• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.638-645
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• 2019

Objectives: For the risk management of airborne fungal diseases, our aim was to evaluate airborne fungi and study the toxicity associated with fungal allergic diseases using fungal species native to Korea. Methods: Fungi were isolated from outdoor air samples collected from Seoul, Incheon, Cheonan, Gwangju, Ulsan, Busan, and Jeju and tested for their cytotoxicity potential and their ability to induce proliferation and secretion of macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) in human mast cells (HMC-1). Results: More than 18 species of fungi were collected from outdoor air in Korea over one year, and the strains were identified and systematically analyzed. The results showed that the Cladosporium (59%) and Alternaria (22%) strains are the most common in outdoor air. Three of the collected strains (Fusarium, Trichoderma, and Penicillium) showed mild toxicity in cells involved in allergic inflammation, and twelve induced cell proliferation in HMC-1 cells. More importantly, many strains (Edgeworthia, Trametes, Emmia, Irpex, Talaromyces, Penicillium, Periconia, Epicocum, Bipolaris) induced the MDC protein in activated HMC-1 cells. Conclusion: Nineteen percent of the tested strains caused cytotoxicity in mast cell lines, whereas, most of the non-toxic strains contributed to cell activity. Among the tested strains, more than 80% increased the expression of MDC protein, which contributes to the severity of atopic dermatitis, asthma, and rhinitis. It is, in fact, one of the markers for these conditions. Therefore, airborne fungus could be considered as an important marker for environmental risk management for allergic diseases in Korea.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.381-383
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• 2017

A two-year-old intact male Labrador retriever was presented with generalized erythema, pustule and pruritus. A skin screening test revealed that there were no fleas but bacteria and dermatophytes were present. Blood testing revealed no remarkable findings. The patient was prescribed systemic medication of enrofloxacin 30 mg/kg once a day and itraconazole 10 mg/kg once a day and topical medication of 2% chlorhexidine shampoo twice a week for 2 weeks. Two weeks after the prescription, aerobic culture confirmed that the bacteria were Leclercia Adecarboxylata and Pseudomonas putida was sensitive to enrofloxacin. Therefore, more medicine was prescribed for 4 weeks to alleviate clinical signs. After six weeks of medication, clinical signs were alleviated and skin screening test revealed no remarkable findings. Bacterial and fungal skin infections are common in dogs. However, there are no reports of Leclercia Adecarboxylata infection even in gastrointestinal tract in veterinary medicine. This is the first report of Leclercia Adecarboxylata infection in dogs. This report proved that Leclercia Adecarboxylata can cause skin problem in dogs.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.625-627
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• 2009

Treponematosis, called rabbit syphilis, is an infectious disease caused by Treponema cuniculi in rabbits. In this case report, five rabbits were presented with severe crusts in lips, genitalia and nose. Skin scrapings and fungal test were negative. Human syphilis antibody test was positive. The rabbits were treated with penicillin and chloramphenicol for 3 weeks and the crusts were significantly decreased from 5 to 7 days after treatment. No crusts were evident in the rabbits 3 weeks after treatment. These rabbits were cases of treponematosis which showed a favorable therapeutic response by penicillin and chloramphenicol.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.113-123
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• 2016

This study was to investigate the antifungal activity of A. holophylla essential oil against dermatophytes, such as Epidermophyton floccosum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum, and to determine the potential effective compound as dermatitis treatment. To evaluate the potential antifungal activities of A. holophylla essential oil and its fractions, paper disc diffusion and agar dilution method tested with morphological observation. Also, their major constituents were analyzed by GC/MS. To determine synergic effects of active ingredient from A. holophylla essential oil were carried out by checkerboard microtiter plate testing. The morphological changes of the dermatophytes exposed to active fraction G4 were observed by electron microscopes. As the results, the highest activities were identified in the fraction containing ${\alpha}$-bisabolol. A mixture of ${\alpha}$-bisabolol and bornyl acetate showed the synergy effects, expressing high potential effects. Also, morphological observation using electron microscopes showed a dramatic changes of cell membrane of E. floccosum and T. rubrum exposed to fraction G4 containing ${\alpha}$-bisabolol. In conclusion, A. holophylla essential oil and its constituents were expected to be used as antifungal agent or raw material for dermatitis therapy.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.315-321
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• 2010

Malassezia furfur is an important causal factor for seborrheic dermatitis. Nowadays, the drugs available to treat this fungal infection are few. Several studies have documented the biological activity of essential oils. However, its antifungal properties are not completely understood, especially its anti-Malassezia activity. The aim of this study were to evaluate the effect of the plant essential oils on the growth of M. furfur using disk diffusion method and analyze by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) most active essential oils. In first screening, the 17 plant essential oils have possesses inhibitory activity against M. furfur at 2 mg/mL. Among the plant essential oils, oil of Citrus auranifoli was most active against M. furfur and its activity showed dose dependency. This anti-malassezial activity was high than that of itraconazole at 2 mg/mL. Oil of Citrus auranifolia also was phytochemically examined by GC-MS analysis, its main constituents were identified as limonene, ${\gamma}$-terpinene and terpinolene. It can be concluded that essential oils of Citrus auranifolia may have interesting applications to control fungal-derived diseases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.3
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• pp.258-261
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• 2015

