• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.289-295
• /
• 2019

Acute diarrhea is a global health problem that causes high morbidity and mortality in children. Notably, enteric pathogen co-infections have been suggested to play an important role in gastroenteritis. In this study, we analyzed 1150 stool specimens of patients who visited the pediatric ward of Dongguk University Hospital in Gyeongju province from January 2011 to December 2017. The average isolation rate of potential stool pathogens over 7 years was 37.3% (429/1150), and coinfections were observed in 51 patients (51/429; 11.9%). In the 51 co-infection cases, the most frequent type of co-infection was found to be that of virus-bacteria (33/51). The most frequently detected bacterial pathogen among the co-infected cases was Clostridium spp. (22/51), out of which Clostridium perfringens was found to be the main pathogen (16/22; 72.7%). Escherichia coli spp. were the second most common bacterial pathogens found in 12 cases (12/51; 23.5%), with 10 cases of E. coli EPEC. Furthermore, the most frequently implicated viral pathogen among the co-infected cases was norovirus (16/51), followed by rotavirus (12/51).

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.14-19
• /
• 2004

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium DT104 (Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 or DT104) has been emerging as a common pathogen for human in Korea since 1997. In order to compare the genomic relationship and to search for the dominant strains in Korea, we conducted pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and IS200 fingerprinting of 25 epidemiological unrelated isolates from human and animals from Korea and cattle from America. Two Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 isolates from human in Korea and all 8 isolates from American cattle had indistinguishable patterns from the PFGE and IS200 fingerprinting but multidrug-resistant Salmonella Typhimurium isolates, including DT104, from Korean animals had diverse genetic patterns. The data suggest that a dominant DT104 strain might have circulated between Korean and American cattle and that it had a high level of clonality.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.81-86
• /
• 2011

In grower pigs, enteric diseases are major economic problem in swine industries. Enteric diseases are attributed to numerous bacterial agents, such as Lawsonia (L.) intracellularis, Brachyspira (B.) hyodysenteriae, B. pilosicoli and Salmonella spp. Therefore we investigated the prevalence of enteric pathogens and found out the correlation of infectious agents in enteric diseases of grower pigs in Jeju-do using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. A total of 509 fecal samples of grower pigs from 49 pig farms of Jeju-do were collected from May 2006 to June 2007. Diagnostic confirmation was performed based on the detection of bacterial DNA from fecal samples. Based on the PCR methods, B. pilosicoli, B. hyodysenteriae, L. intracellularis and Salmonella spp. were detected in 82 (16.1%), 38 (7.5%), 15 (2.9%), and 12 (2.4%) fecal samples from grower pigs in Jeju-do, respectively. Single infection of enteric pathogen and mixed infection with more than 2 pathogens were detected in 110 (86.6%) and 17 (13.4%) grower pigs, respectively. These results suggest that B. pilosicoli and B. hyodysenteriae are main pathogens of diarrheal disease among grower pigs in Jeju-do. Therefore, accurate control strategy for enteric pathogens should be warranted in Jeju-do.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.339-344
• /
• 2016

The genus Sarcocystis is not usually considered as an important enteric pathogen in immune compromised patients. It might be expected that species for which humans are the final host (Sarcocystis hominis and Sarcocystis suihominis as well as possibly others) would be encountered increasingly often in immunodeficient persons. This study aimed to address how to detect and differentiate Sarcocystis oocysts and/or sporocysts from enteric protozoans in the diarrheal samples of immunodeficient patients in Shiraz, Iran. Diarrheal samples of 741 immunodeficient patients with recurrent persistent or chronic diarrhea were examined by microscopy and molecular biological analysis. Oocysts-positive samples were 68 Cryptosporidium spp., 9 Cystoisospora belli (syn. Isospora belli), 2 Cyclospora cayetanensis, and 15 microsporidia (Enterocytozoon bieneusi). Sarcocystis-like sporocysts found from a woman were identified as Sarcocystis cruzi through 18S rDNA amplification and phylogenetic analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of S. cruzi from a human.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.211-219
• /
• 2016

