• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.162-170
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• 2007

Purpose : While cases of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have increasingly been reported worldwide since it was first reported in the late 1980s, there have been few systemic studies on the pediatric population. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the planning of VRE prevention by investigating the prevalence, risk factors and transmission of VRE infection. Methods : We studied 230 patients under age 15 years who were isolated VRE between January 2001 and December 2006 retrospectively. The patients were classified into the intensive care unit (ICU) and the non-ICU groups. We reviewed the procedures before VRE detection as well as antibiotic sensitivity of detected organisms. Results : The number of VRE-isolation cases was higher in the ICU group than the non-ICU group. Instances of VRE-isolation were also more prevalent in patients who underwent operations or active procedures while taking 3rd-generation cephalosporins or glycopeptides. Almost all antibiotics except tetracycline were resistant to VRE. The proportion of 3rd-generation cephalosporin use was higher than those of any other antibiotics before VRE detection. Additionally, the use of 3rd-generation cephalosporins has increased annually, but that of glycopeptides had decreased in 2006. Also, the rates of VRE isolation have been increasing since 1998. Conclusion : VRE infection is increasing in pediatric population. Strict adherence to appropriate infection control guidelines for the prevention of VRE transmission in hospitals, and tracking of VRE colonization through active surveillance in high risk units are recommended.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.9
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• pp.946-952
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• 2005

Purpose : Vancomycin-resistant enterococci(VRE) are now nosocomial pathogens in Korea. But little is known about the prevalence of stool colonization with VRE in neonates in Korea. So we studied the prevalence and risk factors of VRE colonization in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit(NICU). Methods : From January 2000 to December 2004, the medical records of 294 neonates(127 cases of VRE group and 167 cases of non-VRE group, according to the results of stool culture) were reviewed retrospectively. We studied the annual prevalence of VRE and risk factors of VRE colonization in neonates. Results : From 2000 to 2003, the prevalence rate of VRE in NICU increased. After preventing VRE transmission, the prevalence rate of VRE has decreased. Conclusion : VRE colonization increased recently. Risk factors of VRE colonization were prematurity, lower birth weight, longer hospitalization and use of vancomycin or 3rd generation cephalosporin, compared with the non-VRE group. To prevent VRE transmission among newborns, aggressive infection control strategies by NICU staffs must be implemented immediately for all babies.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2010

Purpose : Recently, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have become one of the major nosocomial pathogens in Korea. However, there have been few studies on the epidemiology of VRE colonization among neonates. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of VRE colonization, risk factors for VRE, and how to control the spread of VRE infection in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Pusan National University Hospital (PNUH). Methods : We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 192 neonates who were admitted to the NICU of PNUH from March 2006 to March 2007. Surveillance cultures from rectal swabs for detecting VRE were obtained weekly during the study period. We analyzed the prevalence of VRE and various risk factors. Results : The rate of VRE colonization among NICU patients was 25% (48/192). Thirty five of these VRE colonized patients were transferred to the NICU from other local hospitals. Compared with the non-VRE group, the risk factors associated with VRE colonization were lower birth weight, congenital heart disease, applied mechanical ventilation, use of a central venous catheter, chest tubing, a history of surgery, and use of antibiotics. Conclusion : VRE colonization among patients admitted to the NICU is rapidly increasing. Monitoring and managing premature neonates from the beginning of the birth process, avoiding many invasive procedures, avoiding antibiotics such as vancomycin and third generation cephalosporin are important for preventing the emergence and spread of VRE colonization in the NICU.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.57-70
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• 1996

