• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.881-887
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• 2007

It is a hot clinical issue whether newly approved antimicrobial agents such as daptomycin, linezolid, quinupristin/dalfopristin (synercid) and tigecycline are active enough to be used for infections caused by vancomycin resistant bacteria. We performed susceptibility tests for mupirocin, which is in widespread clinical use in Korea, and four new antimicrobials, daptomycin, linezolid, quinupristin/dalfopristin and tigecycline, against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolated from Korean patients in 1998 and 2005 to evaluate and compare the in vitro activity of these antimicrobials. Among these agents, quinupristin/dalfopristin, which is rarely used in hospitals in Korea, showed relatively high resistance to several vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) isolated in 2005. Likewise, daptomycin, linezolid and tigecycline have not yet been in clinical use in Korea. However, our results showed that most of the 2005 VRE isolates were already resistant to linezolid and daptomycin (highest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value >$100{\mu}g$/ml). Compared with the other four antimicrobial agents tested in this study, tigecycline generally showed the greatest activity against VRE. However, four strains of 2005 isolates exhibited resistance against tigecycline (MIC >$12.5{\mu}g$/ml). Almost all VRE were resistant to mupirocin, whereas all E. faecium isolated in 1998 were inhibited at concentrations between $0.8\sim1.6{\mu}g$/ml. In conclusion, resistances to these new antimicrobial agents were exhibited in most of VRE strains even though these new antibiotics have been rarely used in Korean hospitals.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.505-513
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• 2022

In this study, 143 strains of Enterococcus spp. were isolated from inland pollution sources near shellfish farms on the west coast of South Korea. Not all isolated Enterococcus spp. strains possessed vancomycin resistance genes (VanA and VanB). However, since vancomycin-resistance Enterococcus (VRE) have been detected not only in the clinical field but also out in the world, it is possible that the VRE gene may be transferred to other bacterial strains commonly found in coastal waters where seafood is produced. It is important to monitor trends in the appearance of VRE. In addition, antimicrobial resistance patterns of isolates were examined in this study. Overall antimicrobial resistance rates were high: ciprofloxacin (32.2% of isolates resistant), chloramphenicol (30.8%), quinupristin/dalfopristin (19.6%), and tylosin (15.4%). Eight E. faecium strains (6.2%), out of the 129 strains assessed, showed multidrug resistance. All multidrug-resistant E. faecium showed resistance to erythromycin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, tetracycline, and tylosin, in all 14 strains. All multidrug-resistant E. faecalis showed resistance to erythromycin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, tetracycline, and tylosin. Both multidrug-resistant E. faecium and multidrug-resistant E. faecalis showed common resistance to erythromycin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, tetracycline, and tylosin.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.6-17
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• 2008

From the total 116,429 clinical specimens submitted to "C" hospital from January 2005 to December 2006, 2,195 strains of streptococci were isolated. Twenty four species of Streptococcus were identified with 0.1~19.8% isolation frequencies, of which S. pneumoniae was 19.8%, S. agalactiae 16.2%, S. anginosus 9.8%, S. constellatus 5.0%, S. oralis 3.9%, S. mitis 3.3%, S. pyogenes 2.7%, S. salivarius subsp. salivarius 2.2%, S. sanguinis 1.9%. For S. pneumoniae, clinical specimens showing over 9.0% isolation rate were 82.8% in sputum, 9.2% in blood, and for Streptococcus species other than S. pneumoniae, 18.0% in sputum, 16.0% in urine and 9.7% in blood. The antimicrobial agents that showed over 90.0% susceptibility were cefotaxime, gatilfloxacin, imipenem, levofloxacin, linezolid, moxifloxacin, rifampin and sporfloxacin in S. pneumoniae, ampicillin, cefotaxime, cetriaxone, levofloxacin, linezolid, penicillin, quinupristin/dalfopristin and vancomycin in S. agalactiae, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, levofloxacin and vancomycin in S. anginosus, levofloxacin, vancomycin in S. constellatus subsp. constellatus, vancomycin in S. oralis, vancomycin in S. mitis, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, levofloxacin, quinupristin/dalfopristin and vancomycin in S. pyogenes, chloramphenicol, levofloxacin and vancomycin in S. salivarius subsp. salivarius, chloramphenicol, levofloxacin and vancomycin in S. bovis II, chloramphenicol, levofloxacin, quinupristin/dalfopristin and vancomycin in S. dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae, levofloxacin, chloramphenicol and vancomycin in the whole group of 10 Streptococcus spp. other than Streptococcus pneumoniae.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.141-143
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• 2006

