• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2000

This study has been carried out to investigate the sensitivity of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method over conventional acid-fast bacilli (AFB) staining and/culture methods for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from trace body fluid and paraffin-embedded tissues (PET) specimens. A total of 65 cases were employed for the AFB staining and culture test, and a total of 50 cases were subjected to PCR and histopathological analysis. Among the specimen showing negative reaction to AFB staining, 12.1% were positive to PCR and 3.7% of the specimen representing negative result to culture test showed positive reaction to PCR. In addition, 20.0% of the specimen with AFB negative showed positive reaction to PCR. From these results, it could be concluded that PCR method overwhelms AFB staining and culture tests in sensitivity and specificity to M tuberculosis detection.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.319-324
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• 2007

One-tube nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was evaluated for its efficacy in detecting Mycobacterium leprae in biopsy samples from leprosy patients. Primers were derived from the M leprae-specific element (RLEP) sequences which yield a 230 bp fragment. The specificity and the sensitivity of the one-tube nested PCR were compared with those of single PCR for detecting M leprae. The results showed that the one-tube nested PCR was about 100 times more sensitive than that of the single indicating the one-tube nested primer sets developed in this study can be an effective screening tool for the detection of M leprae in clinical diagnostic laboratories.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.59-62
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• 2010

A 2-year-old lineolated parakeet (Bolborhynchus lineola) was presented with abdominal distention and respiratory distress for two months. The bird was poorly fleshed and the liver was enlarged on coelomic palpation. Plain and contrast radiographic examinations exhibited hepatomegaly and distended intestinal loop, which compromised the air sacs. Multifocal hyperechogenecity was observed in the liver on ultrasonography. Postmortem gross examination revealed hepatomegaly with numerous pinpoint tan foci in the hepatic parenchyma and distended small intestine filled with adult ascarids. Microscopically, granulomatous hepatitis and enteritis infected by intrahistiocytic acid-fast bacilli were evident. Polymerase chain reaction indicated that the acid-fast bacilli were Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.68-72
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• 2015

For recent years, use of autologous fat injection has increased significantly in facial contouring surgery. Along with such increase in use, complications like atypical mycoplasma infection have been also on the increasing trend. The authors report two cases of Mycobacterium chelonae infection that occurred after autologous fat injection. Patients were treated as infection that resistant to common antibiotics and results were negative to routine culture and Gram staining. Acid-fast bacillus stain, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and mycobacterial cultures were conducted for diagnosis under suspicion of atypical mycoplasma infection. Then, combination antibiotics therapy, surgical treatment, and steroid injection were performed for treatment. Both patients were diagnosed with Mycobacterium chelonae in PCR test. They were positive to mycobacterial cultures. Combination antibiotics therapy was repeated to improvement of symptom. However, they could not be free from side effects such as deformation in facial contour, scar and pigmentation even after full recovery. When chronic wound infections after autologous fat injection, we must suspect atypical or mycobacterial infection and conduct examinations for a early diagnosis and proper antibiotic therapy that is effective to the nontuberculous mycobacteria.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.121-125
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• 2009

Paratuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Mpt) is a chronic infectious enteric disease with deleterious impact on the performance in ruminants. In Korea, ELISA has been introduced to detect antibodies to Mpt in individual cattle. However, comparison study with ELISA has not been studied until now. In total, a panel of 899 serum samples obtained from dairy cattle was analyzed with two commercial ELISAs for Mpt to assess the performance. Two ELISAs employed in this study were both licensed worldwide. Two ELISAs applied onto same serum samples showed the moderate agreement (kappa value = 0.60). There was non-significant McNemar test (p = 0.0614) between two ELISA results indicating that each proportion detected by two kits did not differ. In addition, the percent agreement between two ELISA results was turned out to be 96.8% which interpreted excellent reproducibility. It was shown from this study that two ELISAs revealed moderate kappa agreement performance. The implication raised is that when ELISAs as diagnostics are used to detect Mpt in individual cattle, positive reaction by either ELISA should be interpreted as serologically Mpt positive due to presumed low sensitivity of ELISAs and their test agreement being less than 100%.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.198-205
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• 1996

