• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.777-783
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• 2006

Purpose : Urinary tract infection(UTI) is one of the most frequent infections in children. E. coli is the most frequent etiological micropathogen in pediatric community UTI, and E. coli has developed resistance to many antibiotics, highlighting the need for regular surveys of this organism resistant patterns in the community. The aim of this study was to determine the oral antibiotic susceptibility patterns of E. coli, isolated from pediatric patients with uncomplicated community acquired UTI. Methods : E. coli isolates, obtained from pediatric patients with uncomplicated community acquired UTI between October in 2004 to September in 2005. And minimal inhibitory concentrations(MICs) of oral aminopenicillins and beta-lactamase inhibnitors(ampicillin, amoxacillin, ampicillin-sulbactam), oral cephalosporins(cefaclor, cefixime) and sulfa drug(trimethoprime-sulfamethoxazole) were performed according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards(NCCLS) guide line. Results : Total 211 organisms were isolated from pediatric out-patients with community UTI. E. coli was the most common organism(89 percent), followed by E. fecalis, Proteus species, S. aureus, M. morganii, and P. aeruginosa. The resistant rates of aminopenicillins and beta-lactamase inhibitors, cefaclor and sulfa drug to E. coli were very high. But, the resistant rate of cefixime was markedly low, and ESBL strains were isolated with small rates. Conclusion : Our study results suggest that aminopenicillins, cefaclor and sulfa drug may not be useful as first line empirical antibiotics to treat pediatric patients with community UTI in Korea. But, 3rd generation cephalosporin such as cefixime can be used as effective second line antibiotics after primary treatment failure, also may be useful as an empirical first line antibiotic. Finally, we conclude that a continuous surveillance study to monitor susceptibility patterns of E. coli in community UTI will be needed for the standard guide lines of empirical oral antibiotic treatment.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.403-411
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• 2009

Thiacremonone, the main component isolated from heated garlic (Allium sativum L.), is interested for using as a cancer preventive or therapeutic agent since garlic has been known to be useful plant in the treatment of cancers. Nuclear factor kappaB (NF-${\kappa}B$) is constitutively activated in the prostate cancer and activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ is implicated in drug resistance in cancer cells. Docetaxel, a semisynthetic analog of paclitaxel, is an antineoplastic drug widely used for advanced various cancer. In previous studies, we found that thiacremonone inhibited activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ in cancer cells and marcrophages. In the present study, we investigated whether thiacremonone could increase susceptibility of prostate cancer cells (PC-3 and DU145) to docetaxel via inactivation of NF-${\kappa}B$. We found that the combination treatment of thiacremonone (50 ${\mu}g$/ml) with docetaxel (5 nM) was more effective in the inhibition of prostate cancer cell growth and induction of apoptosis accompanied with the significant inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$ activity than those by the treatment of thiacremonone or docetaxel alone. It was also found that NF-${\kappa}B$ target gene expression of Bax, caspase-3 and caspase-9 was much more significantly enhanced, but the expression of Bcl-2 was also much more significantly inhibited by the combination treatment. These results indicate that thiacremonone inhibits NF-${\kappa}B$, and enhances the susceptibility of prostate cancer cells to docetaxel. Thus, thiacremonone could be useful as an adjuvant anti-cancer agent.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.146-151
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• 2008

Purpose : Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is recognized to be the most difficult pathogen to control and treat in pediatric burn centers. We analyzed the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of A. baumannii in our pediatric burn intensive care unit during the past 7 years. Methods : We retrospectively evaluated 56 patients (105 samples) under the age 15 years and who were infected with A. baumannii between January 1999 and December 2005. Results : Fot the 56 patients, the ratio of males to females was 1.15:1 and the median age was 48.3 months. The sites of 105 isolates were wounds (65%), sputum (20%), blood (6 %), cutdown tips (5%), endo-tip tubes (2%) and urine (2%). A. baumannii presented yearround. The annual antimicrobial resistance rate increased and the multidrug resistant rate for two or more antibiotics was 93.33%. For 3 patients in whom resistance emerged, the interval period between the susceptible and resistant strains after antibiotic use was a mean of 10 days. The A. baumannii isolated from blood were all multi-drug resistant pathogens. Conclusion : Multidrug resistance of A. baumannii is increasing. Strict infection control guidelines and active surveillance are needed for the prevention and treatment of A. baumannii in hospitals.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.493-501
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• 1989

