• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.133-138
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• 1996

Purpose : In the treatment of MRSA infection, rapid detection of MRSA is extremely important. The mecA gene codes the new drug resistant polypeptides called PBP2' which mediates the clinically relevant resistance to all beta-lactam antibiotics. The identical mecA gene has been found in coagulase-negative staphylococcus with the methicillin-resistant phenotype. On the other hand, the femA gene was absent from coagulase negative staphylococcus strains with the methicillin resistant phenotype. This study is aimed at early detection and definite diagnosis of MRSA. Methods : A total of 24 MRSA strains were studied. All strains were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility and purified DNA. We amplified both mecA and femA genes by PCR in 24 strains. Results : In MRSA all the 16 strains (100%) carried femA gene and 11 strains (68.7%) carried mecA gene. In contrast, in methicillin sensitive staphylococcus all the 8 strains (100%) carried femA and only 3 strains (37.5%) were detected mecA. Conclusions : As results, there are difference in the phenotype and genotype of methicillin resistance by PCR of mecA and femA. Such disparities between methicillin resistance and the presence of mecA gene suggest the presence of control gene of the mecA.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.75-82
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• 2019

We developed the multiplex LAMP assay using 16S rRNA, femA and mecA genes for direct detection of the methicillin resistance in Staphylococci from positive blood culture. To simultaneously recognize Staphylococci genus, S. aureus and methicillin resistance, three sets of six primers for 16S rRNA, femA and mecA were designed, respectively. The performance of LAMP assay was affirmed using VITEK system for the phenotypic methods of identification and for oxacillin and cefoxitin antimicrobial susceptibility. The optimal condition for LAMP assay was obtained under $64^{\circ}C$ for 50 min. The detection limit was determined to be of 20 copies and CFU/reaction ($10^4CFU/mL$). For clinical application of comparison with phenotypic methods, the sensitivity and specificity of the LAMP with femA gene for detecting S. aureus was 95.31% and 100%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the LAMP with mecA gene for detecting methicillin resistance was 98.46% and 100%, respectively. The multiplex LAMP assay with femA and mecA gene successfully detected all of MRSA (38 isolates) isolates from 103 Staphylococci in blood cultures. The LAMP assay developed in this study is sensitive, specific, and of excellent agreement with the phenotypic methods.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.673-676
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• 2007

A two-step triplex PCR assay targeting the mecA, femA, and nuc genes was developed for the detection of methicillin resistance genes harbored by some Staphylococcus aureus isolates and for the simultaneous identification of such isolates at the species level. The triplex PCR revealed the presence of the femA and nuc genes in all the S. aureus isolates examined (n=105). Forty-four clinical isolates were mecA positive and no foodborne isolates were mecA positive. The PCR results had a 98 or 99% correlation with the results of PBP2a latex agglutination tests or oxacillin susceptibility tests, respectively.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.175-181
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• 2016

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is an important opportunistic pathogen of dog and cats. Since 2006 there has been a significant emergence of methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) mainly due to clonal spread. The aim of this study was to investigated the prevalence of antibiotic resistance and presence of mecA and femA gene in 91 S. pseudintermedius isolates isolated from dogs and cats associated with various clinic infections. Methicillin resistance was confirmed by oxacillin disc diffusion method. MRSP isolate was detected 19 isolates (20.9%). MRSP and methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MSSP) isolates were highly resistant to penicillin, kanamycin, tetracycline, erythromycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin and choloramphenicol (100~47.3% and 90.3~33.3%, respectively). About 90% of MRSP isolates were multi-drug resistance (resistance to at least five or more antimicrobials), and MSSP isolates was ca 74%. Among the 91 isolates, mecA gene was detected in 25 isolates (27.5%, 19 in MRSP isolates and 6 in MSSP isolates), but none carried the femA gene. Our results indicated MRSA isolates show a strong resistance to antimicrobials commonly used in veterinary medicine. A continuous surveillance and monitoring should be called for to prevent the contamination and spread of MRSP in dogs and cats.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제72권3호
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• pp.293-301
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• 2012

