• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.227.2-227.2
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• 2003

In the situation of high bacterial resistance to antibiotics in Korea, to assess diffusion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and levels of bacterial resistance to antibiotics in community, we monitored antibiotic resistance of S. aureus isolates from healthy volunteers of community. (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.53-60
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• 2019

This study was performed to investigate antimicrobial resistance in bacterial isolates obtained from companion dogs in veterinary hospitals and an animal shelter in Incheon. Drug resistance was examined respectively with the isolates of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. The prevalence of drug resistance was calculated for each bacterial species towards 163 E. coli isolates, 156 E. faecalis isolates, and 86 S. pseudintermedius isolates by using selected antimicrobials. E. coli isolates were highly resistant to ampicillin, ciprofloxacin and tetracycline (47.9%, 28.2% and 28.2%, respectively). E. faecalis isolates were highly resistant to quinupristin-dalfopristin, tetracycline, kanamycin, rifampicin (69.8%, 66.0%, 53.8% and 51.9%, respectively). Higher levels of resistance were detected for ampicillin, penicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, telithromycin in S. pseudintermedius isolates (83.7%~52.6%, respectively). Occurrence of methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) was confirmed by oxacillin disc diffusion method, resulted in 23.3% occurrence among the S. pseudintermedius isolates (20/86 strains). The occurrence ratio of multidrug-resistance in the isolates of E. coli, E. faecalis, and S. pseudintermedius was 34.5%, 56.9%, and 67.9%, respectively. In this study, higher levels of antimicrobial drug resistance were observed in bacterial isolates obtained from dogs in Incheon. A regular monitoring and surveillance program should be implemented to prevent the emergence and spread of the drug-resistant bacteria carried in companion dogs.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.47.1-47.13
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• 2022

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a gram-negative bacterium that is known for causing infection in nosocomial settings. As reported by the World Health Organization, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, a category that includes K. pneumoniae, are classified as an urgent threat, and the greatest concern is that these bacterial pathogens may acquire genetic traits that make them resistant towards antibiotics. The last class of antibiotics, carbapenems, are not able to combat these bacterial pathogens, allowing them to clonally expand antibiotic-resistant strains. Most antibiotics target essential pathways of bacterial cells; however, these targets are no longer susceptible to antibiotics. Hence, in our study, we focused on a hypothetical protein in K. pneumoniae that contains a DNA methylation protein domain, suggesting a new potential site as a drug target. DNA methylation regulates the attenuation of bacterial virulence. We integrated computational-aided drug design by using a bioinformatics approach to perform subtractive genomics, virtual screening, and fingerprint similarity search. We identified a new potential drug, koenimbine, which could be a novel antibiotic.

• Proceedings of The Korean Society of Health Promotion Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.199-233
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• 2005

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.141-147
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• 2023

Antibiotic resistance has emerged as a global threat to modern healthcare systems and has nullified many commonly used antibiotics. β-Lactam antibiotics are among the most successful and occupy approximately two-thirds of the prescription antibiotic market. They inhibit the synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer in the bacterial cell wall by mimicking the D-Ala-D-Ala in the pentapeptide crosslinking neighboring glycan chains. To date, various β-lactam antibiotics have been developed to increase the spectrum of activity and evade drug resistance. This review emphasizes the three-dimensional structural characteristics of β-lactam antibiotics regarding the overall scaffold, working mechanism, chemical diversity, and hydrolysis mechanism by β-lactamases. The structural insight into various β-lactams will provide an in-depth understanding of the antibacterial efficacy and susceptibility to drug resistance in multidrug-resistant bacteria and help to develop better β-lactam antibiotics and inhibitors.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.268-279
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• 2023

