• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2016

The purposes of this study are to confirm ways to reduce bacteria of minimally processed agricultural products, using antibacterial foods that are easily available in home and to improve bacterial hygienic condition of them. We chose garlic-allicin, ginger-gingerol, green tea-catechin, cinnamon-cinnamic aldehyde, wasabi-allyl isothiocyanate as antibacterial foods and their unique antibiotic materials. We confirmed the better washing effect when these antibiotic extracts were used, compared to washing effect by only distilled water. Their antibiosis was proved by statistical processing. PFGE (Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis) of Bacillus cereus shows continuous contamination probability of minimally processed vegetables by same product suppliers and the necessity of systematic measures against bacterial contamination.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.359-369
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• 2018

An essential measure to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAI) is to develop a consistent system of surveillance, thereby promoting a reliable situation diagnosis to perform efficient control for the problem. Patient-to-patient transmission of pathogens within the hospital plays a substantial role in the epidemiology of HAIs. Contamination of healthcare environments commonly occurs, including facilities surfaces (e.g., bed rails, bedside tables), drinking water, cooling tower water, endoscopic instruments, food, airborne, endotoxin test, sterile test and medical equipment, with pathogenic organisms. In addition, epidemiological analysis is performed by multi locus sequence tying, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for active surveillance. Therefore, an environmental surveillance culture test for prevention improves patient safety and blocks infection agents. Effective infection control and increased safety are possible by controlling the national infection control system. In conclusion, this study contributes to an effective infection control system through the standardization of active surveillance culture laboratory and secure expertise as infection control specialist. The primary objective of the standardization is to improve the safety of the nation's healthcare system by reducing the rates of HAIs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.425-432
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• 2010

Staphylococcus intermedius is a common cause of otitis externa, pyoderma, and wound infections in companion animals. Although S. intermedius infections are rare in humans, it is zoonotic, with several case reports describing fatal human infections. Presently, we sought to isolate S. intermedius strains from various sources at animal hospitals nationwide in Korea, examine their antibiotic susceptibilities, and determine the possibility of horizontal transmission between animals and humans. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (pFGE) was used to compare the mecA gene in S. intermedius strains from humans, animals, and the environment in animal hospitals. A total of 119 S. intermedius strains were isolated from 529 samples. Using the disk diffusion method, over 90% of the isolates were found to be susceptible to cephalothin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, vancomycin, imipenem, nitroflurantoin, and amikacin, whereas 97.5% and 98.3% of the isolates were resistant to penicillin and ampicillin, respectively. Among the 39 S. intermedius strains harboring mecA, similar PFGE patterns were observed between seven isolates from an animal, two isolates from veterinary staff, and the environment in one animal hospital, and single isolates from an animal and a veterinarian at another hospital. This result suggests the possibility of horizontal transmission of S. intermedius containing mecA between humans, animals, and the environment in animal hospitals and also emphasizes on the importance of S. intermedius with mecA as a possible emerging threat to public health.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.102-108
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• 2024

This study was performed to establish the epidemiological features of a food poisoning outbreak that occurred in the cafeteria of a company in Chungcheongnam-do Province, Korea, in October 2020, and to recommend measures to prevent similar outbreaks. Twenty-one patients with acute gastroenteritis, three food handlers, seven cooking utensils, and 12 preserved food samples were subjected to viral and bacterial analyses based on procedures described in the "Manual for Detection of Foodborne Pathogens at Outbreaks". Among 135 individuals who had been served the meals, 21 (15.6%) showed symptoms of nausea and vomiting within an hour of consuming the food. Bacillus cereus were isolated from 11 (52.4%) of the 21 patients, one food service employee, one item of cooking ware, and 12 preserved food samples. In addition, we confirmed the toxin genes CER, nheA, and entFM from the isolated B. cereus strains. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis results indicated that all of the isolated B. cereus strains were closely related, with the exception of strains obtained from one patient and one sample of preserved food. These findings provide evidence to indicate that the isolated B. cereus originated from preserved foods and an unhygienic eating environment. This outbreak highlights that the provision of food in non-commercial food systems must be thoroughly managed. In addition, it emphasizes the necessity for the correct and timely identification of causal pathogens for tracing the cause of food poisoning outbreaks, and the need to preserve food under appropriate conditions. To prevent similar cases of food poisoning, it is necessary to investigate cases based on an epidemiological approach and share the findings.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2006

Purpose : Shigellosis is still an important cause of acute food-borne diarrheal diseases throughout the world. We investigated the transmission routes and clinical course through the outbreak of shigellosis in Mapo-Gu, Seoul. Methods : From October 7th to November 19th in 2005, Mapo-Gu public health center had referred 32 patients with confirmed or suspected shigellosis to the National Medical Center. We had investigated source of infection, epidemiology, laboratory findings, and clinical course of the cases occurred during this outbreak. Results : Among 32 patients, 24 patients had been confirmed with shigellosis, 8 patients had been diagnosed with suspected shigellosis. They ranged in age from 5 months to 12 years old and their mean age was 6.5 years. The clinical manifestations were as follows; diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain and asymptomatic condition. Symptoms had sustained for 3.7 days on the average. S. sonnei were cultured by rectal swab and founded to be resistant to ampicillin and TMP/SMX except to 3rd generation cephalosporin. After treatment with antibiotics such as cefixime and ceftriaxone or imipenem and conservative treatment with electrolyte and fluid replacement for 5~7 days, Stool cultures of the rectal swab grew no Shigella in these cases except 3 cases. Conclusion : An outbreak of shigellosis had occurred in a preschool and elementary school children. From the same results of antimicrobial susceptibility and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns in this study, we suggest that the outbreak of shigellosis in this report had been originated from a single strain. According to all negative results about suspected food and water cultures, we couldn't find out source of infection. Through materials offerred by Mapo-Gu Public Health Center, we presumed the trasmission routes probably were person-to-person.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.56-63
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• 2023

In this study, two cases of food poisoning caused by Salmonella that occurred in Gyeongsangnam-do in September 2021 are reported. One of the outbreaks occurred in a school and the other in a company. The molecular epidemiological characteristics of the isolated strains in the two outbreaks were analyzed. In the case of the school outbreak, 29 (4.9%) of 588 individuals experienced diarrhea and abdominal pain. As a result of a test of 36 individuals (patients, n=29; cook workers, n=7), Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis was detected in 17 (47.2%) patients, suggesting this serotype was the principal cause. Meanwhile, Salmonella spp. were not detected in 35 food and environmental samples. In the company outbreak, 87 (3.0%) of 2,900 individuals who had intaked from the same source experienced diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever. In a test of 50 individuals (patients, n=40; cook workers, n=10), S. Enteritidis was detected in 28 patients (56.0%). Also, Vibrio cholerae (NAG) was detected in four patients with S. Enteritidis, and V. cholerae (NAG) only was detected in one patient. Salmonella spp. were not detected in 118 preserved foods, but S. Enteritidis was detected in one eaten food (toast) delivered in group by the company. Through PFGE genetic homology analysis of the isolated strains, all S. Enteritidis detected in patients and consumed foods were the same type. It seems that these S. Enteritidis isolates were the same type as detected in a previous school outbreak and in patients of group food poisoning in other regions, leading to an enhanced problem of food poisoning and epidemiology. Our analytic results can provide data for epidemiological management and food poisoning prevention based on molecular characteristics.