This paper intends to investigate commercial fish and shellfish 25 species (fish 8 species, shellfish 7 species, crustacean 3 species, moluse 4 species and echinodermata) for the distribution of sanitary indicator organisms (total viable counts, coliforms, staphylococci, vibrios, and enterococci) and distributional change of indicator organisms accordion to storage temperature and period. The logarithmic mean of total viable counts for total commercial fish and shellfish 25 species was 5.41$\pm$.026 CFU/g, and in accordance with fish and shellfishes, crustacean 6.76$\pm$0.67 CFU/g, shellfish 5.67$\pm$0.56 CFU/g, echinodermata 5.47$\pm$1.50 CFU/g, fish 5.02$\pm$0.38 CFU/g, and mollusc 5.03$\pm$0.65 CFU/g. The logarithmic mean of enterococci was 2.36$\pm$0.37 CFU/g, and in accordane with fish and shellfish, crustacean 3.44$\pm$2.12 CFU/g, shellfish 3.87$\pm$0.45 CFU/g, echinodermata 3.38$\pm$0.0 CFU/g, fish 2.16$\pm$0.41 CFU/g and mollusc 0.01$\pm$0.0 CFU/g. The logarithmic mean of vibrios was 1.60$\pm$1.59 CFU/g, and in accordance with fish and shellfish, crustacean 4.23$\pm$1.11 CFU/g, shellfish 3.58$\pm$0.90 CFU/g, echinodermata 1.64$\pm$0.34 CFU/g, fish 1.79$\pm$0.67 CFU/g and mollusc 1.07$\pm$0.61 CFU/g. The logarithmic mean of staphylococci was 1.60$\pm$1.59 CFU/g, and in accordance with fish and shellfish, shellfish 0.01$\pm$0.00 CFU/g, echinodermata 3.51$\pm$0.60 CFU/g, fish 1.68$\pm$0.64 CFU/g, crustacean 0.34$\pm$0.33 and mollusc 3.90$\pm$0.11 CFU/g. The logarithmic mean of coliformas was 2.52$\pm$0.32 CFU/g, and in accordance with fish and shellfish, echinodermata 3.58$\pm$1.89 CFU/g was highest, shellfish 3.25$\pm$0.30 CFU/g, crustacean 3.23$\pm$0.49 CFU/g, fish 2.18$\pm$0.63 CFU/g, peeled shellfish 1.80$\pm$0.51 CFU/g and mollusc 1.55$\pm$0.95 CFU/g. As the results of research of the change of the contaminate indicator microflora in working with storage period at 1$0^{\circ}C$, 2$0^{\circ}C$ and 3$0^{\circ}C$, total viable counts was increased without storage temperature and enterococci were decreased slowly at 1$0^{\circ}C$, but increased at 20 and 3$0^{\circ}C$. Vibrios were decreased slowly at 1$0^{\circ}C$, decreased at 2$0^{\circ}C$ and 3$0^{\circ}C$in 2 days after increased rapidly. Staphylococci were increased promptly without storage temperature in 2 days, then the total viable counts were maintained. Coliforms were increased at 1$0^{\circ}C$ by 7 days, then decreased or maintained after 14 days, changed at 2$0^{\circ}C$ in accordance with fish species in 2 days, then returned to the initial total viable count, and decreased rapidly at 3$0^{\circ}C$ on 2 days. By the way, there were no difference among the species.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2008

White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) is one of the most virulent viral agents in the penaeid shrimp culture industry. In this study, WSSV in a Fenneropenaeus chinensis shrimp farm and an adjacent seawater were concentrated using a membrane filtration and quantified using the quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR) method with newly designed primers and Taqman probe. Sensitivity of primers and probe was proven by WSSV standard curve assay in QRT-PCR. In order to demonstrate the relationship between WSSV and environmental parameters, physicochemical and biological parameters of the farm and influent seawaters were monitored from June to September, 2007. The abundance of WSSV ranged 3,814-121,546 copies per 1 liter of seawater, which was correlated with fecal enterococci ($r^2=0.9$, p=0.02), chlorophyll ${\alpha}$ ($r^2=0.8$, p=0.03) and $BOD_5$ ($r^2=0.8$, p=0.07). Subsequently, it is concluded that the QRT-PCR method using Taqman probe established in this study was efficient to clarify the quantification of WSSV in seawaters. Statistical analyses of environmental parameters obtained in this study also showed that the abundance of WSSV was correlated with several biological parameters rather than physicochemical parameters.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.396-403
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate water quality for irrigation water used in Napa cabbage cultivation. The water samples were analyzed for physiochemical and microbiological quality for a total of 111 samples including surface water (n = 75) and groundwater (n = 36) collected from five different regions where Napa cabbage is massively grown. As a conclusion, the levels of fecal indicators for surface water were higher than those for groundwater. The numbers of coliform from surface water and groundwater were 1.96-4.96 and 0-3.98 log MPN/100 mL, respectively. Enterococci were detected in 95% (72/75) of surface water samples and 22% (8/36) of groundwater samples. Besides, 97% (73/75) of surface water samples were observed being contaminated with Escherichia coli, and 22% (8/36) of groundwater sample was positive for E. coli. In the case of surface water, E. coli and coliform correlate to T-P, and enterococci showed relevance to the suspended solid (SS) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). In groundwater, fecal indicator bacteria showed relevance to the SS and chemical oxygen demand (COD). These results could be provided as fundamental date for establishing microbial standard of water used in leafy vegetables cultivation.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.122-133
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a web-based education program on control vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infections and to identify the effects of the program on knowledge and performance of nursing students. Methods: The web-based VRE infection control education program was developed by using the network-based instructional systems design model. The nursing students in the experimental group could access this web-based education program at any time, and as many times as they wanted, during the clinical training period. Effects were evaluated by assessing knowledge and performance of VRE infection control measures during the clinical training period. Results: The contents of the education program included diagnosis, transmission, and treatment of VRE, contact precautions, hand washing, personal protective equipment, environment management, and quizzes. The lecture portion was filmed in a virtual screen studio using flash animation, video, and sound effects, and it was uploaded on an internet site. The knowledge and performance scores of the experimental group after using the education program were significantly higher than those of the control group. Conclusion: The results suggest that the web-based VRE infection control education program is an effective educational method to enhance knowledge and performance of VRE infection control measures.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.143-147
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• 2005

