• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.93-101
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• 2012

We analyzed mupirocin resistance rates among staphylococcal isolates collected from a Korean hospital in 2003 (100 isolates), 2005 (195 isolates), 2006 (151 isolates), and 2009 (112 isolates). In Staphylococcus aureus, rates of high-level mupirocin resistance (MIC, minimal inhibitory concentration ${\geq}512{\mu}g/ml$) decreased and did not appear since 2005. In contrast, low-level mupirocin resistance (MIC $8-256{\mu}g/ml$) was not detected in 2003 and 2005 but its rates later increased to 6.9% in 2009. Total resistance rates of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) were significantly higher than those of S. aureus. The rates of high-level resistance of CNS increased from 16.0% in 2003 to 31.5% in 2009. The rate of low-level resistance of CNS was 8.0% in 2003 and around 11% later. In all high-level resistant isolates, the ileS-2 gene was detected. All low-level resistant isolates contained the known V588F mutation in ileS gene. Previously unknown mutations such as V458G in S. aureus and D172A, Y490H and I750V in CNS were identified additionally. One S. aureus isolate with high-level resistance was resistant to oxacillin and several topical antibiotics commonly used for the treatment of skin infection. Ten S. aureus isolates with low-level resistance were also resistant to all of these antibiotics except fusidic acid. CNS isolates with high-level (61 isolates) and low-level resistance (27 isolates) exhibited significantly higher resistance rates to these antibiotics than mupirocin-susceptible CNS isolates (167 isolates). In conclusion, prevention of the emergence of mupirocin resistance is necessary for the effective treatment of skin infection by staphylococci.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.115-125
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• 2000

Three major hospitals with over 500 beds located in and near Seoul were surveyed for airbone microorganisms from February 1, 1998 to February 18, 1998. The purpose of the study was to identify and quantify microbiological organisms circulating in the air of three different areas in the hospitals. For the study, a RCS air sampler was utilized equipped with two different collection media, the agar strip GK-A for bacteria and the agar strip HS for fungi. The areas investigated were the intensive care unit (ICU) in the Department of internal medicine, the Newborns room in the Department of Obstetrics, and the microbiology laboratory. The results were as follows; 1. The average numbers of general microbiological particles collected on the agar strip GK-A media were $205CFU/m^3$, $232CFU/m^3$, and $128CFU/m^3$ in each hospitals. The highest concentration of $387CFU/m^3$ was found in the ICU of A hospital at 15:00 during the day. Further analysis of the collected bioaerosols by gram staining, revealed that there were gram positive cocci (89.5%), gram positive bacilli (7.2%), gram negative bacilli (2.8%), and fungi (0.5%), in descending order of frequency. 2. Ten different genes were identified from the agar strip GK-A. The most frequently identified organisms were: the Coagulase negative staphylococcus (55.0%), Micrococcus (21.4%), Enterococcus species(10.4%), and Bacillus species (7.2%). A series of antibiotics susceptibility test were conducted against the aforementioned four(4) organisms. Ninety percent of coagulase negative stapylococcus were sensitive to Penicillins. Pathogenic microbes isolated include: Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter species, Klebsiella pneumonia, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Pseudomonas aeroginosa. 3 Although 56.8% of the microorganisms grown on the strip HS media for fungi could not be identified, some of them were successfully identified. The most frequently found fungi were Aspergillus (35.3%), Yeast or Molds (6.2%), and Penicillium (0.7%). Based on the results obtained from the study, it was concluded that some areas in the hospitals had abnormally high bioaerosol concentrations which could be attributed to human activity. Therefore, it is recommended that periodic assessments of indoor bioaerosols aiming to identify the possible sources should be conducted in order to maintain clean indoor environment in the hospitals.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.141-148
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• 2012