A total of 108 strains of C jejuni isolated from pigs and chickens were examined for the susceptibility to 10 antimicrobial agents and normal sera of cattle, sheep, guinea pigs and chickens. Minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC) ranges of antimicrobial agents to C jejuni isolates were $${\leq_-}1.56$$ to $${\geq_-}100{\mu}g/ml$$ for erythromycin, rifampin, streptomycin and tetracycline, 50 to $${\geq_-}100{\mu}g$$ for cephalothin, $${\leq_-}1.56$$ to $50{\mu}g$ for ampicillin, $${\leq_-}1.56$$ to $25{\mu}g$ for kanamycin and nalidixic acid, $${\leq_-}1.56$$ to $12.5{\mu}g$ for chloramphenicol and gentamicin. Resistance rates of C jejuni were showed to in order of rifampin(84.7%), tetracycline(56.2 %), erythromycin(17.1%) and ampicillin(3.8%), all of the strains were sensitive to chloramphenicol, gentamicin and kanamycin, and the incidence rates of resistant C jejuni were highly frequent in pig isolates than chicken isolates. The drug resistance patterns of 87 chicken isolates C jejuni to 9 antimicrobial drugs were showed 12 patterns, and Sm Ra Tc(24.1%), Sm Ra(21.8%) and Ra Tc(14.9%) were relatively common, and also 21 pig isolates were showed 6 patterns and Em Sm Ra Tc(57.1%) were most frequent. The majority of the isolates showed multiple drug resistance. Bactericidal activity of 10% normal sera from healthy animals were examined for 60min at $37^{\circ}C$. C jejuni were decreased from 0.4 to 1.0 ${\log}_{10}$(p<0.01), and serum susceptibility were high in order of guinea pig, sheep, chicken and cattle sera. Serum sensitivity of C jejuni Ch-39 strain in increased serum concentation up to 10, 20, 40 and 80% were highly significant. In the normal animal serum, the number of Ch-39 strain were decreased from $1.8{\times}10^4/ml$ to $2.7{\times}10^3/ml$ after 60 min incubation(p<0.01), but the numbers were decreased to $6.6{\times}10^3/ml$ in the heat inactivated normal serum for 30 min at $56^{\circ}C$. Bactericidal activity was restored in the heat inactivated normal serum after the serum of complement source was added.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.83 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2020

Background: Line probe assay (LPA) is standard diagnostic tool to detect multidrug resistant tuberculosis. Non-interpretable (NI) results in LPA (complete missing or light wild-type 3 and 8 bands with no mutation band in rpoB gene region) poses a diagnostic challenge. Methods: Sputum samples obtained between October 2016 and July 2017 at the Intermediate Reference Laboratory, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital, New Delhi, India were screened. Smear-positive and smear-negative culture-positive specimens were subjected to LPA Genotype MTBDRplus Ver 2.0. Smear-negative with culture-negative and culture contamination were excluded. LPA NI samples were subjected to phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (pDST) using MGIT-960 and sequencing. Results: A total of 1,614 sputum specimens were screened and 1,340 were included for the study (smear-positive [n=1,188] and smear-negative culture-positive [n=152]). LPA demonstrated 1,306 (97.5%) valid results with TUB (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) band, 24 (1.8%) NI, three (0.2%) valid results without TUB band, and seven (0.5%) invalid results. Among the NI results, 22 isolates (91.7%) were found to be rifampicin (RIF) resistant and two (8.3%) were RIF sensitive in the pDST. Sequencing revealed that rpoB mutations were noted in all 22 cases with RIF resistance, whereas the remaining two cases had wild-type strains. Of the 22 cases with rpoB mutations, the most frequent mutation was S531W (n=10, 45.5%), followed by S531F (n=6, 27.2%), L530P (n=2, 9.1%), A532V (n=2, 9.1%), and L533P (n=2, 9.1%). Conclusion: The present study showed that the results of the Genotype MTBDRplus assay were NI in a small proportion of isolates. pDST and rpoB sequencing were useful in elucidating the cause and clinical meaning of the NI results.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.73-82
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aims to examine the quality of tuberculosis (TB) care after the 1st to 3rd national quality assessment (QA) program for TB healthcare service in Korea was conducted. Methods: We analyzed Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA) claims data of new TB patients during the period of January to June from 2018-2020. The new TB patients were defined as TB patients reported to Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KCDA). The unit of analysis was the patient. Chi-square tests were used to analyze the differences in indicator value according to the types of medical facilities. The QA indicators of TB care were divided into 3 areas consisting of the following 7 quality indicators: 4 indicators of diagnosis test (the rate of acid-fast bacilli smear, the rate of acid-fast bacilli culture, the rate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-polymerase chain reaction, drug susceptibility test), 1 compliance of treatment guideline, and 2 indicators of care management of TB patients (encounter rate, day of therapy). Results: The QA program for TB care was conducted among 8,246 patients from 534 facilities in 2020. The value of the 7 quality indicators was shown to increase as a result of the QA program. The indicators of the diagnostic test were all higher than 95%, with the exception of the drug susceptibility test which was 84.8%. Both indicators for care management of TB patients were 88.5%. Conclusion: The quality of TB care has been improving with the implementation of the QA program. In order to continue to improve the quality of TB care, it will be necessary to disclose the results of the QA program in medical facilities in the future.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2024

