• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.355-361
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• 2011

We evaluated the performance of the NOW $Streptococcus$ $pneumoniae$ urinary antigen test, standard culture and polymerase chain reaction for detecting $S.$ $pneumoniae$. The urinary antigen test of pneumonia patients represented sensitivity at 72% and specificity at 79%. The results of PCR were targeting for autolysin ($lyt$A), pneumolysin ($ply$), and spn9828. The $lyt$A sensitivity and specificity stood at 56% and 87% respectively while $ply$ sensitivity reported 83% and specificity was 47%, sensitivity and specificity of spn9828 stood at 83% and 73% respectively. The results of urinary antigen test and three genes were all statistically meaningful within $P$ <0.05. When the urinary antigen test of $S.$ $pneumoniae$ was positive, the three kinds of genes were also likely to be positive. According to the result of urinary antigen test, the results of PCR presented a meaningful difference ($P$ <0.05). Especially, the urinary antigen test of $S.$ $pneumoniae$ was likely to be positive ($P$ <0.05) when more than two genes were positive in PCR results.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.251-255
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• 1985

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria were isolated from the rice rhizosphere of various paddy fields in our country. The screening of 235 isolates for nitrogen-fixing ability resulted in the isolation of Enterobacter agglomerans NFB264 and three Klebsiella pneumoniae NFB 3, NFB 320. Plasmids of various molecular weight from 1.7 to more than 84 Mal. were detected by agarose gel electrophoresis in three out of four isolates. But, these plasmids had not any nitrogen-fixing genes. Hybridization experiments using Klebsiella pneumoniae M5al nitrogen-fixing genes, nif Q-K and nif DH, as probes revealed the presence of homologous sequences in the chromosomal DNA of all isolates. However the restriction patterns of nif genes of the isolates by various restriction endonucleases were different to those of Klebsiella pneumoniae M5al.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.173-178
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• 2006

The production of extended-spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamases ($ESBL_S$) is the main mechanism of bacterial resistance to third-generation cephalosporins and monobactams, whose prevalence varies depending on the different geographical areas. In the last years it has increased notably to the point of being considered a health problem of great importance. The characterization of the ESBLs producing Klebsiella penumoniae strains present in clinical isolates is time-consuming. I describe here the development of a new system, which consists of a multiplex PCR. I found 51 K. pneumoniae strains to be presumptive strains ESBLs producers by clinical and laboratory standards institute (CLSI) guidelines. The double disc synergy test showed 47 positive K. pneumoniae, which were K. pneumoniae isolates. All ESBLs producing K. pneumoniae strains were resistant to antibiotic amikacin, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin. By multiplex PCR analysis, $bla_{TEM}$ gene in 17 strains 44 $bla_{SHV}$ genes and $bla_{CTX}$ genes in 33 strains were identified. In this study, the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was a good method to detect and differentiate ESBLs producing K. penumoniae strains in clinical isolates.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.369-373
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• 2004

We previously reported that Streptococcus pneumoniae capsule attached to the surface protein (JY-Pol) was protective to systemic pneumococcal infection. The JY -Pol antigen induced IgM, IgG, and IgA in mice and provoked cell-mediated immunity. In this current study, we investigated the effect of anti JY-Pol antiserun and monoclonal antibody C2 (Mab C2) specific for the JY-Pol antigen against the pneumococcal disease. Mice that were given the antiserum survived longer than mice that received antiserum pre-absorbed with S.pneumoniae cells or DPBS as a negative control. Heat-treated anti JY-Pol antiserum resulted in survival rates similar to intact fresh JY-Pol antiserum. Mab C2 isolated from JY-Pol-immunized mice also enhanced resistance of naive mice against the pneumococcal diseaser. This protection by Mab C2 appeared to be mediated by opsonization as determined in a RAW 264.7 monocyte/macrophage cell line. Epitope analysis showed that Mab C2 epitope consisted of glucuronic acid and glucose that blocked the interaction of JY-Pol to the C2. Taken together, these data indicate that the antiserum induced by the JY-Pol, a naturally pneumococcal conjugate formula, mediated the protection by passive transfer, which was confirmed by protective effect of Mab C2.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.207-212
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• 1983

Isolated Gram-negative bacteria, being capable of degrading toxic, recalcitrant, and pigment-producing furfural, were tentatively identified as Pseudomonas testosteroni, Pseudomonas maltophilia, Klebsiella Pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas fluorescens. They exhibited synergistic effects between P. testosteroni and the others in the degradation of colourproducing furfural. Synergistic effects and possible sequence of its degradation were attempted by manometric technique. P. testosteroni could degrade furfural to decolourize it and produce ninhydrin-reaction postive substance (NPS) which could be utilized by P. maltophilia and K. pneumoniae and the latter two bacteria could ,degrade furfural to 2-furoic acid as an oxidized form. Finally 2-furoic acid was further oxidized by P. fluorescens. Once NPS and 2-furoic acid were produced, the degradation efficiency was enhanced by competing four bacteria against furfural and 2-furoic acid.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.138-142
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• 2008

