• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.115-125
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• 2000

Three major hospitals with over 500 beds located in and near Seoul were surveyed for airbone microorganisms from February 1, 1998 to February 18, 1998. The purpose of the study was to identify and quantify microbiological organisms circulating in the air of three different areas in the hospitals. For the study, a RCS air sampler was utilized equipped with two different collection media, the agar strip GK-A for bacteria and the agar strip HS for fungi. The areas investigated were the intensive care unit (ICU) in the Department of internal medicine, the Newborns room in the Department of Obstetrics, and the microbiology laboratory. The results were as follows; 1. The average numbers of general microbiological particles collected on the agar strip GK-A media were $205CFU/m^3$, $232CFU/m^3$, and $128CFU/m^3$ in each hospitals. The highest concentration of $387CFU/m^3$ was found in the ICU of A hospital at 15:00 during the day. Further analysis of the collected bioaerosols by gram staining, revealed that there were gram positive cocci (89.5%), gram positive bacilli (7.2%), gram negative bacilli (2.8%), and fungi (0.5%), in descending order of frequency. 2. Ten different genes were identified from the agar strip GK-A. The most frequently identified organisms were: the Coagulase negative staphylococcus (55.0%), Micrococcus (21.4%), Enterococcus species(10.4%), and Bacillus species (7.2%). A series of antibiotics susceptibility test were conducted against the aforementioned four(4) organisms. Ninety percent of coagulase negative stapylococcus were sensitive to Penicillins. Pathogenic microbes isolated include: Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter species, Klebsiella pneumonia, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Pseudomonas aeroginosa. 3 Although 56.8% of the microorganisms grown on the strip HS media for fungi could not be identified, some of them were successfully identified. The most frequently found fungi were Aspergillus (35.3%), Yeast or Molds (6.2%), and Penicillium (0.7%). Based on the results obtained from the study, it was concluded that some areas in the hospitals had abnormally high bioaerosol concentrations which could be attributed to human activity. Therefore, it is recommended that periodic assessments of indoor bioaerosols aiming to identify the possible sources should be conducted in order to maintain clean indoor environment in the hospitals.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.349-354
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• 2006

Furaneol, a key aroma compound found in strawberry, pineapple, and processed foodstuffs, has been known to possess various biological activities on animal models. In this study, the antimicrobial effects of furaneol against human pathogenic microorganisms were investigated. The results indicated that furaneol displayed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi without hemolytic activity on human erythrocyte cells. To confirm the antifungal activity of furaneol, we examined the accumulation of intracellular trehalose as a stress response marker on toxic agents and its effect on dimorphic transition of Candida albicans. The results demonstrated that furaneol induced significant accumulation of intracellular trehalose and exerted its antifungal effect by disrupting serum-induced mycelial forms. These results suggest that furaneol could be a therapeutic agent having a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity on human pathogenic microorganisms.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.8
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• pp.1227-1232
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• 2016

Electrolyzed activated water (EAW) has been reported to exhibit strong bactericidal effects on foodborne microorganisms. However, the disinfection efficacy of EAW is affected by factors such as water source and hardness. This study investigated bactericidal effects of EAW against three gram-positive (Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus) and three gram-negative (Cronobacter sakazakii, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Salmonella Enteritidis) foodborne pathogens. Six strains were treated with EAW prepared at different water temperatures (4, 22, and $40^{\circ}C$) for 15 min, and D-values were generated. The results show that the lowest D-values for Lis. monocytogenes by EAW produced at $4^{\circ}C$ and $40^{\circ}C$ were 6.60 and 1.57 min, respectively. The lowest D-value for Sal. Enteritidis by EAW produced at $22^{\circ}C$ was 2.92 min. D-values of all strains treated by EAW produced at $40^{\circ}C$ decreased significantly compared to those treated by EAW produced at $4^{\circ}C$ (P<0.05). These results demonstrate that applying EAW produced at warm temperature is more effective for reducing foodborne pathogens for food safety.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.374-379
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• 2008

In the present study, various extracts of Clerodendrum infortunatum leaves have been studied for its anthelmintic, antimicrobial and antipyretic activities. In the anthelmintic and antipyretic study it was observed that the benzene extract was more potent than the other two extracts (ethanol and aqueous) even though all the three extracts were endowed with both the properties. The study reveals antimicrobial activity of the extracts against the tested strains of microorganisms between concentration ranges of $75\;{\mu}g/ml$ and $350\;{\mu}g/ml$ and shows effectiveness more against gram-positive bacteria than the gram-negative bacteria.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.171-175
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• 1982