Two proteases were partially characterized from culture filtrate of Mycobacterium, tuberculosis KIT110. Their molecular weights were approximately 200 and 180 kDa, respectively and they exhibited similar enzymatic characteristics. These enzymes were inhibited significantly by EDTA and to some extent by EGTA. Their activity was enhanced by $Ca^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$ to some degree. However, $Cu^{2+}$ and $Ag^{2+}$ completely inhibited the enzyme activity at the concentration of 2.5 and 5 mM, respectively. The optimal pH was 7.0 and optimal temperature was around $40^{\circ}C$. These enzymes were rapidly inactivated at $80^{\circ}C$. Therefore, they were heat-labile, neutral metalloproteases. These enzymes exhibited antigenicity shown by their reacting with sera from the partients with pulmonary tuberculosis. These enzymes were able to degrade serum proteins including hemoglobin, bovine serum albumin, lysozyme and immunoglobulin G and structural matrix protein such as type I collagen. Therefore, these enzymes may be thought to contribute to tissue necrosis and pathogenesis during infection.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 1983

During the last three years, it has become evident that patients with tuberculosis-like diseases due to the Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex(referred to M. avium complex; MAC) in Korea are more frequently observed than were assumed earlier. However, the incidence of various serotypes of the MAC isolated from patients with tuberculosis-like diseases has not been clarified. In this study, the serotypes of 16 strains of the MAC isolated from sputa of persons who had radiographic abnormalities of the lungs were determined by bacterial agglutination test with reference sera. The serotypable strains belonged to 7 serotypes, i.e., M. avium 13 were 4 strains(25.0%), M. avium 8 and 14 each 3 strains(18.8%), M. avium 5, 7, 12 and 18 one strain(6.3%), respectively. Two strains(12.5%) were not typable.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.147-157
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• 2011

Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP), the cause of Johne's disease in animals, may be a causative agent of Crohn's disease (CD) in humans, but the evidence supporting this claim is controversial. Milk, meat, and water could be potential sources of MAP transmission to humans. Thus, if the link between MAP and Crohn's disease is substantiated, the fact that MAP has been detected in retail foods could be a public health concern. The purpose of the present study was to review the link between MAP and CD, the prevalence of MAP in foods, heat inactivation, control of MAP during food processing, and detection methods for MAP. Although MAP positive rates in retail milk in nine countries ranged from 0 to 2.9% by the culture method and from 4.5 to 15.5% by PCR, high temperature short time pasteurization can effectively control MAP. The effectiveness of pasteurization to inactivate MAP depends on the initial concentration of the MAP in raw milk. Development of highly sensitive and specific rapid detection methods for MAP may enhance investigation into the relationship between MAP and CD, the prevention of the spread of MAP, and problem-solving related to food safety. Collaboration and efforts by government agencies, the dairy industry, farmers, veterinarians, and scientists will be required to reduce and prevent MAP in food.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.55-57
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• 2014

Paratuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) has extended latent periods of infection. Due to this property, difficulties in the detection of fecal shedder have been raised. A newly designed method for DNA extraction from fecal specimens, mGITC/SC was evaluated in terms of diagnostic efficiency. The detection limit of IS900 real-time PCR was about 50 MAP (1.5 cfu) in 250 mg of feces (6 cfu per g). Also, this DNA extraction method was faster and cheaper than that using commercial kit or other methods. Consequently, the mGITC/SC is an economical DNA extraction method that could be a useful tool for detecting MAP from fecal specimens.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.302-307
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• 2010

Nitrogen is an element need to grow plants growth. Plants take up nitrogen in the form of nitrate or ammonium. Most of plants absorb nitrogen source as fertilizers. But from 50 to 70% of fertilizers applied were washed away. This study was conducted to isolate free-living nitrogen fixing bacteria from reed and to examine its beneficial traits for developing sustainable biofertilizers. Enriched consortium obtained from a reed in Ansan was developed for the fixing of nitrogen. Nitrogen fixing bacteria isolated from an enriched culture in Congo Red Medium was analyzed by 16s rDNA sequencing. AKC-10 was isolated and shown to have excellent nitrogen fixing ability. The optimum conditions of nitrogen fixing ability were $25^{\circ}C$ ($237.50{\pm}39.65\;nmole{\cdot}mg-protein^{-1}{\cdot}h^{-1}$ and pH 7 ($168.335{\pm}12.84$ nmole/hr mg-protein). It was identified as Microbacterium hominis [(AKC-10 (similarity : 99%)]. This strain was had to IAA (indole-3-acetic acid) productivity and ACC(1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid) deaminase activity. Therefore, Microbacterium hominis AKC-10 stimulated plant development in the soil, enhancing the efficiency of remediation.