• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.3315-3322
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• 2015

Staphylococcus aureus is the major causative organism of nasocomial infection being the important pathogen in the clinic. Appearance of staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin (MRSA) is becoming a big problem in clinics and dynamics all over the world acquiring antibiotic resistance with virulence factors as its feature differentiated from other pathogenic bacteria fast. This research intended to compare and analyze the correlation of antibiotics resistance between strains with toxin genes and distribution of toxin genes of MRSA 101 strains acquired from clinical specimen in one general hospital (enterotoxin(se), toxic shock syndrome toxin-1(tst), exfoliative toxin(et), Panton Valentine leukocidin(pvl)). seg gene, isolated the most among toxin genes, was detected in 59 strains (58.4%) and more than two toxin genes were detected in 70 strains (69.3%). As a combination possessing toxin genes, it was detected in 19 strains (18.8%) as seb, sec, seg, sei, tst and the second frequent combination was sec, seg, sei shown in 11 strains (10.9%). 19 strains (18.8%) with combinations of toxin genes same with seb, sec, seg, sei, tst had 100% resistance Ampicillin, Benzylpenicillin, Ciprofloxacin, Clindamycin, Gentamicin, Erythromycin, Telithromycin, Tetracycline antibiotics. Strains with many toxin genes showed high correlation of antibiotic resistance. Afterwards, effective therapy and thorough infection management should be preceded not to spread the resistance of MRSA strain.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.1012-1014
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• 2013

DNA-DNA hybridization method with four oligonucleotide-specific probes was used simultaneously for differentiation and identification of four Mycobacterium species (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. avium, M. intracellulare, and M. kansasii). This DNA-DNA hybridization method with 4 oligonucleotide-specific probes, which targets in the rpoB region of 4 Mycobacteria species, respectively, was tested on 322 clinical isolates. Using DNA-DNA hybridization method, we detected M. tuberculosis (282 strains), M. avim (7 strains), M. intracellulare (9 strains), and M. kansasii (3 strain) from 322 clinical isolates. This result was compared with conventional biochemical test and rpoB DNA sequence analysis of this clinical isolates. We confirmed identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. avium, M. intracellulare, and M. kansasii with high sensitivity (100 %) and specificity (100 %). This DNA-DNA hybridization method could be performed within 4 hours at least. Therefore, we suggest that DNA- DNA hybridization method using 4 rpoB DNA probes of Mycobacteria could be used for accurate, rapid, convenient detection and identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. avium, M. intracellulare, and M. kansasii in clinical samples.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2024

The emergence and spread of Staphylococcus aureus, which is resistant to quinolone antibacterial agents, has made it difficult to treat infectious diseases. Accordingly, this study examined the molecular epidemiological characteristics of quinolone-resistant S. aureus (QRSA) to obtain helpful data for treatment. Mutations in mecA and SCCmec typing, gyrA, and gyrB genes were investigated for QRSA strains isolated from the blood culture specimens at a general hospital in Daejeon Metropolitan City. The ciprofloxacin-resistant strains in SCCmec typing were II (44 strains, 73%), IVa (five strains, 8%), III, and V (one strain, 2%); the non-typeable strains (11 strains, 18%), and levofloxacin (LVX) and moxifloxacin (MXF) strains were II (44 strains, 73%), IVa (five strains, 8%), III, and V (one strain, 2%); the non-typeable strains were 10 (17%). In both gyrA and gyrB regions, there were 58 mutations, or 96.7%. In LVX, there were 56 mutations or 93.3%, and in MXF, there were 57 mutations or 95%. Twelve mutations, six mutations each in gyrA and gyrB, were identified for the QRSA strain. The resistance rate for the quinolone antibiotics of QRSA studied was approximately 98%, and 12 mutations, six each in gyrA and gyrB, were identified in the QRSA strain. Therefore, the rational use of antibiotics needs to be improved.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.413-425
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• 1987