Eosinophilic lung diseases are heterogeneous disorders characterized by varying degrees of pulmonary parenchyma or blood eosinophilia. Causes of eosinophilic lung diseases range from drug ingestion to parasitic or fungal infection as well as idiopathic. The exact pathogenesis of eosinophilic lung disease remains unknown. Urushiol chicken can frequently cause allergic reactions. Contact dermatitis (both local and systemic) represents the most-common side effect of urushiol chicken ingestion. However, there has been no previous report of lung involvement following urushiol chicken ingestion until now. A 66-year-old male was admitted to our hospital with exertional dyspnea. Serial chest X-ray revealed multiple migrating infiltrations in both lung fields, with eosinophilic infiltration revealed by lung biopsy. The patient had ingested urushiol chicken on two occasions within the 2 weeks immediately prior to disease onset. His symptoms and migrating lung lesions were resolved following administration of oral corticosteroids.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.371-376
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to determine tile inhibitory effect of granitic powder against Microsporum canis. Fourteen strains of M. canis isolated from dgs and cats with fungal dermatitis and two strains isolated from humans were used in this study. The in vitro antifungal activities of granitic powder and 5 commercialized antifungal agents (terbinafine, itraconazole, ketoconazole, griseofulvin and fluconazole) were compared. The antifungal effect was measured by the broth microdilution method and was expressed as the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The MIC value of the granitic powder was ranged from 31.3 to 250mg/ml. Terbinafine showed the lowest MIC value among the 5 commercial antifungal agents $(0.0078-0.125{\mu}g/ml)$, while fluconazole showed the highest MIC values $(125-1,000{\mu}g/ml)$. The MIC range of itraconazole, griseofuvin and ketoconazole were $0.125-0.5{\mu}g/ml\;0.625-5{\mu}g/ml$ and $10-40{\mu}g/ml$ respectively. The Geometric mean(GM) MIC values of terbinafine and ketoconazole against M. canis isolated from human were $0.0078{\mu}g/ml\;and\;10{\mu}g/ml$, respectively, while the GM MIC values of these agents against M. canis isolated from animals were $0.063{\mu}g/ml\;and\;31.4{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Other antifungal agents did not show any significant differences in antifungal activity against M. canis of animal or human origin. Although granitic powder was shown to have antifungal activity, it was much lower than that of the 5 commercialized antifungal agents.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.141-146
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• 2012

Malassezia globosa is a common pathogenic fungus that causes skin diseases including dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis in humans. Analysis of its genome identified a gene (MGL_1677) coding for a putative NADPH-P450 reductase (NPR) to support the fungal cytochrome P450 enzymes. The heterologously expressed recombinant M. globosa NPR protein was purified, and its functional features were characterized. The purified protein generated a single band on SDS-PAGE at 80.74 kDa and had an absorption maximum at 452 nm, indicating its possible function as an oxidized flavin cofactor. It evidenced NADPH-dependent reducing activity for cytochrome c or nitroblue tetrazolium. Human P450 1A2 and 2A6 were able to successfully catalyze the O-deethylation of 7-ethoxyresorufin and the 7-hydroxylation of coumarin, respectively, with the support of the purified NPR. These results demonstrate that purified NPR is an orthologous reductase protein that supports cytochrome P450 enzymes in M. globosa.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.282-289
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• 2022

Background: Airborne fungi are ubiquitous in the air and exposure to an airborne fungus can be a significant risk factor. The composition of fungi has been potentially important for human health, especially for respiratory diseases like asthma and atopic dermatitis. Therefore, we attempted to ascertain what kind of airborne fungi affect human health at a nationwide level. Objectives: This study was carried out to provide information on indoor fungi distribution at multi-use facilities throughout South Korea. Methods: We classified our data by region and public facility after collection, cultivation, and identification via the sequencing of the ITS (internal transcribed spacer) region. We investigated whether or not the proliferation of HaCaT cells was affected by the identified airborne fungi. Results: In our data, the most isolated airborne fungi by region were Penicillium spp (Seoul, Daegu), Periconia sp (Gyeonggi-do), Iprex sp (Gangwon-do), Phanerochaete sp (Busan), Bjerkandera sp (Gwangju), and Aspergillus sp (Jeju-do). In the public facilities, the most detected fungi were Cladosporium sp (public transport), Penicillium sp (apartment house, retail market, financial institution, karaoke room), Bjerokandera sp (underground parking lot, public toilet, medical institution), Periconia sp (retail store), and Fusarium sp (general restaurant). Next, we selected twenty airborne fungi to examine their cytotoxicity and proliferation of human skin cells. In this experiment, the proliferation of the cells was influenced by most of the identified fungi. In case of the cytotoxicity test, most genera except for Rhodotorula sp and Moesziomyces sp showed cytotoxicity in HaCaT cells. Conclusions: The distribution of mold in the indoor air in multi-use facilities in South Korea differs from region to region, and this is an indicator that should be considered in future health impact studies. In addition, as a result of culturing about 20 types of bacteria dominant in indoor air, it was found that most (90%) inhibit the growth of skin cells, which can be harmful to health. An in-depth study of the health effects of floating fungi is needed.