• 대한미생물학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.125-130
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• 1987

The role of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli(EPEC) was evaluated in a group of children with endemic diarrhea admitted to Hanyang University Hospital in Seoul, Korea. EPEC was detected in fecal samples of 23% of 100 cases and 4.5% of 44 concurrent control children. The most commonly isolated EPBC strains were serogroups $O_{18a}O_{18c}:K_{77},\;O_{86a}:K_{61},\;O_{119}:K_{69},\;and\;O_{128}:K_{70}$. On testing for enterotoxin production, 6(26%) strains were isolated from 17% of the 100 diarrheal children and in 4.5% of the 44 well controls(P<0.05). Our study supports the concept that EPEC may be an important cause of endemic diarrheas in Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제31권9호
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• pp.1323-1329
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• 2021

Micro-scale magnetic beads are widely used for isolation of proteins, DNA, and cells, leading to the development of in vitro diagnostics. Efficient isolation of target biomolecules is one of the keys to developing a simple and rapid point-of-care diagnostic. A zinc finger protein (ZFP) is a double-stranded (ds) DNA-binding domain, providing a useful scaffold for direct reading of the sequence information. Here, we utilized two engineered ZFPs (Stx2-268 and SEB-435) to detect the Shiga toxin (stx2) gene and the staphylococcal enterotoxin B (seb) gene present in foodborne pathogens, Escherichia coli O157 and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. Engineered ZFPs are immobilized on a paramagnetic bead as a detection platform to efficiently isolate the target dsDNA-ZFP bound complex. The small paramagnetic beads provide a high surface area to volume ratio, allowing more ZFPs to be immobilized on the beads, which leads to increased target DNA detection. The fluorescence signal was measured upon ZFP binding to fluorophore-labeled target dsDNA. In this study, our system provided a detection limit of ≤ 60 fmol and demonstrated high specificity with multiplexing capability, suggesting a potential for development into a simple and reliable diagnostic for detecting multiple pathogens without target amplification.

• Journal of Preventive Veterinary Medicine
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.148-156
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• 2018

Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) may cause diarrhea and enterotoxemia in adult and young livestock, leading to problems in the production and management of farms. Four hundred fecal samples were collected from 25 goat farms located in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province in the Republic of Korea. Sixteen C. perfringens strains were isolates from fecal samples, and the isolates were identified as type A (n=11) and type D (n=5). Additionally, ${\alpha}$- and ${\varepsilon}$-toxin genes were detected in 16 and 5 strains by PCR, respectively, and the enterotoxin gene was presented in 2 strains. The antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the disk diffusion method and E-test method. In the disk diffusion method, ampicillin (n=16) and chloramphenicol (n=15) were highly susceptible to 16 C. perfringens isolates. In the E-test method, ampicillin, amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and meropenem were susceptible to more than 14 of 16 C. perfringens isolates. This study indicates that administration of antibiotics such as ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and meropenem can prevent and treat C. perfringens infections in goats.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제44권12호
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• pp.1895-1904
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• 2015