Purpose : Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt insertion is an important treatment modality in children with hydrocephalus. VP shunt infection is a major complication and an important factor that determines the surgery outcome. This 15-year study was performed to evaluate the epidemiology of VP shunt infections in pediatric patients treated at our center. Methods : A retrospective review of medical records was performed in patients 18 years old or younger who underwent VP shunt insertion surgery from April 1995 to June 2010. Results : Three hundred twenty-seven VP shunt surgeries were performed in a total of 190 pediatric patients (83 females, 107 males). The median age of the patients was 2.4 years (range, 0.02-17.9 years). Having a malignant brain tumor was the most frequent cause for VP shunt insertion. The shunt infection rate was 6.7% (22/327) per 100 operations and 9.5% (18/190) per 100 patients, and the incidence rate was 0.45 infection cases per 100 shunt operations-year. The most common pathogen was coagulase-negative staphylococcus (n=7) followed by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (n=1). Ten cases were treated with vancomycin and beta-lactam antibiotic (cephalosporin or carbapenem) combination therapy and 7 cases were treated with vancomycin monotherapy. The median duration of antibiotic treatment was 26 days (range, 7 to 58 days). Surgical intervention was performed in 18 cases (18/22, 81.8%). Conclusion : Epidemiologic information regarding VP shunt infections in pediatric patients is valuable that will help guide proper antibiotic management. Additional studies on the risk factors for developing VP shunt infections are also warranted.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.335-340
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• 2017

Methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS), which are often multi-drug resistant (MDR), are important pathogens in both human and veterinary healthcare. The purpose of this study was to characterize the antimicrobial resistance of MRS isolated from dog ears in Korea. From 827 dog ears, staphylococci were cultured from both ears with otitis externa (n = 161, 41.0%) and healthy ears (n = 135, 31.1%). The prevalence of coagulase-positive staphylococci (CoPS) in ears with otitis externa (58.4%) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in healthy ears (28.2%), while the prevalence of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) in healthy ears (74.8%) was higher (P < 0.05) than in ears with otitis externa (41.6%). Forty-six (35.1%) and 74 (44.8%) CoPS and CoNS isolates, respectively, were determined to be MRS. Antimicrobial resistance in MRS was most frequently observed for penicillin (76.7%), ampicillin (61.7%), kanamycin (61.7%), erythromycin (47.5%), tetracycline (47.5%), and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (46.7%). Overall, the MDR isolates were resistant to significantly more (P < 0.05) antimicrobial agents tested than methicillin-sensitive staphylococci in this study. These results provide therapeutic guidelines for the treatment of otitis externa in dogs from Korean veterinary hospitals, and the significant associated health concern to companion animals and their human contacts.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.791-795
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to compare the performance of a standard culture method and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in milk and meat products. Milk, dried infant formula, sausage and ground beef that had been artificially inoculated with S. aureus were enriched in tryptic soy broth. After the enrichment, a loopful was inoculated onto Baird-Parker agar with egg-yolk-tellurite. In parallel, 23S rRNA was amplified by PCR from samples of the enriched broth. Suspected S. aureus colonies grown on selective agars were finally confirmed by a coagulase test and colony PCR. No significant statistical differences were observed between the incidence of S. aureus detected by the culture method and the incidence detected by PCR, in milk or dried infant formula. However, in sausage and ground beef, the number of positives detected by PCR was significantly higher than by the culture method (p<0.05). Our findings suggest that PCR could be an effective screening tool for the detection of S. aureus compared to the standard culture method.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.209-216
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• 2004

Dry rehydratable film methods were compared to conventional methods for the enumeration of microorganisms in Korean traditional foods. Kimchi, doenjang, kochujang, kanjang, takju, sujeongkwa and sikhe were used as Korean traditional foods. $Petrifilm^{TM}$ aerobic count plate, $Petrifilm^{TM}$ coliform count plate, $Petrifilm^{TM}$ E. coli/coliform count plate, $Petrifilm^{TM}$ yeast and mold count plate and $Petrifilm^{TM}$ staph express count plate were compared to plate count agar, most probable number (MPN) for coliform, MPN for E. coli, potato dextrose agar and coagulase test, respectively. Regression analysis indicated that correlation coefficient values were 0.974-0.998, 0.913-0.995, 0.955-0.978, 0.968-0.986 and 0.998-0.999 for total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold, coliform, E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. There were no significant differences between two methods, suggesting that $Petrifilm^{TM}$ plates can be used as an alternative to conventional method for the determination of microorganisms in Korean traditional foods.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.420-426
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• 2017