In the present experiments, isolated Vibrio species from marine and clinical specimens from July, 1985 to October, 1986, had the results as follows: 1. The 55 strains of Vibrio were isolated and identified; Vibrio parahaemolyticus was 35 strains, Vibrio vulnificus was 10 strains, Vibrio alginolyticus was 10 strains. 2. In the K-serotyping of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, fourteen serotypes identified but three were not strains typable by the availble K-antisera. 3. In the Kanagawa phenomenon experiment of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, it proved positive reaction, 14 of 15 strains(93%) isolated from the patient and 13 of 20 strains(65%) isolated from the nature. 4. In twelve antibiotic resistance experiments, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio alginolyticus showed 100% resistance on ampicilline, but Vibrio vulnificus showed 100% sensitivity. But all of them proved 100% sensitivity on chloramphenicol, tetracycline, nalidixic acid. 5. In the antibiotic resistance patterns, Vibrio parahaemolyticus proved that 15 strains(43%) resisted on 4 antibiotics and 5 strains(14%) resisted on 7 antibiotisc and. Vibrio vulnificus proved that 1 strain(10%) resisted on 2 antibiotics and 6 strains(60%) without resistance, Vibrio alginolyticus proved that 7 strains(70%) resisted on 3 antibiotics and 2 strains(20%) resisted on 8 antibiotics.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.257-264
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• 2006

Fifty eight Cryptococcus neoformans strains isolated from clinical and environmental sources in Korea were examined for their serotypes and extracellular enzyme activities. Among the 51 strains isolated from clinical sources, 48 strains were serotype A (94.1%), 2 strains were serotype B (3.92%), and 1 strain was serotype D (1.96%). All seven environmental strains isolated from pigeon excreta were identified as serotype A. All isolates of C. neoformtans were positive for the production of extracellular proteinase and phospholipase. In the API-ZYM system, all fifty eight isolates produced alkaine phosphatase, esterase C4, esterase lipase: C8, leucine arylamidase, acid phosphatase, naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrase, $\alpha$-glucosidase and $\beta$-glucosidase. Thirty nine isolates (67.2%) of C. neoformans produced N-acetyl-$\beta$-glucosidase. Two isolates, serotype B, and B only one serotype A produced $\beta$-glucuronidase. Analysis of enzymatic profiles to 21 enzymes revealed four biotypic patterns among the 58 strains. The enzymatic patterns of C. neoformans isolated from clinical and environmental sources represented a significant relationship with the serotypes.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1191-1196
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• 2013

Among Gram-negative pathogens in Korea, the incidence of resistance to third generation cephalosporins is becoming an ever-increasing problem. The production of extended-spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamase (ESBL) is the main mechanism of bacterial resistance to a third-generation cephalosporins and monobactams. Accurate identification of the ESBL genes are necessary for surveillance and epidemiological studies of the mode of transmission in the hospital. This study was conducted to detect the genes encoding ESBL of 46 K. penumoniae isolated from Daejeon, Chungnam and Chungbuk regional university hospitals from February to August in 2012. The phenotypes of the isolated specimens were examined according to the combination disc test (CDT) by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Forty two ESBL producing K. penumoniae isolates could be detected using ceftazidime (CAZ) discs with and without clavulanate (CLA). By CDT, 42 K. pneumoniae strains were confirmed to be ESBL strains. Genotyping was performed by multiplex PCR with type-specific primers. By PCR analysis, TEM gene in 46 strains, SHV gene in 37 strains and CTX-M genes in 14 strains were identified. Ten isolates did carry genes encoding ESBLs of all types TEM, SHV and CTX-M. The multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was better to detect and differentiate ESBL producing K. penumoniae strains in clinical isolates.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.16-20
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• 2013

Outbreaks of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are being reported more frequently in many countries. While seven glycopeptide resistance genotypes have been described in Enterococci, vanA and vanB are the most common resistance genotypes. The aim of this study was to detect antibiotic susceptibilities of 23 Enterococcus faecium strains, which caused an outbreak in a University hospital by a disk diffusion test to investigate the presence of the species specific gene, and the resistant genotypes, vanA and vanB by duplex PCR. PCR for vanA and vanB was performed on 23 enterococci. Twenty three were identified as E. faecium and were tested positive for the vanA genotype. This study will report on the validation of a simple and accurate VRE detection method that can be easily incorporated into the daily routine of a clinical laboratory. Early detection of VRE strains, including those with susceptibility to vancomycin, is of paramount clinical importance as it allows rapid initiation of strict infection control practices, as well as the therapeutic guidance for confirmed infections. The PCR method developed in the present study is simple and reliable for the rapid characterization of VRE.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.312-318
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• 2016

