• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.543-554
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the existence of amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and metronidazole resistance Helicobacter pylori and to determine the in-vitro MIC of two and three kinds of antibiotic concominant administration in the isolates. The antimicrobial agents tested against 169 H. pylori included metronidazole, amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, omeprazole, josamycin, erythromycin, and tetracycline. MIC of each antimicrobial agents was determined by broth microdilution method. The 169 strains of H. pylori were isolated from biopsy specimens of patients with gastric cancer. $MIC_{50}$ of clarithromycin, amoxicillin, metronidazole, omeprazole, erythromycin, josamycin, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin was 2.0, 1.0, 4.0, 8.0, 0.5, 0.5, and $0.5\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. $MIC_{90}$ of clarithromycin, amoxicillin, metronidazole, omeprazole, erythromycin, josamycin, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin was 64.0, 64.0, 32.0, 16.0, 8.0, 2.0, and $1.0\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. H. pylori isolates were detected in the following resistaince rates: 34.3% to clarithromycin, 31.9% to metronidazole, 20.7% to amoxicillin, 12.4% to erythromycin, and 10.1% to josamycin. The prevalence of the antibiotic resistant strains of H. pylori were detected 18.1% for two kind of antibiotics and 9.6% for three kind of antibiotics, and 3.9% for four kind of antibiotics. The $MIC_{90}$ of clarithromycin-, metronidazole-, and amoxicillin-resistant H. pylori was decreased under the $1\;{\mu}g/ml$ by the two or three kind of antibiotic concomitant administration in-vitro. These results suggest that two or three antibiotics concomitant administration could be more effective for the treatment of clarithromycin-, amoxicillin-, metronidazole-, and josamycin-resistant H. pylori strains.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.470-476
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• 2007

To evaluate the vancomycin resistance of Enterococcus spp. (VRE) from Saengsik and Sunsik, Enterococcus were isolated and identified from 25 Saengsik and 35 Sunsik samples, and resistance of Enterococcus to other antibiotics was also assessed. Thirty nine Enterococcus, 16 strains from Saengsik, and 23 strains from Sunsik, were ultimately isolated. The most frequently collected Enterococcus isolates in Saengsik were E. casseliflavus and E. hirae, and were E. casseliflavus and E. faecium in Sunsik. However, E. faecalis was not detected in those foods. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of vancomycin against the isolates were below $4\;{\mu}g/mL$ and no strains evidenced profound levels of resistance. The isolates were found to be susceptible to vancomycin with the exception of eight E. casseliflavus and three E. gallinarum. All Enterococcus isolates proved resistant to streptomycin and chloramphenicol. 23% of the isolates were resistant to penicillin; however, all of the isolates were sensitive to tetracycline. Six and 48%, respectively, of the strains from the Saengsik and Sunsik proved resistant to erythromycin. All of E. mundtii and E. hirae isolates from Saengsik, and 20% of E. gallinarum and E. casseliflavus isolates from Sunsik were found to be ampicillin-resistant. All of E. gallinarum, E. casseliflavus, and E. faecium were rifampin-resistant. The antibiotic resistances of Enterococcus were relatively low, and this low vancomycin resistance was similar to that evidenced by Enterococcus isolates obtained from the other foods. However, there may be a need for some review of the accepted antibiotics criteria for Enterococcus and VRE in ready-to-eat foods.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.220-226
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• 2014

Sixty-seven Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from surface seawater from the Wando area, on the southern coast of Korea, were analyzed for their susceptibility to 15 different antimicrobials and the presence of virulence genes. According to the disk diffusion susceptibility test, all of the strains studied were resistant to ampicillin and oxacillin, while decreasing percentages were resistant to vancomycin (64.2%), streptomycin (56.7%), amikacin (31.3%), kanamycin (22.3%), cephalothin (20.9%), erythromycin (10.4%), ciprofloxacin (4.5%), and tetracycline (3.0%). All of the strains were susceptible to five antimicrobials: chloramphenicol, gentamycin, nalidixic acid, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and trimethoprim. Fifty-nine isolates (88.1%) were resistant to three or more classes of antimicrobial and defined as multidrug resistant, and two strains were resistant to seven antimicrobial agents. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the 67 V. parahaemolyticus isolates to ampicillin and oxacillin ranged from 512-2,048 and $64-512{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. All 67 isolates were also examined for the presence of the tdh and trh virulence genes using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). However, no isolates possessed either tdh or trh. The VPA0477 (${\beta}$-lactamase) gene, present in all of the tested strains, was validated as a new specific marker gene in PCR assays for the accurate detection and identification of V. parahaemolyticus.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.62-66
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• 2001