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (MRS) can be colonized in various body sites and is more frequently isolated in healthcare associated persons. This study aimed to evaluate the contamination rate of MRS in a high school environment, those living with closed life style. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from only the hands of 2 students among a sample of 28 students, and S. aureus were susceptible to methicillin antibiotics. Coagulase negative Staphylococci (CoNS) were isolated from the hands of 26 students (26/28, 92.9%), and among them, 14 (53.8%) isolates were methicillin-resistant CoNS (MRCoNS). Among the 14 MRCoNS, S. warneri was the most common (8/14, 57%) and susceptible to most $non-{\beta}-lactam$ antibiotics, such as clindamycin, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, gentamicin, and vancomycin. In a culture of 31 desks, S. aureus was not isolated but CoNS were isolated from 26 desks (26/31, 83.6%), which did not harbor the mecA gene. The other bacteria isolated from the hands and desks were Micrococcus and Bacillus spp. In conclusion, methicillin-resistant S. aureus was not isolated from the hands and desks of high school students. However, the frequency of MRCoNS harboring mecA gene were high in the hands of high school students. Therefore, to prevent and to control the transfer of infection, intensifying preventive education, such as hand washing, and active surveillance systems, such as an investigation of contamination or carrier rate of resistant bacteria are necessary.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1499-1505
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• 2009

This study was carried out between August and September 2007 to determine the causative agents and epidemiologic features of rabbit dermatitis in Korea. Rabbits were shipped to the laboratory in the College of Veterinary Medicine from 10 rabbit farms. A total of 520 hair, blood, and skin specimens collected from skin lesions of 40 rabbits with suspected dermatopathy were examined mycologically, bacteriologically, and parasitologically. The positive rates of dermatophytosis, bacterial skin dermatitis, and ectoparasite dermatitis were 95, 92.5, and 7.5%, respectively. The etiologic agents of dermatophytosis were identified as Trichophyton mentagrophyte (95%), non-dermatophytic filamentous fungi such as Aspergillus s(5%), and Cryptococcus humilocus (2.5%). With respect to bacteria-related skin dermatitis, Staphylococcus coagulase negative was the most common etiological agent. Staphylococcus aureus was the second most frequent causative agent. Most of the pathogenic isolates were resistant to tetracycline, and aminoglycosides such as amikacin and gentamicin were the most effective drugs against the pathologic bacteria isolated. Ectoparasites were rarely detected in this study. Only Psoroptes cuniculis was detected in 3 (7.5%) out of the 40 tested rabbits. The role of ectoparasites as a causative agent of dermatitis in rabbits in this study was minimal. Our results provide important information related to rabbit dermatitis treatments and researches.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.17-26
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• 1979

