• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.336-340
• /
• 2011

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible utilization of Zanthoxylum schinifolium as a source of antimicrobial agents. The antimicrobial effects of Zanthoxylum schinifolium extracts were investigated against Acinetobacter baumannii, which is a multi-drug resistant pathogen, and 5 other pathogenic microorganisms. The hexane extract of Zanthoxylum schinifolium was more effective than the ethyl acetate, n-butanol and methanol extracts which were active against Acinetobacter baumannii 25, with minimum inhibitory concentrations(MIC) ranging from 0.8 mg/ml to 1.6 mg/ml. Tetracycline had no effect on Acinetobacter baumanniii. The hexane extract was highly active against Candida albicans IFO 6258, with an MIC of 1.5 mg/ml. In contrast, the ethyl acetate, n-butanol and methanol extracts showed no activity against the 5 pathogenic microorganisms. Furthermore, a combination of hexane extract and ethyl acetate extract was significantly more active against the 5 Acinetobacter baumannii strains than n-butanol and methanol. These results suggest that Zanthoxylum schinifolium extracts have great potential as antimicrobial compounds against multi-drug resistant pathogens, and further studies are warranted.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.579-588
• /
• 2003

Background : The hospital-acquired pneumonia is the most common nosocomial infection. Recently, the Acinetobacter baummannii infections are rapidly increasing, especially the frequency of Multi-drug resistant A. baumannii. Therefore we assessed clinical features and prognosis of patients in the ICU with Multi-drug resistant A. baumannii from the sputum culture using the Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score(CPIS). Method : The medical records of 43 patients with Multi-drug resistant A. baumannii from sputum culture who were suspected had clinically pneumonia and admitted to the ICU from January 2000 to July 2002 were retrospectively analyzed. Results : 19 patients were CPIS greater than 6 and 24 patients were CPIS less than or equal to 6. Mean age for the former was $71{\pm}11$ years old, and the latter was $61{\pm}19$ years old. The mean APACHE II score on admission and on sputum study was not different between two groups($17.4{\pm}5.7$ vs $18.5{\pm}6.1$, p=0.553, $20{\pm}6$ vs $17{\pm}8$, p=0.078). But the mortality rate was 73.7% for the former, and 16.7% for the latter(p<0.001). Conclusion : In ICU patients who had clinically suspected pneumonia with sputum culture positive for Multi-drug resistant A. baumannii, the mortality was significantly higher if CPIS was greater than 6.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.67 no.3
• /
• pp.212-220
• /
• 2009

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii has been increasing and growing as a threat in intensive care units. Limited therapeutic options have forced clinicians to choose colistin with or without combination of other antibiotics. We tried to compare the effectiveness between colistin monotherapy and combination therapy based on in vitro synergistic tests. Methods: From January 2006 to December 2007 in medical ICU of a tertiary care hospital in Korea, We reviewed the medical records of patients treated with intravenous colistin due to ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Results: A total of 41 patients were analyzed. 22 patients had been treated with colistin monotherapy and 19 patients with colistin and combination antibiotics that were found to have in vitro synergistic effects. Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups but the mean duration of colistin administration was significantly longer in the combination group (19.1${\pm}$11.2 days vs. 12.3${\pm}$6.8 days, p=0.042). There were no significant differences in outcome variables between the two groups. Conclusion: Combination treatment based on the in vitro antimicrobial synergy test did not show better outcomes compared with colistin monotherapy in VAP caused by multi-drug resistant A. baumannii.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.217-224
• /
• 2016