Background: Honey bees play a crucial role in pollination and ecological balance. Apis mellifera L. colonies, especially those located in specific geographic regions, such as the palm garden in Eastern Thailand, are susceptible to potential threats from microbial contaminants. Understanding and detecting microbial organisms in these beehives is essential for the preservation of bee health, honey production, and the broader ecosystem. However, the problem of microbial infection and antibiotic-resistant bacteria is more severe and continuously increasing, resulting in a health, economic, and social crisis. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of microorganisms in A. mellifera beehives in palm gardens in Rayong province, Eastern Thailand. Results: Ten swabs in transport media were swabbed and obtained from different parts of each beehive (1 swab per beehive), for a total of 10 hives. Traditional microbial culture-based methods, biochemical tests, and antimicrobial susceptibility (disc-diffusion) tests were used to detect microbial organisms and antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The swab tests from nine beehives resulted in the detection of Gram-positive bacteria (63.64%), Gram-negative bacteria (27.27%), and fungi/yeast (9.09%). These microorganisms are classified as a group of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. and made up 40.91% of the bacteria discovered. Other bacteria found were Coryneform bacteria (13.64%), Pantoea spp. (13.64%), Bacillus spp. (9.09%), yeast (9.09%), glucose non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli (9.09%), and Pseudomonas spp. (4.55%). However, due to the traditional culture-based and 0biochemical tests usually used to identify the microbial organisms in clinical specimens and the limitation of identifying some environmental microbial species, the results of the antimicrobial susceptibility test cannot reveal if the organism is resistant or susceptible to the drug. Nevertheless, drug-sensitive inhibition zones were formed with each antibiotic agent. Conclusions: Overall, the study supports prevention, healthcare, and public health systems. The contamination of microorganisms in the beehives may affect the quality of honey and other bee products or even the health of the beekeeper. To avoid this kind of contamination, it is therefore necessary to wear personal protective equipment while harvesting honey and other bee products.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.6
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• pp.414-421
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• 2008

Background: Recently, in addition to multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has become rapidly growing public health threat. This study examined the clinical differences between pulmonary TB patients with extensively drug resistance (XDR) and multi-drug resistance (MDR) at the National Medical Center in Korea in order to determine the clinical characteristics associated more with XDR-TB than MDR-TB. Methods: Patients who received a diagnosis of culture-confirmed pulmonary TB and a drug sensitivity test (DST) for anti-TB drugs at the National Medical Center between January 2000 and August 2007 were enrolled in this study. The patients were identified into the XDR-TB or MDR-TB group according to the DST results. The clinical characteristics were reviewed retrospectively from the medical records. Statistical analysis for the comparisons was performed using a ${\chi}^2$-test, independent samples t-test or binary logistic regression where appropriate. Results: A total 314 patients with culture-confirmed pulmonary TB were included. Among them, 18 patients (5.7%) had XDR-TB and 69 patients (22%) had MDR-TB excluding XDR-TB. A comparison of the clinical characteristics, revealed the XDR-TB group to have a higher frequency of a prior pulmonary resection for the treatment of TB (odds ratio [OR], 3.974; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.052~15.011; P value 0.032) and longer average previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs, including a treatment interruption period prior to the diagnosis of XDR, than the MDR-TB group (XDR-TB group, 72.67 months; MDR-TB group, 13.09 months; average treatment duration difference between two groups, 59.582 months; 95% CI, 31.743~87.420; P value, 0.000). In addition, a longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs was significantly associated with XDR-TB (OR, 1.076; 95% CI, 1.038~1.117; P value, 0.000). A comparison of the other clinical characteristics revealed the XDR-TB group to have a higher frequency of male gender, diabetes mellitus (DM), age under 45, treatment interruption history, cavitations on simple chest radiograph and positive result of sputum AFB staining at the time of diagnosis of XDR. However, the association was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Pulmonary TB patients with XDR have a higher frequency of a prior pulmonary resection and longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs than those with MDR. In addition, a longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs is significantly associated with XDR-TB.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.389-403
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• 1997