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci[VRE] are rare cause of meningitis, occurring in immunocompromised patients, severely ill, hospitalized patient, and patients who have undergone neurosurgical procedures. Resistance to vancomycin has increased in frequency during the past few years. Limited therapeutic options are available for VRE infectionsandtheoptimumtherapy has not been established. We report a case of VRE meningitis that was successfully treated with administration of quinupristin-dalfopristin [Synercid] by both intravenous and intraventricular routes. A brief review of the literature is provided, which indicates that optimal management with Synercid should include daily intraventricular doses of at least 2mg and intravenous 0.5mg/kg every 8 hours. We also review the previously reported cases of VRE meningitis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.194-200
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• 2009

Community-acquired antimicrobial resistant bacteria are an emerging problem whole world-wide. Generally, Hands are main mediator of pathogen transmission as compared with other body parts. So, the purpose of this research was to investigate the microbiological quality and antimicrobial susceptibilities of samples which were collected from the door knob and surface in public- and home-facilities, and also hand. Of total 191 samples, 71 samples (37%) were shown to be of high-level total bacterial count (>$10^8\;CFU/cm^2$). And presence of Staphylococcus and Enteric bacilli was observed in 61 samples (32%) and 76 samples (40%), respectively. Antimicrobial susceptibilities of staphylococcal isolates from the samples were tested for six different antimicrobial agents, which are in wide spread clinical use in Korea, as well as four new antimicrobials, daptomycin, linezolid, quinupristin/dalfopristin and tigecycline. Among staphylococcal isolates, antimicrobial resistance were observed in oxacillin (n=6), mupirocin (n=7), vancomycin (n=1), quinupristin/dalfopristin (n=2) and gentamicin (n=5). Fortunately, all the isolates were susceptible to new antimicrobial such as daptomycin, linezolid and tigecycline. Furthermore 4 Enterococcus faecalis were isolated from four hand samples, and all these isolates exhibited multidrug resistance to four different antimicrobial (oxacillin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, mupirocin, gentamicin). Also, 5 Escherichia coli were isolated from surface in home (n=3), door knob in public facilities (n=1) and hand (n=1). Escherichia coli isolated from hand was high-level resistant to tigecycline ($128{\mu}g$/ml) and gentamicin ($64{\mu}g$/ml).

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.240-246
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• 2008

From the 4 sampling stations located in the basin of the Han River, total 46 strains of Enterococcus spp. composed of 15 E. faecium strains, 26 E. casseliflavus strains, 1 E. faecalis strain and 4 E. hirae strains were isolated. Among the 46 strains, 45 strains exhibited streptomycin-resistance, while 21 and 19 stains were resistant against tetracycline and quinupristin/dalfopristin, respectively. As for gentamicin and vancomycin, 15 strains and 1 strain showed resistance against the respective antimicrobial agents. Among the 46 strains, 39 strains showed resistance against more than 2 antimicrobial agents, and 10 strains demonstrated resistance to more than 5 antimicrobial agents. Especially, the strain isolated from the station C at Anyangcheon, exhibited resistance against all the 8 kinds of the antimicrobial agents. As the sampling site approached to the lower stream of the Han-river, the antibiotic resistant strains and the multi-drug resistant strains were detected more frequently. The MIC values of the antibiotic resistant strains measured by the disc diffusion method disclosed that 16 strains possessed maximum MIC value of 4,096 ${\mu}g$ mL$^{-1}$ against streptomycin and 17 strains possessed maximum MIC value of 2,048 ${\mu}g$ mL$^{-1}$ against gentamicin. Meanwhile, 1 strain exhibited maximum MIC value of 5121 ${\mu}g$ mL$^{-1}$ against vancomycin. As for quinupristin/dalfopristin and tetracycline, 2 and 33 strains showed maximum MIC value of 641 ${\mu}g$ mL$^{-1}$, respectively. Comparison of the MIC values of the strains of the this study with those of the strains of the other research groups isolated from the hospital drainage and also those from the live stock farm drainage indicated that the strains resistant against vancomycin and quinupristin/dalfopristin may be originated from the livestock farm drainage.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.434-440
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• 2008