Unlike eukaryotic efflux pumps energized by ATPase bacterial efflux pumps are energized by the proton motive force. That is the reason why CCCP, an inhibitor of proton motive forcer is widely used to study the bacterial efflux pump. In many cases, efflux systems have been observed only in quinolone-resistant bacteria. Most of the quinolone-susceptible strains have been found to maintain little efflux pump. However some susceptible bacteria skewed the increased intracellular quinolone concentration only at a low concentration (0.01 or 0.1 mM) but net at a high concentration (1 mM) of CCCP. If bacterial cells were killed at high concentrations of CCCP and lost the integrity of their membranes, the intracellular quinolone would leak out from cells with no efflux system. The efflux pump system in the quinolone-susceptible strains could net be detected at the same concentration used for resistant bacteria. To test this hypothesist the intracellular quinolone concentration in the quinolone-susceptible and -resistant strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus was assayed at various concentrations of CCCP. Since the effect of CCCP is very rapid, the survival of bacteria was observed by assaying the DNA synthesis in 5 min. In the case of E. coli, but not P. aeruginosa or S. aureus, the quinolone susceptible strain was more susceptible to CCCP than the quinolone resistant ones, especially when the incubation with CCCP was extended. Decrease of the intracellular quinolone concentration resulted in a false result-no or weak efflux system in the quinolone susceptible strains. Results suggested that the concentration of CCCP should be optimized in order to detect the efflux system in the quinolone susceptible strains of E. coli.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.315-324
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• 1989

In order to establish the extent of Streptococcal arthritis piglets, isolation of Streptococci from arthritic lesions of 34 piglets were undertaken from November 1987 to October 1988 in Korea. Also determined were isolation frequency of Streptococci in nasal cavity of 250 healthy sows and antibiotic susceptibilities of the isolates. Streptococci were isolated from 52.9% of 34 arthritic piglets and 20 strains isolated belonged to 4 S suis type I, 8 S suis type II, 2 Lancefield group C and 6 group E. From 28.8% of 250 healthy sows, 72 strains of Streptococci were isolated and these consisted of 9 S suis type I, 51 S suis type II and 12 group C. Streptococcal arthritis seemed to occur prominently in piglets aged 2 to 4 weeks and in male than female. No significant difference were recognized in tarsal and carpal joints as affecting site. All of 92 isolates were sensitive to ampicillin and penicillin, and all strains of S suis type I and group E Streptococcus were also sensitive to chloramphenicol and cephalothin. To cephalothin all strains of group C Streptococcus were sensitive. The 1. 7 to 100% of 92 isolates were resistant with different prevalence to colistin, erythromycin, kanamycin, tetracycline, gentamicin, chloramphenicol and cephalothin. The 92.5% of these resistant Streptococci were multiply drug-resistant strains. The drug resistant patterns most frequently encountered were Tc Cl Em Km Gm(16.3%) in quintuple pattern, Tc Cl Em Km(16.3%) in quadruple pattern, Tc Cl Em(10.9%) in triple pattern and Cl Em(14.1%) in double pattern.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.389-398
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• 2020

The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) is increasing globally, resulting in high mortality rates. Although CRE is a relatively recent problem in Korea (the first case was not diagnosed until 2010), it is responsible for serious morbidities at an alarming rate. In this study, we carried out a molecular genetic analysis to determine the incidence of CRE and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) at a general hospital in Korea between August 2017 and August 2019. Forty strains of CPE were isolated from various clinical specimens and analyzed via antimicrobial susceptibility testing, polymerase chain reaction to detect β-lactamase genes, deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing, multilocus sequence typing, curing testing, and conjugal transfer of plasmids. The results demonstrated that all 40 isolates were multidrug-resistant. The fluoroquinolone susceptibility test showed that 75% of the Enterobacteriaceae isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, whereas 72.5% were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Further, conjugation accounted for 57.5% of all resistant plasmid transfer events, which is 4.3-fold higher than that observed in 2010 by Frost et al. Finally, the high detection rate of transposon Tn4401 was associated with the rapid diffusion and evolution of CPE. Our results highlight the rapid emergence of extensively drugresistant strains in Korea and emphasize the need for employing urgent control measures and protocols at the national level.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.81 no.3
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• pp.222-227
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• 2018