Objectives: Bacterial resistant infections have become a global health challenge and threaten the society's health. Thus, an urgent need exists to find ways to combat resistant pathogens. One promising approach to overcoming bacterial resistance is the use of herbal products. Green tea catechins, the major green tea polyphenols, show antimicrobial activity against resistant pathogens. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of catechins, green tea extract, and methylxanthines in combination with gentamicin against standard and clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and the standard strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of different agents against bacterial strains were determined. The interactions of green tea extract, epigallate catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, two types of methylxanthine, caffeine, and theophylline with gentamicin were studied in vitro by using a checkerboard method and calculating the fraction inhibitory concentration index (FICI). Results: The MICs of gentamicin against bacterial strains were in the range of $0.312-320{\mu}g/mL$. The MIC values of both types of catechins were $62.5-250{\mu}g/mL$. Green tea extract showed insufficient antibacterial activity when used alone. Methylxanthines had no intrinsic inhibitory activity against any of the bacterial strains tested. When green tea extract and catechins were combined with gentamicin, the MIC values of gentamicin against the standard strains and a clinical isolate were reduced, and synergistic activities were observed (FICI < 1). A combination of caffeine with gentamicin did not alter the MIC values of gentamicin. Conclusion: The results of the present study revealed that green tea extract and catechins potentiated the antimicrobial action of gentamicin against some clinical isolates of S. aureus and standard P. aeruginosa strains. Therefore, combinations of gentamicin with these natural compounds might be a promising approach to combat microbial resistance.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.81 no.3
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• pp.216-221
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• 2018

Background: The number of immigrants with tuberculosis (TB) increases each year in South Korea. Determining the transmission dynamics based on whole genome sequencing (WGS) to cluster the strains has been challenging. Methods: WGS, annotation refinement, and orthology assignment for the GenBank accession number acquisition were performed on two clinical isolates from Chinese immigrants. In addition, the genomes of the two isolates were compared with the genomes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates, from two native Korean and five native Chinese individuals using a phylogenetic topology tree based on the Multiple Alignment of Conserved Genomic Sequence with Rearrangements (Mauve) package. Results: The newly assigned accession numbers for two clinical isolates were CP020381.2 (a Korean-Chinese from Yanbian Province) and CP022014.1 (a Chinese from Shandong Province), respectively. Mauve alignment classified all nine TB isolates into a discriminative collinear set with matched regions. The phylogenetic analysis revealed a rooted phylogenetic tree grouping the nine strains into two lineages: strains from Chinese individuals and strains from Korean individuals. Conclusion: Phylogenetic trees based on the Mauve alignments were supposed to be useful in revealing the dynamics of TB transmission from immigrants in South Korea, which can provide valuable information for scaling up the TB screening policy for immigrants.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.48-54
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• 2008

Nine types of staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) genes (sea~see, seg~sej), 3 types of virulence genes (eta, etb, tst), mecA and 16S rRNA as internal positive control were detected from 187 clinical MRSA (methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus) strains isolated from a variety hospitalized patients in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do areas using the multiplex PCR. The frequency of the S. aureus strains harboring recently reported SE genes (seg~sej) were found to be very high (65.9%) and greater than that of the strains harboring classical SE (sea~see) genes (47.8%) as previously established. Taking into account that the newly described pairs form SE genes (i.e., sec+seg+sei, seg+sei) were many, in the other hand, single form SE genes (i.e., seg, seh, sei and sej) were rarely detected. The S. aureus with pairs form enterotoxigenic genes become more potentially toxigenic strains. Furthermore, this work indicated a systematic association between the seg and sei genes and their high incidence among the S, aureus strains, which suggests that these two SE's could be an important phylogenetic link among the staphylococcal enterotoxins.