The composition of essential oils from Chrysanthemum zawadskii var. latilobum and C. indicum were analyzed and compared. The results of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed there were distinctly different compositional patterns between C. zawadskii var. latilobum and C. indicum essential oils. The combinatorial effect of the oil of C. zawadskii var. latilobum and C. indicum, with various antibiotics was assessed against antibiotic-susceptible and -resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The essential oil fraction significantly inhibited most of the tested antibiotic-susceptible and -resistant strains of S. pneumoniae, with minimum inhibiting concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.5 to 4.0 mg/ml. The fractional inhibiting concentration indices (FICIs) of the oils when combined with antibiotics against S. aureus and S. pneumoniae ranged from 0.26 to 0.75, and showed synergistic or additive effects.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.235-241
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• 2006

Streptococus pneumoniae is an important cause of invasive infections as well as non-invasive infections such as acute otitis media and sinusitis both in children and adults. Resistance of S. pneumoniae to multiple antimicrobials is increasing and poses therapeutic challenges, and prevention became more important. 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine has been used for the last several decades, but is not effective in children <2 years of age, the highest risk group of invasive diseases. Recently, a 7-valent pneumococcal protein conjugate vaccine(PCV) which is effective in infants and young children has been developed. The efficacy of PCVs against invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumonia is well established and is documented in several well-conducted studies. However, the effect of PCVs on otitis media is less obvious and more complex. PCVs clearly reduce diseases caused by vaccine-type(VT) pneumococci, but replacement of VT serotypes by non-VT serotypes in nasopharyngeal carriage of S. pneumoniae is responsible for the increase in acute otitis media caused by non-VT serotypes. Three years after introduction of PCV in the US, some increase of invasive infections with serotype 19A possibly due to serotype switching within certain vaccine type strains has been noted. Since most antibiotic-resistance in S. pneumoniae is confined to VT serotypes, vaccine use also reduces antibiotic resistance. With development of PCV, there was a great advance in the prevention of pneumococcal diseases, but replacement with potential virulent organisms and development of antibiotic resistance in non-VT pneumococci is a possibility that needs careful monitoring.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.565-570
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• 2001

Soibirhym(Portulace oleracea) was extracted by methanol and its antimicrobial activities against food spoilage or foodborne disease microorganisms were investigated by the paper disc method. The microorganisms used in this experiment included 5 species of bacteria(Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella Pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus) and 3 species of fungi(Fusarium solani, Aspergillus flavius, Penicillium citreonigrum). Soibirhym showed high antimicrobial activites against P. citreonigrum, P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae. Minimum inhibitory concentrations(MICs) on S. aureus, P. citreonigrum and K. pneumoniae were 200, 200 and 250 mg/㎖, respectively. In the methanol extracts from Soibirhym, 147 kinds of compound were separated by GC/MS. The extraction yields of phenolics, furans, alcohols, acids and esters, ketones, aldehydes, and miscellaneous compounds were 7.43%, 6.13%, 2.20%, 41.06%, 9.21%, 0.15% and 1.08%, respectively. Some antimicrobial compounds such as 2,3-dihydro-benzofuran, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-benzoic acid, 4-hydroxy benzeneethanol were detected in the methanol extract.

• BMB Reports
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2000

DnaK is a major heat shock protein and known to be highly conserved in all species. Previously, the dnaK in Streptococcus pneumoniae was cloned and the immunogenic nature characterized. In this study, dnaK mutants were generated by insertion of duplication mutagenesis and their characteristics examined. They had defective growths at all temperatures ($20^{\circ}C-42^{\circ}C$)and cell divisions, and formed filaments after a temperature shift from 30 to 42. A unique feature of the dnaK mutants of S. pneumoniae, unlike those of E. coli and B. subtilis, was the growth capability at high temperature ($42^{\circ}C$) without producing the putative GroEL. Our results suggest that DnaK may serve as a regulator and/or modifier in GroEL gene expression.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.161-166
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• 2007

To develop a rapid and reliable single-tube-based PCR technique for detection simultaneously the quinolone resistance qnrA, qnrB and qnrS genes. After multiple alignment, primers were designed to detect known qnr variants. I was used for A total of 43 extented-spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamases (ESBLs) producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from university hospital were tested for screening, as with qnr genes. In optimized conditions, all positive controls confirmed the specificity of the PCR primers. Out of 43 isolates, qnrA genes were detected 19 (44.2%), qnrB genes 5 (11.7%), qnrS genes 15 (34.9%) and 8 (18.6%) isolates were not detected. I report here a fast and reliable technique for rapid screening of qnr positive strains to be used for epidemiological surveys.