The purpose of this research was to investigate the microbiological quality and antimicrobial susceptibilities of the ready-to-eat side dishes, which are were collected from the grocery stores, big markets, and department stores in Seoul throughout November, 2007. Of total 124 samples, presence of staphylococci and enteric bacilli was observed in 38 samples (31%) and 53 samples (43%), respectively. And 30 samples (24%) were shown to be of unsatisfactory quality for total bacterial count (>$10^5$). Antimicrobial susceptibilities of the staphylococci isolated from the side dishes were tested for six different antimicrobial agents, which are in widespread clinical use in Korea, as well as four new antimicrobials, daptomycin, linezolid, quinupristin/dalfopristin and tigecycline. As a result, the staphylococcal isolates were found to be resistant to oxacillin (${MIC}_{90}$, >128 ${\mu}g$/ml), teicoplanin (${MIC}_{90}$, >128 ${\mu}g$/ml), mupirocin (${MIC}_{90}$, >128 ${\mu}g$/ml), linezolid (${MIC}_{90}$, 128 ${\mu}g$/ ml) and quinupristin/dalfopristin (${MIC}_{90}$, 32 ${\mu}g$/ml). Especially, some of the staphylococcal isolates exhibited high level and multi-drug resistance. Moreover, these bacteria were also resistant to new antimicrobials, except tigecycline.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.581-586
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• 2018

Enterococcus spp. have been considered major indicator organisms for antibiotic resistance due to their ability to easily acquire and to harbor antibiotic resistance. In this study, Enterococcus spp. were isolated from 174 retail fresh-cut products (fresh vegetable salads, microgreens, and sprouts) in Korea. Among the 20 Enterococcus isolates obtained, 18 (90.0%) were Enterococcus faecalis and 2 (10.0%) were Enterococcus faecium. The patterns of antibiotic resistance against nine antimicrobials were analyzed. Most of the isolates (85.0%) were resistant to quinupristin/dalfopristin, 40.0% and 50.0% of the isolates showed intermediate resistance to two critically important antimicrobials for human medicine, ciprofloxacin and erythromycin, respectively. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci were not detected in this study. Given the importance of antimicrobial resistance of enterococci in food safety as well as in public health, our results regarding the occurrence (level of contamination) and antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus spp. could provide useful information that aids the risk analysis of antibiotic resistance.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2009

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a leading cause of nosocomial infections, has been increasingly recognized in communities of the United States. This article will review the clinical spectrum and treatment of MRSA infections in children in the context of recent epidemiological changes of MRSA infections. In general, community-associated (CA) MRSA most frequently causes skin and soft tissue infections and has an increased association with invasive infections, particularly pneumonia and musculoskeletal infections. Hospital-associated (HA) MRSA strains tend to be associated with bloodstream infections, pneumonia, and surgical site infections. Different from the United States, CA-MRSA infections are not common in Korea (only 5.9%); however, there are some CA-MRSA clones that are different from HA-MRSA clones in Korea and from CA-MRSA clones in other countries. The treatment of MRSA infections should be guided by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, the site of infection, and the infection severity. Vancomycin is the treatment of choice for invasive MRSA infections. Other agents such as trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, clindamycin, linezolid, quinupristin-dalfopristin, and daptomycin have been used for some conditions.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.6-12
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• 2009

There are relatively few novel antimicrobial agents despite the dramatic increase in antimicrobial resistance and multiple drug resistance of clinical isolates worldwide. Vancomycin is still the most widely used antibiotic for treating resistant Gram-positive coccal infections in children, especially for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. For children with Gram-positive coccal infections where vancomycin is not effective or older therapeutic agents cannot be tolerated, linezolid, quinupristin-dalfopristin or daptomycin may be useful in the appropriate clinical setting. For Gram-negative bacterial infections, new carbapenems await clinical application. Tebipenem pivoxil is a novel oral carbapenem undergoing clinical trials for acute otitis media in pediatric patients. Antiviral drug development is now progressing at the pace of antibiotic development 30 years ago. Newer antiviral agents used for the treatment of herpes viruses and hepatitis C virus infections in children are included in this review.