본 연구에서는 건당 환자수가 높아 식품안전관리 우선순위가 높은 단체급식소의 식품, 조리도구 및 환경에서 식중독균을 분석하고 이들 미생물의 병원성 인자 및 항생제 내성을 확인하여 미생물 위험분석을 위한 기본정보를 제공하고자 하였다. 경기도 소재 총 8개(농촌 3, 도시 4 및 벽지 1) 학교급식소에서 식품 시료(n=66), 조리도구(n=44) 및 환경 시료(n=56) 등 총 179점의 시료를 채취하여 지표세균 및 식중독균을 분석하였다. 식품 시료에서 총균수는 평균 4.7 log CFU/g, 최대 8.1 log CFU/g으로 대장균군의 평균 오염도 3.1 log CFU/g, 최대 오염도 4.0 log CFU/g으로 높았다. 선반 및 개수대 등 환경 시료의 총균수는 평균 2.7 log CFU/g, 최대 4.1 log CFU/g으로 식품 시료보다 낮은 수준으로 분석되었으나 대장균의 경우 평균 4.0 log CFU/g, 최대 5.4 log CFU/g으로 식품 시료보다 오염 수준이 높아 환경으로 부터의 교차오염 가능성을 배제할 수 없었다. 병원성 미생물 중 Bacillus cereus의 정량분석 결과 식품(원료, 조리단계 및 조리식품 포함) 시료에서 평균 2.1 log CFU/g, 최대 4.1 log CFU/g으로 분석되었으나, 이 중 조리된 식품의 오염도는 10,000 CFU/g 이하로 식품공전의 기준 이하로 오염되어 있었다. Escherichia coli는 식품 중 조리 전 시료(n=14)에서만 검출율 35.7%로 분석되었으며 조리단계의 식품, 조리도구 및 환경 시료에서는 검출되지 않았다. Staphylococcus aureus의 경우 조리 전 식품 원료(n=14)의 21.4%에서 검출되었으며 환경 시료(냉장고 손잡이)에서 1건 양성으로 검출되었고, 조리단계의 식품, 조리도구 및 환경 시료에서는 검출되지 않았다. 그 외 Clostridium perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Vibrio parahaemolyticus는 분석된 모든 시료에서 모두 음성이었다. 분리된 B. cereus의 독소유전자(hblACD, nheABC, entFM, cytK enterotoxin gene)를 분석한 결과 구토 유발 독소인 ces는 모두 음성이었으나 분석된 86주 모두 적어도 1종 이상의 설사 유발 독소유전자가 검출되었으며 66.2%의 균주는 설사 유발 독소유전자를 모두 보유하고 있었다. 식품과 환경에서 분리한 S. aureus(n=16)의 장독소 생성 유전자를 분석한 결과 모두 1종 이상의 독소유전자가 검출되었다. 전형적인 장독소유전자 중에서는 sea만 검출되었으며, 독소충격증후군 toxin(tst) 유전자는 모든 분리주에서 검출되지 않았다. 집단 식중독 발생 시 초기 진료에 결정적 영향을 주는 항생제 내성 여부를 분석한 결과 E. coli(n=41)의 92.7%는 분석한 항생제 16종에 대해 내성을 보이지 않았고 cefazolin에 대한 내성률이 4.9%로 가장 높았으며, 1개 균주에서만 2개 항생제에 대해 다제내성을 보여 국내외 항생제 내성률보다 낮았다. S. aureus(n=16)는 시험한 19종 항생제 중 gentamicin에 대한 내성률이 62.5%로 가장 높았으며 일부 균주에서 2주 항생제에 대해 다제내성이 관찰되었다. 한편 단체 급식소 2개소의 조리도구와 환경 중 미생물 군집을 분석한 결과 특정균이 도구와 환경에서 중복 검출되어 도구와 환경 중 교차오염 가능성을 간접적으로 시사하였다. 이와 같이 본 연구에서 단체급식소 식품, 조리도구 및 환경 중 위생지표균과 병원성 미생물의 오염패턴을 분석하고 분리된 균주의 독성인자와 항생제 내성 정보를 분석하였다. 관련 정보는 단체급식소 미생물 위험분석과 이를 바탕으로 사전적, 정량적 안전관리 기술 개발에 활용 가능할 것으로 사료된다. 한편 식중독 유발의 다른 원인인 바이러스류와 기타 원인에 대한 연구는 진행되지 않아 추가 연구가 필요하다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제6권5호
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• pp.340-346
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• 1996