The non-pathogenic, non-glycopeptide-producing actinomycete Streptomyces coelicolor carries a cluster of seven genes (vanSRJKHAX) that confers inducible, high-level resistance to vancomycin. The van genes are organised into four transcription units, vanRS, vanJ, vanK and vanHAX, and these transcripts are induced by vancomycin in a vanR-dependent manner. vanHAX are orthologuous to genes found in vancomycin resistant enterococci that encode enzymes predicted to reprogramme peptidoglycan biosynthesis such that cell wall precursors terminate in D-Ala-D-Lac, rather than D-Ala-D-Ala. vanR and vanS encode a two-component signal transduction system that mediates transcriptional induction of the seven van genes. vanJ and vanK are novel genes that have no counterpart in previously characterised vancomycin-resistance clusters from pathogens. VanK is essential for vancomycin resistance in S. coelicolor and it is required for adding Gly branch to stem peptides terminating D-Ala-D-Lac. Because VanK can recognise D-Lac-containing precursors but the constitutively expressed femX enzyme, encoded elsewhere on the chromosome, cannot recognize D-Lac-containing precursors as a substrate, vancomycin-induced expression of VanHAX in a vanK mutant is lethal. Further, femX null mutants are viable in the presence of glycopeptide antibiotics but die in their absence. Bioassay using vanJp-neo fusion reporter system also showed that all identified inducers for van genes expression were glycopeptide antibiotics, but teicoplanin, a membrane-anchored glycopeptide, failed to act as an inducer.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2014

Shepherd's purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik., has been considered a health food for centuries in Asia and is known to contain the isothiocyanate compound sulforaphane. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of a sulforaphane-containing solution (SCS) isolated from shepherd's purse. SCS had significant anti-inflammatory activity indicated by the decreased levels of nitric oxide (NO), cytokines (interleukin $1{\beta}$ [IL-$1{\beta}$], IL-6, and IL-10), and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. In addition, SCS decreased the inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) levels, which confirmed the anti- inflammatory activity of SCS. Further, SCS inhibited vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and Bacillus anthracis. The minimal inhibitory concentration was $250{\mu}g/ml$ for VRE and $1,000{\mu}g/ml$ for B. anthracis. Taken together, these data indicate that SCS has potential anti-inflammatory and anti-superbacterial properties, and thus it can be used as a functional food or pharmaceutical.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.157-161
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• 2007

We undertook the present study to evaluate different pharmacological as antioxidant, antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of the crude ethanolic extract of the stem bark of Holarhena antidysenterica (Family: Apocynaceae). The antioxidant property of the extract was assessed by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl free radical scavenging assay. The extract showed antioxidant activity ($IC_{50}$ about ${\sim}08$ ${\mu}g/ml$), which was comparable to standard drug ascorbic acid ($IC_{50}$ about ${\sim}10$ ${\mu}g/ml$). The extract showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against all tested gram positive and gram negative bacteria most prominent against Enterococci, Staphylococcus pyogenase and Shigella sonnie. And the zones of inhibitions were ranging from 10 - 21 mm for all the tested bacteria. Its cytotoxic property was evaluated by brine shrimp lethality bioassay. The extract showed significant lethality and the $LC_{50}$, $LC_{90}$ values were 80 ${\mu}g/ml$, 320 ${\mu}g/ml$ respectively. The results tend to suggest that the extract might possess chemical constituent(s) that are responsible for antioxidant, antibacterial and cytotoxic activities.