An oxytetracycline as being a tetracycline-antibiotic substance displayed a general synergism in the antimicrobial activity by the interaction of ginseng saponin and antibiotics, but did not to Sarcina maginata. Penicillin G.Na as being a $\beta$-lactam-antibiotic substance displayed a synergism in the antimicrobial activities by the addition of ginseng saponin to microorganisms used, but changed the effects in the antimicrobial activity of penicillin G.Na against the genus Serratia. An antimicrobial activity by the addition of ginseng saponin to antibiotics showed a non-specificity, and it varied synergism or antagonism to Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacterium. It was assumed that a drug-resistance could be eliminated by the dual administration of ginseng saponin and antibiotics.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.206-211
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• 1999

Volatile antimicrobial compounds, isothiocyanates (ITCs), were compared their antimicrobial activity against 9 strains, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Escherichia coli, Erwinia carotovora, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, Aspergillus oryzae and Penicillium roqueforti. And synergistic antimicrobial effect of ITCs was examined with acetic acid. Allyl isothiocyanate (AIT), benzyl isothiocyanate (BIT), and ethyl isothiocyanate (EIT) were more effective than other ITCs. MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) of these compounds was $100{\sim}200\;{\mu}g/dish$ against microorganisms tested and their inhibitory actions were more effective in order of fungi>yeast>Gram-negative bacteria>Gram-positive bacteria. MIC of acetic acid was $50{\sim}500\;{\mu}g/dish$ as lower concentration than ITCs. Using a mixture of volatile antimicrobial compounds and acetic acid, the synergistic effect was increased in $2{\sim}10$ times than ITCs used solely.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.89-97
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• 1985

To find antibacterial strains of the soil microorganisms in Korea, they were isolated from the soil samples of different locations and screened for antibacterial activity against several standard microorganisms. An isolate among them had antibacterial activities against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The examination of its morphological, biochemical, cultural and physiological characteristics according to the International Streptomyces Project methods showed that it belongs to the genus Streptomyces. This strain appears to be a novel strain when it was compared with those species of the genus which have been so far reported. The antibiotic metabolite was produced in the submerged culture of the strain. This metabolite was extracted from the culture filtrate and purified by ion-exchange column chromatography. Physico-chemical properties of the antibacterial metabolite were characterized.

• 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.

• Clean Technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.135-144
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• 2023

Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are the two most frequently encountered pathogens responsible for chronic wound infections, often coexisting in such cases. These infections exhibit heightened virulence compared to single infections, leading to unfavorable patient outcomes. The interaction among microorganisms within polymicrobial infections has been shown to exacerbate disease progression. Polymicrobial infections, prevalent in various contexts such as the respiratory tract, wounds, and diabetic foot, typically involve diverse microorganisms, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus being the most commonly identified pathogens. This study aimed to compare the growth patterns of bacteria under a concentration gradient of toxic chemicals, focusing on a Gram-negative strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and a Gram-positive strain of Staphylococcus aureus. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), which signifies the concentration at which bacterial growth is inhibited, was determined by performing broth microdilution and assessing the bacteria's growth curves. The growth curves of both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus were confirmed, and the exponential growth phases were applied to calculate the doubling times of bacteria. The MIC value for each toxic chemical was determined through broth microdilution. These results allowed for the identification of disparities in growth rates between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as differences in resistance to individual toxic substances. We expect that this approach has a strong potential for further development towards the innovative treatment of bacteria-associated infections.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.55-62
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• 1984

This study was performed from september 26th to October 7th 1981 to investigate the contamination problems of Nurse's hands characterized by var-ious nursing functions. A total of 50 nurse's hands were sampled from 5 different wards of H. University Hospital. The samples were cultured for isolation of microorganisms. The results were as follows: 1. Of 50 Nurses 23 were found to be contaminated by 9 species of bacilli such as Non-fermentative gram negative Bacilli, Gram negative bacilli, Oxidase positive, Enterobacter, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Gaffkya tetragens, Bacillus subtilis. 2. The contaminate rates by wards where they have been serving are; 7 (87.5％) of 8 nurses from Intensive care unit, 7(70%) of 10 nurses from general surgery ward, 3(50%) of 6 nurses from neurosurgery ward, 2(20%) of 10 nurses from orthopedic surgery ward, 4(25%) of 10 nurses from medical ward. 3. The contamination rates by the types of clinical service offered are 6(85.7%) of 7 nurses after wound dressing assist 6 (55.3%) of 13 nurses after vital sign check. 4. No statistical significance could he observed as to the between the rates of contamination of nurse's hands with various nursing functions (0.1