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is prevalent in hospital environments and is an important opportunistic pathogen of nosocomial infection. It is known that this pathogen cause herd infection in hospitals, and the mortality rate is remarkably higher for patients infected with this pathogen and already have other underlying diseases. Herein, we investigated the antibiotic resistance rate and the type of resistance genes in 85 isolates of multi-drug resistant A. baumannii from the samples commissioned to laboratory medicine in two university hospitals-in hospital A and hospital B-located in Cheonan and Chungcheong provinces, respectively, in Korea. As a result, $bla_{OXA-23-like}$ and $bla_{OXA-51-like}$ were detected in 82 stains (96.5%). These 82 strains of $bla_{OXA-23-like}$ producing A. baumannii were confirmed with the ISAba1 gene found at the top of the $bla_{OXA-23-like}$ genes by PCR, inducing the resistance against carbapenemase. The armA, AME gene that induces the resistance against aminoglycoside was detected in 34 strains out of 38 strains from Hospital A (89.5%), and in 40 strains out of 47 strains from Hospital B (85.1%), while AMEs were found in 33 strains out of 38 strains from Hospital A (70.2%) and in 44 strains out of 47 strains in Hospital B (93.6%). Therefore, it was found that most multi-drug resistant A. baumannii from the Cheonan area expressed both acethyltransferase and adenyltransferase. This study investigated the multi-drug resistant A. baumannii isolated from Cheonan and Chungcheong provinces in Korea, and it is thought that the results of the study can be utilized as the basic information to cure multi-drug resistant A. baumannii infections and to prevent the spread of drug resistance.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.44 no.6
• /
• pp.632-640
• /
• 2006

In this study, the biodegradative activities of monocyclic aromatic compounds were determined from the multi-drug resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii, which were studied in the form of clinical isolates from a hospital in Korea. These bacteria were capable of biodegrading monocyclic aromatic compounds, such as benzoate and p-hydroxybenzoate. In order to determine which pathways are available for biodegradation in these stains, we conducted proteome analyses of benzoate, and p-hydroxybenzoate-cultured A. baumannii DU202, using 2-DE/MS analysis. As genome DB of A. baumannii was not yet available, MS/MS analysis or de novo sequencing methods were employed in the identification of induced proteins. Benzoate branch enzymes [catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (CatA) and benzoate dioxygenase $\alpha$ subunit (BenA)] of the $\beta$-ketoadipate pathway were identified under benzoate culture condition and p-hydroxybenzoate branch enzymes [protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenas $\alpha$ subunit (PcaG) and 3-carboxy-cis,cis-muconate cycloisomerase (PcaR)] of the $\beta$-ketoadipate pathway were identified under p-hydroxybenzoate culture condition, respectively, thereby suggesting that strain DU202 utilized the $\beta$-ketoadipate pathway for the biodegradation of monocyclic aromatic compounds. The sequence analysis of two purified dioxygenases (CatA and PcaGH) indicated that CatA is closely associated with the CatA of Acinetobacter radiresistance, but PcaGH is only moderately associated with the PcaGH of Acinetobacter sp. ADPI. Interestingly, the fused form of PcaD and PcaC, carboxymuconolactone decarboxylase (PcaCD), was detected on benzoate-cultured A. baumannii DU202. These results indicate that A. baumannii DU202 exploits a different $\beta$-ketoadipate pathway from other Acinetobacter species.

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

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.79-82
• /
• 2012

Acinetobacter infections are of great concern in clinical settings because of multi-drug resistance (MDR) and high mortality of the infected patients. The MDR Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as a significant infectious agent in hospitals worldwide. The purpose of this study was to determine for molecular characterization of MDR A. baumannii clinical isolates obtained from the Wonju Christian Hospital in Gangwon province of Korea. A total of seventy nonduplicate A. baumannii isolates were collected from the Wonju Christian Hospital in Korea from March to April in 2011. All of the MDR A. baumannii isolates were encoded by $bla_{OXA-23-like}$ gene and all isolates with the $bla_{OXA-23-like}$ gene had the upstream element ISAba1 to promote increased gene expression and subsequent resistance to carbapenem. 16S rRNA methylase gene (armA) was detected in 44 clinical isolates which were resistant to amikacin, and phosphotransferase genes encoding aac(3)-Ia and aac(6')-Ib were the most prevalent. A combination of 16S rRNA methylase and aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme genes (armA, aac(3)-Ia, aac(6')-Ib, and aph(3')-Ia) were found in 31 isolates. The sequencing results for the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of gyrA and parC revealed the presence of Ser (TCA) 83 Leu (TTA) and Ser (TCG) 80 Leu (TTG) substitutions in the respective enzymes for all MDR. Molecular typing for MDR A. baumannii could be helpful in confirming the identification of a common source or cross-contamination. This is an important step in enabling epidemiological tracing of these strains.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.57 no.2
• /
• pp.132-138
• /
• 2013

