• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.522-530
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• 2008

Purpose: In this study active surveillance culture for ICU patients, in whom the risk of VRE infection was high were conducted, and through this the VRE colonization rate and the characteristics of the colonization were examined and risk factors involved in VRE colonization and acquisition were analyzed. Method: This research was performed with 635 patients admitted to ICU between July 1 and December 31, 2006. Results: On admission to ICU, the VRE colonization rate was 2.36%, 93% identified from active surveillance culture. The VRE colonization rate was significantly higher in those patients with cancer (OR=9.43; 95% CI=1.38${\sim}$62.50; P=.022), liver cirrhosis (OR=55.5; 95% CI=7.29${\sim}$500; P=.005), transferred from other hospitals (OR=200; 95% CI=22.73${\sim}$1000; P=.000), high APACHE II score (OR=1.107; 95% CI=1.010${\sim}$1.213; P=.029), or antibiotics within the last 3 months (OR=15.87; 95% CI=2.27${\sim}$111.11; P=.005). The VRE acquisition rate was 5.2%. It was significantly higher in those who were using a ventilator (OR=26.31; 95% CI=5.13${\sim}$142.86; P=.000), three or more kinds of antibiotics during admission (OR=58.82; 95% CI=16.13${\sim}$200; P=.000), or high APACHE II score (OR=1.16; 95% CI=1.08${\sim}$ 1.24; P=.000). Conclusion: The results of this study show that active surveillance culture can detect VRE colonization on admission to ICU and those who have acquired VRE in ICU. The analyzed VRE colonization and risk factors of VRE acquisition are expected to be useful in establishing guidelines for preventing VRE infection in ICU.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.30-42
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• 2013

Objectives: This study was intended to check if the "Creating Clean Wards" project, which is an innovative reinforced campaign activity targeting infection control strategies and active surveillance cultures for VRE (vancomycin resistant enterococci) high-risk patients to be admitted in the NS (neuro-surgery) wards, would be reduced the incidence rates of VRE acquisition, transmission rates. Methods: 75 subjects of the VRE high-risk patients were surveyed by carrying out active surveillance cultures of VRE colonization 11 times from January to March, 2012. And the retrospective study was conducted dividing them into two groups. Results: The incidence rates of VRE acquisition was reduced to 3.67 cases per 1,000 patients day in the control group and to 2.88 cases in experimental group, which was not statistically significant (p = .753). VRE transmission rates of 0.0015 per day before the project tended to increase to 0.0019, although not statistically significant (p = .650). As a result of multivariate analysis with regard to using glycopeptide antibiotics in order to find out risk factors of VRE colonization, the patients who had been treated with glycopeptide until VRE colonization showed 274.41 times higher rate. Conclusion : For effective VRE infection control in NS wards, We should carry out active surveillance culture regularly, especially patient of using glycopeptide. And block the spread of VRE by strengthening infection control through the strict isolation and the changed mind-set of members motivated by the "Creating Clean Wards" campaign.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.65-72
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• 1970

The effect of fresh water and various concentrations of aged seawater on the survival of fecal pollution bacteria, Escherichia coli, type I, Aerobacter aerogenes type I, and Streptococcus faecalis type were determined. Survivals of bacteria were measured by the membrane silter technique. Three species of bacteria indicate more tolerance in fresh water than in seawater. After 14-day incubation in fresh water, survival rates of bacteria were 90% withe E.coli, 20% with A.aerogenes, and 0.6% with Str.faecalis. However, the survival rate of fecal pollution bacteria decreases as the concetnration of seawater is increased. Generally, the death rate of E.coli is least affected by concentration of seawater. A.aerogenes is eliminated more rapidly with higher concentration of seawater, while Str.faecalis marks rather slight variation of elimination in various concentrations of seawater. In 100- percent seawater (Cl 18.1 ), the days required for 99.9% elimination of bacteria were 4.5 days with A.aerogenes, and 6.5 days with E.coli and Str.faecalis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate the isolation frequency and antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Enterococcus spp. from domestic beef and pork on sale in Seoul, Korea. A total of 106 (10.4%) E. coli and 114 (11.2%) Enterococcus spp. from 635 domestic beef and 381 pork samples were isolated and examined for susceptibility to 15 and 11 antimicrobial agents, respectively. The most frequent antimicrobial resistance observed in E. coli isolates was to ampicillin (38.6%), followed by streptocmycin (34.9%) and tetracycline (32.0%). The most frequent antimicrobial resistance in E. faecium isolates was to erythromycin (53.8%) and rifampin (46.1%), and in E. faecalis isolates was to tetracycline (55.7%) and rifampin (55.0%). Among the isolates, multi-drug resistant (MDR) E. coli and Enterococcus spp. strains showing resistances to more than two antimicrobial agents tested were 10.4% and 11.2%, respectively. As a result, appropriate protocols for antimicrobial agents and strategies to reduce antimicrobial resistance will be needed in future.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.447-452
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• 2018

