing factor of contamination was improper handling or no disinfection procedures during Kimbab preparation. Safety controls are recommended as follows; prevention of cross-contamination during ingredients Preparation, temperature control for ingredients and Kimbab during holding, cleaning and disinfection of chopping boards and knives during preparation processing, and frequent changes of disposable gloves. Kimbab restaurants should recognize the importance of safety control using the Good Hygienic Practices.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.189-192
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• 2009

Purpose: Autopipetting system is an efficient automated equipment pipetting patient samples and reagents for rapid and accurate test. However, it can cause carryover between high concentration sample and low concentration sample. We evaluated carryover contamination of TECAN freedom Evo 100 autopipetting system. Materials and Method: We studied carryover contamination of $\alpha$-fetoprotein (AFP) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) test on TECAN freedom Evo 100 autopipetting system. Very low concentration control samples were pipetted for comparison to the contaminated very low concentration samples. Then, The contaminated very low concentration samples were pipetted following the high concentration samples were pipetted alternately. The difference of low concentration samples represents carryover. The target value to decide carryover was 1ppm (parts per million). Results: For AFP, the mean values of the uncontaminated control samples and the contaminated samples were less than 0.6 IU/mL (the l imit of detection (LoD)). Carryover did not occur even though the high concentration sample which value was 650000 IU/mL. For CEA, the values of the low concentration control samples and the contaminated samples were less than 0.2 ng/mL (LoD). Carryover did not occur even though the high concentration sample which value was 65,000 ng/mL. Conclusions: Sample carryover was not found on TECAN freedom Evo 100 autopipetting system for AFP, CEA. However, carryover is a potential problem with automated instruments and robotic pipetting systems. Therefore, Clinical laboratories must periodically verify carryover contamination for the accurate and confidential test results.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.38 no.3 s.150
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• pp.205-216
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• 2007

South Korea is the representative consumption country of herbal medicines and most of herbal medicines circulating in Korea have been importing from the developing countries of Southeast Asia such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia and so forth. Domestic hygiene and safety are continuously proposed because herbal medicines which are circulating have the possibility could remain contaminants or residues. Physicochemical contaminants such as heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, radionucleosides, microbial toxins, biological contaminants such as microorganisms and animals, agrochemical residues such as pesticides, substances used for fumigation, antiviral agents, and solvent residues are classified as major contaminants and residues in herbal medicines from 2005 September WHO.$^{1)}$ Currently our administration have established a permission standard and the inspection criteria against the heavy metal, the residual pesticides and a residual sulfur dioxide. Furthermore our administration is continuously monitoring and conducting researches for the policies and their scientific ground against herbal medicines. But the appearances or discoveries of the harmful new species due to environmental and industrial developments are becoming social problems. Therefore it may be necessary to continuously consider and investigate regarding hereupon. Recently, the contamination of the mycotoxins against foods such as cereals, nuts and the powdered red pepper have developed and started became problematic issue, and possibility of contamination against the herbal medicine is proposed. And since populations who are using the herbal medicines very limited to several nations, recognition and researches about contamination of mycotoxins in herbal medicines are very insufficient. Therefore it will be need to more focus on the international regulation of quality control and safety for herbal medicines. Now on, we are going to introduce the importance, occurrence, characteristic properties, World-wide research trends and detoxification of aflatoxins, which is known as the most potent mutagen, carcinogen and teratogen mycotoxins.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2016

This study was aimed to assess microbiological contamination level of Liriope platyphylla farms (A, B, and C) located in Cheongyang, Chungnam province. Specimens sampled from those farms and L. platyphylla tuberous roots were assessed for sanitary indication bacteria such as total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, and Escherichia coli and pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, quantitatively and qualitatively. As a result, those farms are not contaminated by E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., at all. And S. aureus was only found qualitatively from workers' gloves at a farm. As a whole, those farms (soil, harvest container, harvester, cleanser, washing water and tray) were maintained in a low level of microbiological contamination. However a cleanser was contaminated by coliforms ($4.35log\;CFU/100cm^2$), and it is required to improve farm hygiene. Microbiological contamination level of L. platyphylla tuberous root was decreased in the postharvest process including washing and drying.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2011

Paprika is a major export of Korea, but biosafety is important if exports are to grow. To date, few paprika biosafety data are available. We evaluated microbiological contamination of paprika, and determined bacterial levels with respect to storage temperature. Mean counts of total aerobic bacteria were $2.3{\pm}0.3\;log_{10}\;CFU/g$, but coliforms were not isolated. Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Listeria spp., and Escherichia coli O157 were also not detected. When bacterial contamination of paprika stored at room temperature or $4^{\circ}C$ for 20 days was evaluated, the numbers of total aerobic bacteria peaked at 14-16 days at room temperature (4 times more than those of $4^{\circ}C$). However, aerobic bacteria grew slowly at $4^{\circ}C$. Coliforms were also detected twice at room temperature, but not upon storage at $4^{\circ}C$. The results indicate that the paprika exported from Korea is relatively biosafe. However, food hygiene issues must be addressed to reduce contamination during storage and distribution.