Acinetobacter baumannii is gram-negative bacilli that can be widely found in environments. Recently, A. baumannii emerged as a serious nosocomial infection. A total of 92 A. baumannii were isolated from hospitalized patients in Seoul, Korea, between December 2010 and April 2011. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was investigated using CLSI agar dilution methods. Tigecycline non-susceptible A. baumannii isolates were investigated by repetitive extragenic palindromic sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was performed to determine the epidemiological relationships. All clinical isolates showed high-level resistance to the most commonly used antibiotics: Ciprofloxacin (87.0%), Ampicillin/sulbactam (82.6%), Cefotaxime (81.5%), Ceftazidime (80.4%). Moreover, 50.0% of these isolates were non-susceptible to tigecycline. When evaluated by RAPD analysis, generated distinct band ranging in size from 1kb to 8k band varying from 4 to 10 bands. Stricter surveillance and more rapid detection are essential to prevent the spread of multi drug resistant A. baumannii.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.816-823
• /
• 2022

The rapid spread of superbugs leads to the escalation of infectious diseases, which threatens public health. Endolysins derived from bacteriophages are spotlighted as promising alternative antibiotics against multi-drug resistant bacteria. In this study, we isolated and characterized the novel Salmonella typhimurium phage PBST08. Bioinformatics analysis of the PBST08 genome revealed putative endolysin ST01 with a lysozyme-like domain. Since the lytic activity of the purified ST01 was minor, probably owing to the outer membrane, which blocks accessibility to peptidoglycan, antimicrobial peptide cecropin A (CecA) was fused to the N-terminus of ST01 to disrupt the outer membrane. The resulting CecA::ST01 has been shown to have increased bactericidal activity against gram-negative pathogens including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, and Enterobacter cloacae and the most affected target was A. baumannii. In the presence of 0.25 µM CecA::ST01, A. baumannii ATCC 17978 strain was completely killed and CCARM 12026 strain was wiped out by 0.5 µM CecA::ST01, which is a clinical isolate of A. baumannii and resistant to multiple drugs including carbapenem. Moreover, the larvae of Galleria mellonella could be rescued up to 58% or 49% by the administration of CecA::ST01 upon infection by A. baumannii 17978 or CCARM 12026 strain. Finally, the antibacterial activity of CecA::ST01 was verified using 31 strains of five gram-negative pathogens by evaluation of minimal inhibitory concentration. Thus, the results indicate that a fusion of antimicrobial peptide to endolysin can enhance antibacterial activity and the spectrum of endolysin where multi-drug resistant gram-negative pathogens can be efficiently controlled.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.23-30
• /
• 2011

Purpose : Acinetobacter baumannii is an aerobic, gram negative coccobacillus. Due to its pathogenicity and ability to accumulate diverse mechanisms of resistance, the importance of this organism is increasing. Many reports have targeted adults, and studies of pediatric patients are limited. This study aims to investigate the current status of A. baumannii infection in children. Methods : From January 2001 to December 2008, 505 patients hospitalized with A. baumannii infection were enrolled. Admission records for underlying disease, duration of hospitalization, previous antibiotic use, location of admission, presence of ventilator care, and resistance to antibiotics were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. Results : Hemato-oncological disease and neurological disease were 30.6% and 24.3% of all cases; therefore, these were the most common underlying diseases of patients with A. baumannii infection. Prevalence of A. baumannii infection was 78.1% in patients with previous antibiotic use, which was higher than that of the group not using previous antibiotic. And prevalence of multi-drug resistant and pan-drug resistant A. baumannii infection was 76.4% and 38.3% in patients with ICU care, 76.8% and 38.9% with ventilator care, and these were higher than the others. Rate of resistance to all groups of antibiotics showed a gradual increase to over 50% in 2008. Multi-drug resistant A. baumannii was 63.5% and pan-drug resistant A. baumannii was 48.2% of all cases. Conclusion : Prevalence of A. baumannii infection and resistance to antibacterial agents of A. baumannii is increasing. Adequate use of antibiotics and infection control should be emphasized in pediatric patients.