Background: Rifampicin (RFP) is one of the principal first-line drugs used in combination chemotherapies against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and its use has greatly shortened the duration of chemotherapy for the successful treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis. Compensatory mutations have been identified in rpoC that restore the fitness of RFP-resistant M. tuberculosis strains with mutations in rpoB. To investigate rpoC mutation patterns, we analyzed 93 clinical M. tuberculosis isolates from patients in South Korea. Methods: Drug-resistant mycobacterial isolates were cultured to determine their susceptibility to anti-tubercular agents. Mutations in rpoC were identified by sequencing and compared with the relevant wild-type DNA sequence. Results: In total, 93 M. tuberculosis clinical isolates were successfully cultured and tested for drug susceptibilities. They included 75 drug-resistant tuberculosis species, of which 66 were RFP-resistant strains. rpoC mutations were found in 24 of the 66 RFP-resistant isolates (36.4%). Fifteen different types of mutations, including single mutations (22/24, 91.7%) and multiple mutations (2/24, 8.3%), were identified, and 12 of these mutations are reported for the first time in this study. The most frequent mutation involved a substitution at codon 452 (nt 1356) resulting in amino acid change F452L. Conclusion: Fifteen different types of mutations were identified and were predominantly single-nucleotide substitutions (91.7%). Mutations were found only in dual isoniazid- and RFP-resistant isolates of M. tuberculosis. No mutations were identified in any of the drug-susceptible strains.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.946-950
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• 2015

Recently, it has become a struggle to treat tuberculosis with the current commercial antituberculosis drugs because of the increasing emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis. We evaluated here the antimycobacterial activity of tamoxifen, known as a synthetic anti-estrogen, against eight drugsensitive or resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), and the active intracellular killing of tamoxifen on TB in macrophages. The results showed that tamoxifen had antituberculosis activity against drug-sensitive strains (MIC, 3.125-6.25 µg/ml) as well as drugresistant strains (MIC, 6.25 to 12.5 µg/ml). In addition, tamoxifen profoundly decreased the number of intracellular TB in macrophages in a dose-dependent manner.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.483-487
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• 1992

Among a few number of UV-resistant isolated form various environmental sources (10), we made a comparative physio-chemoanalytical study on one of spherical bacteria isolated from air dust, presumably Deinococcus sp. (CM strain 29) with an UV resistant bacterium, Deinococcus radiophilus ATCC 27603 as the reference strain. Our isolate of UV resistant coccus, Deinococcus sp. CM 29 and D. radiophilus ATCC 27603 showed more than 75% matching coefficient in metabolic activity of various substrates. The most predominant cellular fatty acid of both strains was palmitoleic acid (C 16 :1, cis 9), but the detail fatty acid profiles were slightly dissimilar to each other. Cell-bound arange pigment seemed to be an identical chemicals on spectrophotometric analysis. L-ornithine was detected as cell-wall amino acid in both strains. Galactose was detected as cell-wall sugar in D. radiophilus ATCC 27603, whereas glucose in Deinococcus sp. CM 29. G-C molar ratio of both strains was comparable, 63-65%.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.379-387
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• 2007

A hundred and seventeen antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli strains were isolated from public tap and spring waters which were polluted by fecal coliforms. There were no significant differences between two water sources as to the coliform pollution level (p> 0.05). All E. coli isolates were detected to be resistant to one or more antibiotics tested. Nearly 42% of the isolates showed multiresistant phenotype. Three (2.5%) of these isolates contained class 1 integron. Sequencing analysis of variable regions of the class 1 integrons showed two gene cassette arrays, dfr1-aadA1 and dhfrA17-aadA5. Resistance to ampicillin, tetracycline or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was transferable according to the results of conjugation experiments. The rate of tetracycline resistance was 15%. tet(A)-mediated tetracycline resistance was widespread among tetracycline-resistant E. coli isolates. Genotyping by BOX-polymerase chain reaction (BOX-PCR) showed that some of the strains were epidemiologically related. This is the first report on the prevalence and characterization of class 1 integron-containing E. coli isolates of environmental origin in Turkey.