For determining the prevalence of major enteric pathogens, clinical examination and etiological diagnosis were carried out on 75 Korean pig farms. Enteric disease-suspected signs were observed in 90.7% of the farms and the incidence and severity were higher in younger age groups of the pigs. Five of seven pathogens were detected in 375 fecal samples collected from the 75 farms, and the farm-level prevalence of porcine rotavirus group A (PoRVA), pathogenic Escherichia (E.) coli, Lawsonia (L.) intracelluraris, Salmonella spp., and Brachyspira (B.) hyodysenteriae was 54.7%, 54.7%, 16.0%, 10.7% and 2.7%, respectively. PoRVA was extensively infected in suckling and weaning pig groups. The prevalence of pathogenic E. coli was highest in suckling period, and after the period, it exhibited a tendency to decrease. Salmonella spp. and L. intracelluraris were detected in all feeding groups of pigs in a ratio of 1.3~6.7%. B. hyodysenteriae was detected in 1.3~2.7% of growing and fattening pig groups but not detected in suckling and weaning pig groups. At least one or more pathogens were detected in 30.1% of 375 fecal samples. Among these, 25.0% or 5.1% of cases were single or mixed infection. Enteric disease signs of the pigs were significantly co-related with the detection of PoRVA, pathogenic E. coli or Salmonella spp. (P<0.01) but not with L. intracelluraris or B. hyodysenteriae (P>0.05). Conclusively, it will be expected that these data obtained in this study are very useful for subsequent studies and prevention strategies for swine enteric disease in Korean pig farms.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.419-425
• /
• 1999

Prophylactic effects of Bifidobacterium longum HY8001, Korean isolate, against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella typhimurium DT104 enteric infection were examined at four groups of specific pathogen free(SPF)-ICR mouse for each pathogen. B. longum HY8001+B. typhimurium DT104+B. longum HY8001(BL+ST+BL) group and B. longum HY8001+E. coli O157:H7+B. longum HY8001(BL+E+BL) group were fed with B. longum HY8001 before and after E. coli O157:H7 or s. typhimurium DT104 challenge, while B. longum HY8001+S. typhimurium DT104(BL+ST) and B. longum HY8001+e. coli O157:H7(BL+E) groups were fed with B. longum HY8001 only before E. coli O157:H7 or S. typhimurium DT104 challenge. E. coli O157:H7(E) and S. typhimurium DT104(ST) groups were challenged with each pathogen without B. longum HY8001 administration and control groups were administered with phosphate buffered solution(PBS). After the oral administration with B. longum HY8001(109cfu), th emice were challenged with E. coli O157:H7(2$\times$1010cfu) or S. typhimurium DT104(108cfu) and the mortality rate and the fecal shedding of challenged pathogen were also examined define the reactivity of the B. longum HY8001. Production of toxin neutralizing substance(s) of B. longum HY8001 was determined by cell cytotoxicity assay using Vero cells. Fecal shedding of th eS. typhimurium DT104 was significantly decreased in BL+ST+BL group fed with B. longum HY8--1 before and after challenge(p<0.05), while the fecal shedding s of S. typhimurium DT104 in BL+ST and St groups remained more than 106cfu. the protective effect of the B. longum HY8001 against E. coli O157:H7 was significantly high only in BL+E+BL group fed with b. longum Hy8001 before and after E. coli O157:H7 challenge from the result of fecal E. coli O157:H7 isolation rate, mortality rate, and intestinal contents culture to detect E. coli O157:H7. the mortality rate of the BL+e and E groups. The cytopathic effect (CPE) of the Vero cytotoxin (Shiga like toxin I & II) in Vero cell was neutralized in B. longum HY8001 culture supernatant added wells which indicate the presence of soluble Vero cytotxin neutralizing substance(s) in B. longum HY8001 culture suprnatant.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.176-182
• /
• 2022

Background: The risk of imported infectious diseases has been increasing with the annual rise in the number of international travelers. Objectives: This study aims to analyze the distribution and characteristics of intestinal bacteria isolated in 2019 from residents of Chungcheongnam-do Province with experience of travelling overseas. Methods: Twenty-three former overseas travelers with diarrhea were analyzed to detect viruses and bacteria according to the Manual for Detection of Foodborne Pathogens at Outbreaks. Additionally, antibiotic susceptibility tests and 16s rRNA sequencing were performed. Results: Twenty-five strains of ten pathogens were isolated from 18 samples. Pathogenic E. coli was the most common at 57.7%, followed by Clostridium perfringens (15.4%), Campylobacter spp. (7.7%), and Salmonella spp. (7.7%). The serotype of Salmonella was confirmed as Salmonella Braenderup, II 9,46:g,[m],[s],t:[e,n,x]. Conclusions: It was confirmed that the major enteric bacterial pathogens isolated from overseas travelers in Chungcheongnam-do Province were pathogenic E. coli, as found in other studies. The study on Plesiomonas shigelloides is meaningful in that it is reported as a rare case of infection in Korea. Antibiotic resistance and 16s rRNA analysis were performed, which is expected to provide important basic data for the prevention of traveler's diarrhea.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.141-145
• /
• 2014