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) requires prompt and appropriate treatment. Since methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a frequent pathogen in VAP, rapid identification of it, is pivotal. Our aim was to evaluate the utility of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) as a useful method for etiologic diagnoses of MRSA pneumonia. Methods: We performed qPCR for mecA, S. aureus-specific femA-SA, and S. epidermidis-specific femA-SE genes from bronchoalveolar lavage or bronchial washing samples obtained from clinically-suspected VAP. Molecular identification of MRSA was based on the presence of the mecA and femA-SA gene, with the absence of the femA-SE gene. To compensate for the experimental and clinical conditions, we spiked an internal control in the course of DNA extraction. We estimated number of colony-forming units per mL (CFU/mL) of MRSA samples through a standard curve of a serially-diluted reference MRSA strain. We compared the threshold cycle (Ct) value with the microbiologic results of MRSA. Results: We obtained the mecA gene standard curve, which showed the detection limit of the mecA gene to be 100 fg, which corresponds to a copy number of 30. We chose cut-off Ct values of 27.94 (equivalent to $1{\times}10^4$ CFU/mL) and 21.78 (equivalent to $1{\times}10^5$ CFU/mL). The sensitivity and specificity of our assay were 88.9% and 88.9% respectively, when compared with quantitative cultures. Conclusion: Our results were valuable for diagnosing and identifying pathogens involved in VAP. We believe our modified qPCR is an appropriate tool for the rapid diagnosis of clinical pathogens regarding patients in the intensive care unit.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.24-32
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• 2003

목 적 : 황색포도구균(S. aureus)은 건강인의 비강이나 피부에 정상 세균총으로 존재하지만, 병원 내 감염과 항생제 내성이 문제가 되고 있다. 본 연구는 신생아의 비강에서 S. aureus을 분리하여 항생제 감수성의 양상과 내성 관련 유전자를 검출하여 내성의 정도와 내성 관련 유전자의 상관관계를 규명해 보고자 하였으며, 병원성 인자의 검출을 실시하고, arbitrarily-primed polymerase chain reaction(AP-PCR)법에 의한 유전자형별을 통하여 역학적 해석을 시도하였다. 방 법 : 2001년 2월에서 5월 사이에 부산대학교병원 신생아 중환자실 및 신생아실에 입원한 28명을 대상으로 이들의 비강에서 총 120회의 nasal swab을 실시하여 51주의 S. aureus를 분리하였다. 분리균에 대한 항생제 감수성 검사, coagulase 검사과형별, plasmid DNA의 양상, mec 관련 유전자의 분포, 장독소의 유전자 및 TSST-1 독소의 유전자 보유 상태, AP-PCR법으로 유전자 형별을 조사하였다. 결 과 : 1) Methicillin 내성이 23주, vancomycin 내성이 6주였고, 3가지 이상의 약제에 대한 내성이 절반 이상을 차지하였다. 2) 42주가 coagulase 양성이었고, 이중 mecA 및 femA 유전 자를 보유한 12주를 대상으로 한 형별 검사에서 8종(coagulase I-VIII형)으로 분류되었다. 3) mecA 유전자가 22주에서, mecR1 유전자가 18주, mecI 유전자가 1주, femA 유전자가 17주에서 발견되었으며, 이들을 4가지의 유전자형으로 분류하였을 때 mecA형이 14주, mecR1형 10주, mecA-mecR1형 7주, mecA-mecR1-mecI형이 1주였다. mecA 및 mecA 관련 유전자와 항생제 다제내성과는 상관관계가 없었다. 4) 16주가 mecA와 femA를 모두 보유하였으며, 이들의 plasmid 양상은 I형이 7주, II형이 6주 그리고 III형이 2주였다. Oxacillin 및 vancomycin에 내성을 보이는 II형과 III형에서는 35.5kb의 plasmid DNA를 보유하였다. 5) 장독소 A, B, D, 및 E의 유전자는 51주 전부에서 검출되지 않았으나 장독소 C의 유전자는 64.7%, TSST-1 유전자는 80.4%가 양성이었다. 6) Coagulase 양성이며 mecA 및 femA 유전자를 보유한 MRSA 12균주에 대한 유전자 형별 검사에서 I형에서 X형으로 분류할 수 있었으며, II형 2주, X형 2주가 동일 유전자형이었고, 나머지는 다른 유전자형이었다. 결 론 : 입원 중인 신생아의 비강 내 S. aureus의 상재률이 아주 높았으며, 이들의 항생제 내성률, 특히 vancomycin의 내성률이 높아 이들에 의한 원내 감염에 대한 특별한 관리가 필요하며, 이들의 병원성 인자 및 관련 유전자에 대한 분석은 원내 감염에 대한 적절한 대책과 효과적인 치료에 많은 도움을 줄 수 있으리라 사료된다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.246-250
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• 2013