Survey on MIC of antimicrobial drugs and its treatment efficacy in mice were conducted for the strains of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp isolated from feces of young domestic animals with diarrhea in 1996. A total of 338 strains of E coli and 61 strains of Salmonella spp were examined for the susceptibility to 20 antibiotics and 7 synthetic antimicrobial drugs. The results indicated that the majority of strains were susceptible to amikacin(93.5%), cefoperazone/sulbactam(93.5%), cefotaxim(93.3%), cefomandole(92.8%), cefoperazone(91.6%) and ciprofloxacin(85.1%), in order. Although gentamicin, ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin showed the relatively low MIC distributions, erythromycin, doxycycline, sulfamethoxazole and oxytetracycline revealed the high MIC distributions to most of isolates. The $MIC_{90}$ of antimicrobials for E coli were > $62.5{\mu}g/ml$ in gentamicin, $2.0{\mu}g/ml$ in ciprofloxacin, $1.0{\mu}g/ml$ in norfloxacin, > $500{\mu}g/ml$ in erythromycin, $125{\mu}g/ml$ in doxycycline, > $1000{\mu}g/ml$ in sulfamethoxazole and > $250{\mu}/ml$ in oxytetracycline. In general, the MIC of E coli isolates was higher than that of Salmonella spp isolates. Although variation in synergism or additivity of antibiotic combinations were demonstrated, ampicillin-gentamicin was the most efficacious combination both against E coli and Salmonella spp with the fluctuation of 7.7-77.5%. In the experiment of treatment efficacy in mice, the highest survival ratio(83.3%) after challenge with pathogenic E coli and Salmonella typhimurium was detected in the group treated with gentamicin.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.113-123
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• 1995

The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalent characteristics of Fowl Typhoid and antibiotic susceptibility of Salmonella gallinarum isolated from 56 infective or dead chickens of 20 egg laying farms in Kyung Buk province during the period from August to December 1994. 1. Among 416, 000 chickens of 92 flocks in 20 egg laying farms, 17, 360 chickens of 31 flocks were died of Fowl Typhoid. 2. Salmonella gallinarum was isolated from 56 chickens in liver and spleen, and then blood of infective chickens was positive to Pullorum antigen. 3, In the survey of gross lesion of 56 chickens, 43 chickens(76.8%) were swelled at liver, 39(69.6%) were swelled at spleen, 12(21.4%) were changed with bronze, 3(5.4% ) were hemorrhagic in peritoneal cavity. 4. In transmission pattern, 4 farms were outbreaked the entrance of chicken house at first, but the others were outbreaked at various place. They were transmitted at right and left directions in flock. 5. 2 farms confirmed at the early stage of infection were eradicated by removing infective chickens and administrating antibiotics, but 18 farms at chronic stage were not. 6. The biochemical properties of 112 Salmonella gallinarum from chickens were generally identical to those of the referance, but H$_2$S was not productive, cellobiose was fermentive. 7 Minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC) of 20 isolates was performed by using 21 antibiotics, MICs of Amikacin(Ak), Gentamicin(Gm), Kanamycin(Km), and Tetracycline (Tc) were below 1.6 ug/ml, Ampicillin(Am), Furazolidone(Fu) and Neomycin(Nm) were below 3.1 ug/ml, Cephalothin(Ce), Cefazoline(Cf) and Chloramphenicol(Cm) were below 6.3 ug/ml, Nalidixic acid(Na), Polymyxin(Po) and Rifampicin(Rf) were below 12.5 ug/ml, Penicillin (Pm) was below 25 ug/ml, Colistin(Co) and Streptomycin(Sm) were below 50 ug/ml, Sulfamerazine(Sr) and Sulfamethazine (St) were below 200 ug/ml, Lincomycin(Lm) and Spiramycin(Sp) were below 400 ug/ml, Bacitracin(Ba) was below 800 ug/ml. 8. Among the 20 isolates, all(100%) of those were sensitive to Ak, Am, Ce, Cf, Cm, Fu, Gm, Km, Na, Nm, Po, Rf, Sr, St and Tc, but 6 isolates(30%) were resistent to Co, 20(100% ) to Ba, Lm, Pm, Sm, and Sp. The drug resistance patterns were simple which 6 strains were BaCoLmPmSmSp type, and 14 were BaLmPmSmSp type.