In order to find out if staphylococci occur in significant numbers in Korean fermented fish products, a total of 40 different fermented fish products were collected from different markets in Korea and analyzed for their physico-chemical and microbiological states. The pH, salt concentration and water activity of the products were measured and the total viable cell count and the number of Staphylococcus grown on mannitol salt agar were determined. The identification of the strains of Staphylococcus were made by API Staph Strip and MIS identification kits, and the physiological properties of the identified strains were further characterized by different conventional methods. The pH, salt content and water activity of fermented fish samples varied widely from 4.8 to 7.1, 7.4-28.7$%$ and 0.77-0.84, repectively, depending on the type of product. The total viable cell count varied from $10^4-10^9$ cfu/ml, and most of the samples had $10^5-10^6$ cfu/ml No correlation was found between the viable cell count and the pH, NaCl concentration and water activity of the samples. Among the 35 colonies identified as Staphylococcus strains by the identification kits, S. xylosus was the most frequently occurring strain marking 17, and S. warneri was 8, S. epidermidis 4 and S. cohnii 2. S. hominis, S. saprophyticus, S. haemolyticus and S. aureus were also identified once each. In some samples (K-3, P-6, K-8, G-5 and G-10), 2-3 different species of Staphylococcus were found. Considering the region of sampling, among the 10 samples from Kunsan 5 were identified as S. warneri, while in the other regions S. xylosus was predominant. Although the physiological characteristics of the identified strains were generally consistent with those in Bergey's Manual, some discrepances were also observed. All the strains were highly salt tolerant, growing in the media containing over 18$%$ NaCl. All the strains except S. aureus (G-11) showed negative in hemolysis activity, plasma coagulation and DNase tests. All the strains including S. aureus (G-11) showed negative in enterotoxin test.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.483-488
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• 2008

Foodborne pathogenic bacteria in various food samples in Korea were monitored and the obtained data was statistically analyzed. A total of 1,240 food samples including 280 sashimi, 244 processed frozen products, 258 kimbab (cooked rice wrapped with seaweed), 337 soybean pastes were obtained from 7 cities including Seoul in Korea. Microorganisms tested were Bacillus cereus, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Yersinia enterocolitica, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni, and Clostridium perfringens. The contaminated microorganisms in food samples were comprised of 10.55% B. cereus, 2.7% S. aureus, 2.0% V. parahaemolyticus, 0.8% C. perfringens, 0.2% Y. enterocolitica, and 0.1% of L. monocytogenes, respectively. Salmonella spp., C. jejuni, and E. coli O157:H7 were not detected in any of the food samples. Particularly, B. cereus that harbors the enterotoxin gene was detected in various foods and regions in Korea, therefore it should be a given special consideration not to allow the hazardous level of contamination.

• 대한미생물학회지
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• 제34권6호
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• pp.573-582
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• 1999

Cytokines are hormone-like proteins which mediate and regulate inflammatory and immune responses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB), and Mycoplasma lysates on regulation of IL-6 and IL-8 production by human nasal fibroblasts. Primary cultured cells were incubated with LPS ($1.0\;{\mu}g/ml$) from E.coli, SEB ($1.0\;{\mu}g/ml$) from S.aureus, or Mycoplasma lysates (M.pneumoniae, Mp; M. fermentans, Mf; M. hominis, Mh, each $1.0\;{\mu}g/ml$). The culture supernatants were collected at 2, 6, and 24 hr and assessed for IL-6 and IL-8 production by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The production of IL-6 in the culture supernatant was downregulated by LPS, SEB, or Mycoplasma lysates. But IL-6 was upregulated by mixed exposure with Mp+LPS (2 hr), Mp+LPS+SEB (24 hr), Mf+LPS (24 hr), Mf+LPS+SEB (2 hr), Mh+LPS (24 hr), Mh+SEB (24 hr), or Mh+LPS+SEB (24 hr). The production of IL-8 in the culture supernatant was similar to that of IL-6 by same stimulants. But IL-8 was upregulated by mixed exposure with Mf+LPS+SEB (2 hr), Mh+LPS (24 hr), Mh+ SEB (24 hr), or Mh+LPS+SEB (24 hr). These studies show that costimulation of LPS or SEB with Mycoplasma whole cell lysates upregulates the production of IL-6 and IL-8.