In this study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method to rapidly detect Staphylococcus aureus strains was developed and evaluated by extensively applying a large number of S. aureus isolates from clinical and food samples. Six primers were specially designed for recognizing eight distinct sequences on the species-specific femA gene of S. aureus. The detection limits were 100 fg DNA/tube and $10^4$ CFU/ml. The LAMP assay was applied to 432 S. aureus strains isolated from 118 clinical and 314 food samples. Total detection rates for the LAMP and polymerase chain reaction assays were 98.4% (306/311) and 89.4% (278/311), respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.350-357
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• 2007

This study was conducted in an effort to evaluate the antimicrobial activity and antibiotic-resistant gene regulation from Saliva miltiorrhiza Bunge on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A variety of solvent fractions and methanol extracts of S. miltiorrhiza Bunge were tested in order to determine its antimicrobial activities against S. aureus and MRSA. As a result, the hexane fraction of S. miltiorrhiza Bunge evidenced the highest levels of antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and MRSA. The MICs of the hexane fraction against various MRSA specimens were $64. The hexane fraction evidenced inhibitory effects superior to those of the chloroform fraction. The results showed inhibition zones of hexane (16 mm) and chloroform (14 mm) fractions against MRSA KCCM 40511 at $1,000{\mu}g/disc$. The hexane and chloroform fractions inhibited the expression of the resistant genes, mecA, mecR1, and femA in mRNA. Moreover, the results of Western blotting assays indicated that the hexane and chloroform fractions inhibited the expression of the resistant protein, PBP2a. These results reveal that the hexane and chloroform fractions of S. miltiorrhiza Bunge may prove to be a valuable choice for studies targeted toward the development of new antimicrobial agents.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.354-359
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• 2003

Multiplex-PCR protocols were designed in order to make a rapid identification of MRSA. MecA, femB, and 165 rRNA genes were amplified for making a detection of MRSA. The incidence of MRSA in the clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus was examined by using a multiplex-PCR assay. The mecA gene was detected in 266 strains out of 336 clinical isolates of S. aureus, thus the incidence of MRSA was approximately 76.5%. The MRSAs of 247 strains (96.1%) showed resistance to more than eight species of the antimicrobial agents tested. The isolates of MRSA showed 27 different antimicrobial-resistant patterns. The results indicate that many different MRSA strains having high multidrug resistance are actually prevalent in Korea. Also, VISA was screened from the MRSA. Two strains were grown on the BHI agar plate supplemented with $8\;\mu\textrm{g}/ml$ of vancomycin at a frequency of $1/10^8$ colony forming units or higher.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.136-139
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• 2014

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the severe nosocomial infectious agents. The traditional diagnostic methods including biochemical test, antibiotic susceptibility test and PCR amplification are time consuming and require much work. The Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) biosensor is a rapid and powerful tool for analyzing the chemical composition within a single living cell. To identify the biochemical and genetic characterization of clinical MRSA, all isolates from patients were performed with VITEK2 gram positive (GP) bacterial identification and Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (AST). Virulence genes of MRSA also were identified by DNA based PCR using specific primers. All isolates, which were placed on a gold coated nanochip, were analyzed by a confocal Raman microscopy system. All isolates were identified as S. aureus by biochemical tests. MRSA, which exhibited antibiotic resistance, demonstrated to be positive gene expression of both femA and mecA. Furthermore, Raman shift of S. aureus and MRSA (n=20) was perfectly distinguished by a confocal Raman microscopy system. This novel technique explained that a SERS based confocal Raman microscopy system can selectively isolate MRSA from non-MRSA. The study recommends the SERS technique as a rapid and sensitive method to detect antibiotic resistant S. aureus in a single cell level.