• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.309-315
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• 2004

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most common nosocomial pathogens. Many hospitals are facing the problems which they have to use expensive antibiotics and suffer from long term hospital study of patients due to MRSA. This study is to survey MRSA nasal colonization of patients and doctors, and to investigate the mode of transmission of MRSA by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and then use these data to prevent further spread of cross infection and reduce nosocomial infection. Subjects of this study were 201 patients with MRSA infection at an university hospital in Busan from Sept. 1997 to Aug. 1998. Bacterial genotypes of MRSA strains isolated from nares and wound of patients (14 cases) and nares of doctors (8 cases) were analyzed by PFGE. Nasal cultures of 20 I patients for detecting nasal colonization of MRSA were performed and incidence rate of nasal colonization was 40％ (80/201). Among 201 patients MRSA were acquired from hospital in 140 (70％) patients and were acquired from community 61 (30％) patients. Among 14 pairs of MRSA from colonized or infected sites and anterior nares, DNA patterns of 10 pairs (71.4％) were equal. 86％ (12/14) MRSA strains isolated from patients and 12.5％ (1/8) MRSA strains isolated from doctors show same pattern. DNA patterns were changed in some doctors after nasal oint. Treatment. It could be inferred that the most sources of MRSA in hospital are the endemically existing MRSA. Therefore, we believe that it would be necessary to control MRSA nasal colonization of the patients and the related medical teams to reduce the medical cost and to improve the efficacy of medical cares.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.11
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• pp.543-551
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• 2021

The human microbiome, which consists of a collective cluster of commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic microorganisms living in the human body, plays a key role in host health and immunity. The human nasal cavity harbors commensal bacteria that suppress the colonization of opportunistic pathogens. However, dysbiosis of the nasal microbial community is associated with many diseases, such as acute respiratory infections including otitis media, sinusitis and bronchitis and allergic respiratory diseases including asthma. The nasopharyngeal acquisition of pneumococcus, which exists as a pathobiont in the nasal cavity, is the initial step in virtually all pneumococcal diseases. Although the factors influencing nasal colonization and elimination are not fully understood, the adhesion of opportunistic pathogens to nasopharyngeal mucosa receptors and the eliciting of immune responses in the host are implicated in addition to bacterial microbiota properties and colonization resistance dynamics. Probiotics or synbiotic interventions may show promising and effective roles in the adjunctive treatment of dysbiosis; however, more studies are needed to characterize how these interventions can be applied in clinical practice in the future.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.383-389
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• 1999