• 한국연초학회지
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.8-15
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• 2011

Genus Nicotiana has 76 species including N. tabacum. These plants are used not only as a material for cigarette manufacturing but also as ornamental plant, medicinal plant, poisonous substance plant, and bug repellent plant. N. tabacum is used as a main material for cigarette manufacturing with N. rustica. N. sylvestris and N. alata is used as ornamental plants because of their beautiful flowers and N. rustica is used for bug repellent or pesticide because of its high concentration of nicotine. N. glauca, a tree tobacco, is used for bio-fuel production. N. tabacum is used as a popular model plant system for degeneration, regeneration, and transformation. N. benthamiana is also used as a model system for foreign gene expression by agroinfiltration. The transformation ability of tobacco plant is a good target for molecular farming. Hepatitis B virus envelop protein, E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin, diabetes autoantigen, and cholera toxin B subunit were produced using tobacco plants. Secondary metabolites of tobacco include nicotine, anabasine, nornicotine, anatabine, cembranoid, solanesol, linoleic acid, rutin, lignin and sistosterol, and they are used for various medicine productions which cannot be produced by organic synthesis for their complicated structures. In conclusion, we have to understand the applicability of tobacco plant in detail and study to enlarge the usage of the plants.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.490-497
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• 2004

Although the E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit (LTB) is known to be a potent mucosal adjuvant towards co-administrated unrelated antigens and immunoregulator in T-helper 1-type-mediated autoimmune diseases, a more efficient and useful LTB is still required for prospective vaccine adjuvants. To determine whether a novel chimeric LTB subunit would produce an enhanced mucosal adjuvant activity and immune response, a number of LTB subunits were genetically fused with chimeric proteins using the epitope genes of the envelope glycoprotein E2 (gp51-54) from the classical swine fever virus (CSFV). It was found that the total serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels of BALB/c mice orally immunized with chimeric proteins containing an N-terminal linked LTB subunit (LE1, LE2, and LE3) were higher than those of mice immunized with LTB, E2 epitope, and chimeric proteins that contained a C-terminal linked LTB subunit. In particular, immunization with LE1 markedly increased both the total serum Ig and fecal IgA level compared to immunization with LTB or the E2 epitope. Accordingly, the current results demonstrated that the LTB subunit in a chimeric protein exhibited a strong mucosal adjuvant effect as a carrier molecule, while the chimeric protein containing the LTB subunit stimulated the mucosal immune system by mediating the induction of antigen-specific serum Ig and mucosal IgA. Consequently, an LE1-mediated mucosal response may contribute to the development of effective antidiarrhea vaccine adjuvants.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제24권12호
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• pp.1728-1735
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• 2014

Scrub typhus, caused by infection with Orientia tsutsugamushi, is a mite-borne zoonotic disease endemic to the Asian-Pacific region. In Korea, the incidence of this disease has increased with climate changes, and over 10,000 cases of infection were reported in 2013. Although this infection is treatable with antibiotics such as doxycycline and azithromycin, an effective prophylactic vaccine against O. tsutsugamushi would be more desirable for preventing scrub typhus in endemic areas. In this study, we investigated the 56-kDa type-specific antigen (TSA56), which is a major outer membrane protein of O. tsutsugamushi, as a vaccine candidate. Intranasal immunization of recombinant TSA56 (rec56) induced a higher level of TSA56-specific IgG than that induced by intramuscular immunization of tsa56-expressing DNA (p56). Both types of immunization induced a cell-mediated immune response to TSA56, as demonstrated by the splenic cell proliferation assay. Mice immunized with p56, followed by rec56 plus heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit from E. coli, had a stronger protection from a homologous challenge with the O. tsutsugamushi Boryong strain than with other combinations. Our preliminary results suggest that an effective human vaccine for scrub typhus can include either recombinant TSA56 protein or tsa56-expressing DNA, and provide the basis for further studies to optimize vaccine performance using additional antigens or different adjuvants.