There is a burgeoning number of products on the market that contain probiotics, but do they do you any good? What exactly are probiotics? They have been defined as living organisms that, when ingested in sufficient quantities, provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. They are often referred to as "friendly bacteria" or "good bacteria." Probiotics have been claimed, amongst other things, to (i) reduce the incidence of colon cancer and other diseases of the colon, such as IBS, (ii) stimulate the immune system, (iii) have anti-hypertensive and anti-cholesterolemic properties, (iv) mitigate against the effect of antibiotics on the intestinal microbiota, and (v) protect against gastrointestinal infections. However, the scientific basis for many of these claims is not well-established. Indeed, the European Food Safety Authority has denied the use of several health claims associated with probiotics, particularly those related to mitigation of diarrhea following consumption of antibiotics. Thus, there is a need for research on the mechanisms of action of probiotics. We have been mainly interested in the use of probiotics to control enteric infections. There are several possible modes of action to explain how probiotics may protect the host from enteric pathogens, including competitive exclusion and immunomodulation. We have shown that probiotics produce bioactive molecules that interfere with bacterial cell-cell communication (also called quorum sensing), and this results in a down-regulation of virulence genes that are responsible for attachment of the pathogen to the gastrointestinal epithelium. These bioactive molecules act on a variety of bacteria, including enterohemorrhagic and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens, and there is evidence that they can inhibit the formation of biofilms by Listeria monocytogenes. These bioactive molecules, which are peptidic in nature, can exert their effects not only in vitro but also in vivo, and we have shown that they mitigate against E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in mice and Salmonella and E. coli K88 infections in pigs. They can be delivered in foods such as yoghurt and maintain their activity.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.155-164
• /
• 2011

The use of antimicrobials will be soon removed due to an increase of occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria or ionophore-resistant Eimeria species in poultry farms and consumers' preference on drug-free chicken meats or eggs. Although dietary antimicrobials contributed to the growth and health of the chickens, we do not fully understand their interrelationship among antimicrobials, gut microbiota, and host immunity in poultry. In this review, we explored the current understanding on the effects of antimicrobials on gut microbiota and immune systems of chickens. Based on the published literatures, it is clear that antibiotics and antibiotic ionophores, when used singly or in combination could influence gut microbiota. However, antimicrobial effect on gut microbiota varied depending on the samples (e.g., gut locations, digesta vs. mucosa) used and among the experiments. It was noted that the digesta vs. the mucosa is the preferred sample with the results of no change, increase, or decrease in gut microbiota community. In future, the mucosa-associated bacteria should be targeted as they are known to closely interact with the host immune system and pathogen control. Although limited, dietary antimicrobials are known to modulate humoral and cell-mediated immunities. Ironically, the evidence is increasing that dietary antimicrobials may play an important role in triggering enteric disease such as gangrenous dermatitis, a devastating disease in poultry industry. Future work should be done to unravel our understanding on the complex interaction of host-pathogen-microbiota-antimicrobials in poultry.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.65 no.3
• /
• pp.611-626
• /
• 2023

Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Salmonella enterica (SE) infections in pigs are major source associated with enteric disease such as post weaning diarrhea. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Pediococcus pentosaceus in weaned piglets challenged with pathogen bacteria. In Experiment.1 90 weaned piglets with initial body weights of 8.53 ± 0.34 kg were assigned to 15 treatments for 2 weeks. The experiments were conducted two trials in a 2 × 5 factorial arrangement of treatments consisting of two levels of challenge (challenge and non-challenge) with E. coli and SE, respectively and five levels of probiotics (Control, Lactobacillus plantarum [LA], Pediococcus pentosaceus SMFM2016-WK1 [38W], Pediococcus acidilactici K [PK], Lactobacillus reuteri PF30 [PF30]). In Experiment.2 a total of 30 weaned pigs (initial body weight of 9.84 ± 0.85 kg) were used in 4 weeks experiment. Pigs were allocated to 5 groups in a randomized complete way with 2 pens per group and 3 pigs per pen. Supplementation of LA and 38W improved (p < 0.05) growth performance, intestinal pathogen bacteria count, fecal noxious odor and diarrhea incidence. In conclusion, supplementation of 38W strains isolated from white kimchi can act as probiotics by inhibiting E. coli and SE.