A randomized experimental study was done to evaluate short course therapeutic efficacies of two types of mupirocin ointment (Bactroban Nasal and Bactroban) in the elimination of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal colonization (16 dogs) and wound infection (3 dogs or 18 wound sites) in dogs. In each model, dogs being assigned to TR-1 treatment group was given ointment twice a day for two consecutive days, and those that assigned to TR-2 treatment group was given the same dose for three days. Neither TR-1 nor TR-2 regimen was effective to clear nasal carriage completely with a clearing rate of 62.5% and 87.5%, respectively. Whereas, for 2 days at least twice daily application of mupirocin for wound infection was quite enough to eliminate MRSA, with a clearing rate of 83.3~100% by 4 weeks follow-up. No apparent side effects were observed in each model, and in no case was it necessary to discontinue the treatment. Further controlled studies on the elimination of nasal colonization are required to establish cost-effective and efficient regimen on companion animals.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.156-165
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was conducted to test the effect of the Hand Hygiene Education Program on hand hygiene knowledge, hand hygiene perception, nasal Staphylococcus aureus colonization and hand hygiene adherence in nursing students. Methods: A non-equivalent pre-post test of quasi-experimental design was used. 87 second grade nursing students participated in the study with 43 in the experimental group and 44 in the control group. We used the Hand Hygiene Education Program which was held 5 times over 5 weeks, taking 60 minutes per session. For the analysis, descriptive statistics, chi test, and t-test were used for statical analysis with SPSS 19.0. Results: There were significant increases in hand hygiene knowledge (p=.004) and hand hygiene adherence (p=.002) and there was a significant decrease in nasal Staphylococcus aureus colonization (p=.026) in the experimental group compared to the control group. However, hand hygiene perception (p=.543) was not significantly changed. Conclusion: Findings of this study suggest that the Hand Hygiene Education Program may be effective in enhancing hand hygiene knowledge and hand hygiene adherence. Also this program was effective in reducing nasal Staphylococcus aureus colonization in nursing students. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effects of the Hand Hygiene Education Program on hand hygiene perception in nursing students.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.90-97
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the contamination level of uniforms with nasal colonization of Staphylococcus aureus before and after the clinical practice of nursing students. Methods: This study was a survey research, conducting microbial culture by smearing the front surface and the pockets of uniforms, and the nasal cavity both before and after clinical practice on 70 nursing students. For the analysis, descriptive statistics, chi-square test, paired t-test were used for statistical analysis using SPSS 19.0. Results: The contamination level of uniforms increased more significantly after clinical practice on the front surface (p=.008) and pockets (p=.031) than before clinical practice, and Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterobacter aerogenes were detected. Conclusion: Through the results above, it is believed that it is reasonable to do the laundering of clinical uniforms of nursing students once a week. Because it is possible to disseminate disease germs with the contamination of clinical practice uniforms in a hospital environment, it is necessary to offer education for the laundering of uniforms with appropriate management.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.111-120
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• 2012

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the colonization rate of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in neonates by different clinical characteristics, to presume the origin of MRSA acquisition, and to identify the risk factors associated with MRSA colonization. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 1,733 neonates admitted to Seoul Eulji hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit between January 2008 and December 2011. Nasal, inguinal and rectal swab specimens were obtained upon admission and each week until discharge. We classified the route of MRSA acquisition as; hospital associated (HA-MRSA) and community associated (CA-MRSA) according to the case definition. Results: Among 1,733 neonates, 415 (23.9%) were colonized with MRSA. Gestational age, birth weight, delivery type, maternal antibiotics usage before delivery, birth place and care place before admission were influencing factors in colonization of MRSA. The colonization rate was significantly high in neonates without maternal prophylactic antibiotics use before delivery than in the other group (relative risk 2.77, 95% CI 1.88-4.07; P<0.01), and outborns showed higher MRSA colonization rate compared to inborns (relative risk 2.28, 95% CI 1.17-4.42; P=0.015). Conclusion: We identified the neonatal MRSA colonization rate to be 23.9%. We estimated HA-MRSA colonization rate to be 10% (51/511) and CA-MRSA colonization rate to be 36% (309/858). We ascertained that risk factors in MRSA colonization in neonates were prophylactic use of antibiotics in mothers and the birth place.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2005

Background : Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important pathogen in hospital-acquired infection, and is prevalent in intensive care units (ICU). The MRSA colonization rates of the nares and throat were examined in both the ICU and general ward. This study was performed to investigate the MRSA rate and necessity for MRSA screening cultures in patients admitted to ICU. Methods : Between June and September 2004, those patients admitted to both the medical ICU and general ward participated in this study. Bacterial cultures were performed on swabs of the nares and throat taken within 24 hours of admission. Clinical data were also collected. Results : One hundred and twenty one patients and 84 patients, admitted to the medical ICU and medical general ward, respectively, were investigated. The numbers of nasal MRSA colonization in the ICU and general ward were 3 (2.5%) and 3 (3.6%), respectively. There were 2 (1.7%) cases of throat MRSA colonization in the ICU, but none in the general ward. The MRSA colonization rates of the nares and throat were no different between the ICU and general ward. There were no significant differences in the previous admission, operation history and admission route between the ICU and general ward groups. Conclusion : The MRSA colonization rates of the nares and throat were 3.3 and 3.6% in the ICU and the general ward, respectively. The MRSA screening test does not appear to be required in all patients admitted to the ICU, but further studies, including high-risk patients, are recommended.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.86-91
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• 2010