Water is an important component in the production of fresh produce. It is mainly used for irrigation and application of pesticides and fertilizers. Several outbreaks cases related to fresh produce have been reported and water has been identified as the most likely source. On the other hand, wildlife has been identified as a possible source of the waterborne pathogens. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of wildlife access on irrigation water used in the cultivation of Chinese cabbage in Goesan. The frequency of wild animals access to upstream water source and the contamination level of bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Enterococci of irrigation water used in Chinese cabbage farm was examined. A total of 37 wildlife including the wild bear and water deer were observed in upstream of water source during the cultivation of Chinese cabbage. The result indicated the presence of hygienic indicator bacteria from the upstream where there is no human access. The contamination range of coliforms, E. coli, and Enterococcus spp. Detected in the irrigation water were 2.13~4.32 log MPN / 100 mL, 0.26~2.03 log MPN / 100 mL, and 1.43~3.49 log MPN / 100 mL, respectively. Due to low water temperatures, the contamination levels of coliform bacteria and E. coli in the irrigation water during harvesting time was lower compared to those recorded during transplanting of Chinese cabbage. However, no significant difference was detected in the number of Enterococci during the cultivation of Chinese cabbage. The results indicated the need to manage the microbial risk in irrigation water to enhance safety in cultivation of Chinese cabbage.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.76-88
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution of Enterococci isolated from clinical specimens, and identify the aspect of antibiotic susceptibility and analyze the genetic difference by executing Rep-PCR over the strains resistant to aminoglycoside-typed antibiotics. From an assortment of the clinical specimens, 100 strains were isolated. The collection consisted of 49 strains of E. faecalis, 34 strains of E. faecium, 9 strains of E. avium, 4 strains of E. gallinarum, 3 strains of E. casseliflavus, and 1 strain of E. hirae. Ninety five were isolated from inpatients, and five strains were isolated from outpatient. Most of the E. faecalis and E. faecium were originated from urine, pus, and sputum. Most Enterococci showed 80% resistance to the cephalosprin-typed antibiotics. E. faecium showed the high resistance to all the antibiotic substances. One tenths of Enterococci showed the resistance to vancomycin. And also, most Enterococci showed the high resistance to amikacin and gentamicin as aminoglycoside-typed antibiotics. Genetic diversity of the resistant strains to aminoglycoside estimated using Rep-PCR was not significanty different.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.261-266
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• 1999

Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus(VRE) was first isolated from various specimens of patients with renal failure or leukemia in 1988. Thereafter VRE has been increasing gradually and became one of the clinically important palhogenic organisms currently. We experienced a case of E. faecalis sepsis in a 4 day old neonate. She was born at 39 weeks gestational age with 2,900gm weight by Cesarean section delivery due to breech presentation. She had had swelling and motion limitation of the left knee joint with fever for one day at age of 4 day and was transfered to our hospital. Ultrasonographic examination of her left knee joint showed some inflammatory change. E. faecalis was isolated from the blood. The organism showed resistance to vancomycin on drug susceptibility test using BHI agar screening test and disk diffusion method. After treatment with ampicillin-sulbactam for 3 weeks the baby was improved. Although VRE infection has been considered rare in Korea. considerable number of demonstrative studies about VRE isolation have been reported recently thus adequate countermeasures are needed to reduce the emergence and prevent nosocomial spreading of this organism.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1792-1800
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• 2010

In this study, we isolated five macrolactin compounds from a fermentation broth of Bacillus polyfermenticus KJS-2. The macrolactin compounds were structurally identified as macrolactin A (MA), 7-O-malonyl macrolactin A (MMA), 7-O-succinyl macrolactin A (SMA), macrolactin E (ME) and macrolactin F (MF) via a variety of NMR techniques, COZY, DEPT, HMQC and HMBC, and mass and specific rotation assays. The three macrolactin compounds, MA, MMA and SMA, profoundly inhibited the growth of both vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VREs) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the inhibition of which were estimated via a disc agar diffusion bioassay. MA, MMA, and SMA exhibited antibacterial activities superior to those of vancomycin and teicoplanin.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.228-233
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• 2014

This study was performed to examine antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus spp. strains from retail raw meat and fish products purchased in 2012. 43 Enterococcus spp. strains were isolated from a total of 207 samples (beef, pork, chicken, fish) with contamination rate of 20.8%. The isolated strains were identified as E. faecalis (22 strains), E. gallinarum, E. hirae (5 strains), E. avium (4 strains), E. faecium (3 strains), E. duram, E. casseliflavus (2 strains). Susceptibility to 10 antibiotics was tested, and the highest resistance was observed to tetracycline. And antimicrobial resistance rates were presented below 20% with most of the other antimicrobial agents. The isolated Enterococci from chicken showed higher resistance also to ciprofloxacin and erythromycin, not only to tetracycline, compared to the isolated Enterococci from beef, pork and fish. Sixteen isolates (37.2%) were sensitive to all antibiotics. Four isolates (9.3%) were resistant to 3 or more antibiotics. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) was not identified. According to the results of genetic similarity pattern analysis via PFGE and rep-PCR, Enterococci strains showed different patterns from these collected in 2011. This indicates that there is no genetic similarity among all the strains.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.908-913
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• 2010

Bojungiki-tang is a traditional oriental medicine to boost the immune system. In this study, we investigated the effects of Bojungiki-tang by withdrawal of isolation of VRE colonization. Four cases of post-stroke patients with VRE colonization took Bojungiki-tang and continuously were followed up with stool cultures. After three times negative stool VRE, we withdrew isolation of VRE colonization. One case patient was diagnosed with VRE colonization in another hospital and had no withdrawal during that period. He was admitted to Kyung-hee University Oriental Medicine where he took Bojungiki-tang. After three times negative stool VRE, we withdrew isolation of the patient. These results demonstrate that Bojungiki-tang is effective on boosting immunity level. Further studies are needed to better characterize this protective effect of Bojungiki-tang.