This research is to prevent the infection of maternity in the hospital by examining the microbes contaminations in maternity through airbone microbes and those who are engaged in the ward of O.B. ＆ G.Y. and to furnish the basic data available to hospital management. The bacterial growth of airbone microbes contaminations in nosocomial air and who thor the nasal cavity of passers by (doctors, nurses, parturient women) who went to the ward of O.B. ＆ G.Y. contaminated or not were examined in“E”Univ. Hospital from July to August, 1979 by using thioglycollate broths and agar plates. The following results were obtained: 1. The average colony number of airborne microbes revealed as follows the pediatric ward (36 colonies), the internal ward (33 colonies), the ward of O.B. ＆ G.Y. (30 colonies), the ward of surgery (24 colonies), delivery-waiting room (11 colonies), and the delivery room (3 colonies). 2. The bacterial growth beforenoon differed from that of afternoon. Namely, the latter (24 colonies) was higher than the former (21 colonies). 3. The type of strains isolated from the air of the ward revealed staphylococci (82%), Gram negative bacilli (18%), fungi (17%), Gram positive diplococci (13%), and Bacillus subtilis (2.8%). 4. The strains isolated in the delivery-waiting room revealed staphylococci (66.7%), Gram negative bacilli (33.6%), and revealed staphylococci (75%), Gram positive diplococci (8.3%), and fungi (8.3%), in delivery room. 5. Most of strains isolated in the ward of O.B. & G.Y. revealed staphylococci (100.0%), Gram positive diplococci (8.3%), and Gram negative bacilli (6.7%). 6. The strain isolated in the surgical ward revealed staphylococci (91.7%), fungi (33.3%), Gram positive diplococci (25%), Gram negative bacilli (25%) and Bacillus subtilis (8.3%). 7. The strain isolated in the pediatric ward revealed staphylococci (75%), fungi (25%), Gram positive diplococci (8.3%), Bacillus subtilis (8.3%), and Gram negative bacilli (8.3%). 8. The strain isolated in the internal ward revealed staphylococci (91.7%), fungi (33.3%), Gram positive diplococci (25%), and negative bacilli (16.7%). The strains isolated from the nasal cavity of those doctors and nurses who and enaged in the ward of O.B. & G.Y. revealed staphylococci (80%), Bacillus subtilis (10%), and Gram negative bacilli (10%), from doctors and Gram positive diplococci (10%), instead of Gram negative bacilli (10％), from nurses. 10. The strain isolated from nasal cavity of parturient women on admission revealed staphylococci (90%), and Gram negative bacilli (10%), but after admission revealed staphylococci (70％), Gram positive diplococci (10%), and Gram negative bacilli (10%). 11. Of the total 91 staphylococci isolated from the air of the ward, the Coagulase pastive was 36 (39.6%), and the negative 55 (60.4%), As a result of the coagulase experiment of the staphylococci isolated from the nasal cavity of those who are engaged in the ward of O.B. ＆ G.Y. all were revealed as negative that belonged to non-pathogenic. 12. Consequence of the biochemic examination of the gram negative bacilli isolated from the air of the ward the aerobacter aerogens revealed was (16.7%) E-coli 5％ in the nasal cavity of those came and went to the of O.B. ＆ G.Y. and Aerobacter aerogens 7.5%.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.9
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• pp.2485-2491
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• 2009

Culture was performed by using Sheep Blood Agar Plate (BAP, Asan Pharmaceutical) and Sabouraud Dextrose Ager (SDA, Asan Pharmaceutical) along with air $IDEAL^{TM}$ (Biomerieux), which is a microbe interceptor based on inertial impaction interception, in order to investigate bioaerosol in indoor and outdoor air at five elderly care facilities in a metropolis and an urban-rural consolidated city for two months from April 1 to May 31, 2007. From the culture followed by isolation and identification, the following conclusions were drawn. 1. As for the general isolation of microbes in each facility, care center S had the largest amount of microbes (263 cfu/$m^3$) isolated in a 300L room, followed by care center U having 123 cfu/$m^3$ isolated. 2. As for the number of bacteria isolated from a medium intercepting 300 L indoor, the largest amount of other unidentified or non-pathogenic Gram positive cocci (321 cfu/$m^3$) was isolated and most of the other Gram positive cocci were CNS (Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus). 3. As for the number of fungi isolated from a medium intercepting 300 L in a room, the largest number of Aspergillus spp. (66) was isolated, followed by Mucor spp. (62 cfu/$m^3$), Penicillium spp. (53 cfu/$m^3$), Alternaria spp. (50), and other unidentified or non-pathogenic fungi (42 cfu/$m^3$). 4. As for the rate of indoor and outdoor pollution, the average number of interceptions was all larger indoor than outdoor; the research differentiating the amount of air into 300 L and 500 L demonstrated that the larger amount of air led to more bacteria, making no great variation in the species.