We evaluated the performance of a novel screening test, PBP2a MRSA rapid kit (Dinona Inc., Iksan, Korea), for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) based on a immunochromatographic assay. The test is able to detect penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a) using the nasal specimens from health care workers. The nasal specimens were obtained from 69 healthcare workers and were incubated in enrichment broth followed eight hours incubatin in BHI with cefoxitin $4{\mu}g/mL$. These broth were tested by PBP2a Rapid Kit. The enrichment broths were also directly tested for tube coagulase using the conventional identification method. 19 of 22 MRSA showed positive results by PBP2a rapid test and direct coagulase test (the sensitivity for detection of MRSA, 86.36%). While, 8 of 47 non-MRSA showed false positive results for the two tests. All of the 8 non-MRSA which showed false positive were co-colonizing isolates with MRCNS and MSSA. In addition, 46 of 49 methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) showed positive results for PBP2a MRSA rapid kit (the sensitivity for detection of MRS, 93.8%), and all of 20 non-MRS showed negative results (specificity, 100%). The combination of PBP2a MRSA rapid kit and direct coagulase test showed the good sensitivity for detection of MRSA from anterior nares but frequently showed false positive results from the co-colonizing carrier with MRCNS and MSSA.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.75-79
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• 2014

Bordetella (B.) bronchiseptica is a causative agent of swine atrophic rhinitis that promotes colonization of the mucous membrane of the swine nasal cavity by Pasteurella (P.) multocida. Mixed infection with B. bronchiseptica and P. multocida leads to growth inhibition of pigs, resulting in significant economic loss. There are many commercial vaccines for atrophic rhinitis, including B. bronchiseptica as a killed vaccine antigen (Ag). However, the immunogenicity of killed B. bronchiseptica Ag has not yet been elucidated; therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the immunogenicity of killed B. bronchiseptica Ag and the type of immune response it induces. In vitro assays using mouse spleen cells and flow cytometry revealed that B. bronchiseptica Ag induced high proliferation capability of lymphocytes, especially B lymphocytes, and the proliferating cells showed a significant response to interleukin (IL)-2. B. bronchiseptica Ag also enhanced the production of IL-12, a representative cytokine for cell-mediated immunity. In vivo experiments using mice showed that the injection of B. bronchiseptica Ag markedly induced Ag-specific antibody. Taken together, these results indicate that B. bronchiseptica Ag has high immunogenicity by itself.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.131-141
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• 2009

Purpose : In February 2007, an outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin and soft tissue infections occurred in two newborns in the neonatal unit of Sahmyook Seoul Hospital. We performed this study to investigate the characteristics of MRSA nasal carriage among neonatal unit staffs and the effective infection control measures. Methods : Nasal swab specimens were obtained from the neonatal unit staff for the presence of MRSA. MRSA-colonized staffs were offered decolonization therapy with oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or 2% mupirocin ointment. Every 2-4months after decolonizaton, repeat nasal swab specimens were obtained. Also, samples from the neonatal unit environment and room air were collected. Results : Successful decolonization was achieved in 92% of the cases in 2 weeks after decolonization therapy, but most of the staffs were recolonized after several months. The nature of antibiotic susceptibility was changed from multi-drugsusceptible to multi-drug-resistant. The most frequently contaminated objects were dressing carts, computer keyboards, bassinets and washbowls. In environmental cultures using the settle microbe count method, the colony counts were decreased significantly at the last study period compared with the first study period in the neonatal room, breastfeeding room, service room, and dressing room (P <0.05). Conclusion : Effective control of sustained MRSA transmission within an institution may require prompt identification, treatment, and monitoring of colonized and/or infected staffs. However, nasal decolonization therapy may induce multi-drugresistant MRSA infection and had no effect on decreasing the MRSA nasal carriage rate in our study. Other factors might be more important, such as improving staff education, increasing hand hygiene practices, and environmental sterilization for controlling MRSA infections.