The pharmaceutical industry in Bangladesh produces a diverse range of antibiotics for human and animal use, however, waste disposal management is inadequate. This results in substantial quantities of antibiotics being discharged into water bodies, which provide suitable environment for the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, capable of spreading resistance genes. This study intended for exploring the bacterial antibiotic resistance profile in adjoining aquatic environmental sources of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in Bangladesh. Seven surface water samples were collected from the vicinity of two pharmaceutical industries located in the Savar area and 51 Escherichia coli isolates were identified using both phenotypic and genotypic methods. Antibiotic susceptibility tests revealed the highest percentage of resistance against ampicillin, azithromycin, and nalidixic acid (100%) and the lowest resistance against meropenem (1.96%) out of sixteen different antibiotics tested. 100% of the study E. coli isolates were observed with Multidrug resistance phenotypes, with the Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) value ranging from 0.6-1.0. Furthermore, 69% of the isolates were Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBL) positive as per the Double Disk Diffusion Synergy Test (DDST). ESBL resistance genes bla_TEM, bla_CTX-M-13, bla_CTX-M-15, and bla_SHV were detected in 70.6% (n = 36), 60.8% (n = 32), 54.9% (n = 28), and 1.96% (n = 1) of the isolates, respectively, by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Additionally, 15.68% (n = 8) of the isolates were positive for E. coli specific virulence genes in PCR. These findings suggest that pharmaceutical wastewater, if not properly treated, could be a formidable source of antibiotic resistance spread in the surrounding aquatic environment. Therefore, continued surveillance for drug resistance among bacterial populations around drug manufacturing facilities in Bangladesh is necessary, along with proper waste disposal management.

• Annals of Laboratory Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.545-554
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• 2018

Background: The increasing morbidity and mortality rates associated with Acinetobacter baumannii are due to the emergence of drug resistance and the limited treatment options. We compared characteristics of colistin-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CR-AB) clinical isolates recovered from patients with and without prior colistin treatment. We assessed whether prior colistin treatment affects the resistance mechanism of CR-AB isolates, mortality rates, and clinical characteristics. Additionally, a proper method for identifying CR-AB was determined. Methods: We collected 36 non-duplicate CR-AB clinical isolates resistant to colistin. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, Sanger sequencing analysis, molecular typing, lipid A structure analysis, and in vitro synergy testing were performed. Eleven colistin-susceptible AB isolates were used as controls. Results: Despite no differences in clinical characteristics between patients with and without prior colistin treatment, resistance-causing genetic mutations were more frequent in isolates from colistin-treated patients. Distinct mutations were overlooked via the Sanger sequencing method, perhaps because of a masking effect by the colistin-susceptible AB subpopulation of CR-AB isolates lacking genetic mutations. However, modified lipid A analysis revealed colistin resistance peaks, despite the population heterogeneity, and peak levels were significantly different between the groups. Conclusions: Although prior colistin use did not induce clinical or susceptibility differences, we demonstrated that identification of CR-AB by sequencing is insufficient. We propose that population heterogeneity has a masking effect, especially in colistin non-treated patients; therefore, accurate testing methods reflecting physiological alterations of the bacteria, such as phosphoethanolamine-modified lipid A identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight, should be employed.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.64-71
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• 2018

Objectives The purpose of this study is to examine the correlation of antibiotics administration duration and antimicrobial resistance by reviewing domestic and foreign literatures. Methods We searched literatures dated up to 23 February, 2018 in PubMed and Cochrane Library using terms of "Anti-Bacterial Agents", "Carrier State", "Nasopharynx", "Drug Administration Schedule", and also searched via RISS (Research Information Service System), KISS (Koreanstudies Information Service System), DBpia (DataBase Periodical Information Academic) using terms of antibiotics, resistance, and dose. Results In comparison with shortened and standard antibiotic course, longer treatment duration is associated with greater antimicrobial resistance or non-significant difference, but we cannot find literature that shortened antibiotic course increases antimicrobial resistance on human nasopharyngeal flora. Conclusions Currently, there is no evidence that completing the standard antibiotic course reduces antimicrobial resistance. It can be a strategy for reducing antibiotic use to apply Korean medicine treatment, as well as short-course antibiotic therapy or delayed antibiotic prescription. Additional well-designed trials should be conducted in domestic and foreign settings about the appropriate duration of antibiotic therapy.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.845-851
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• 2008

TolC is an outer membrane porin protein and an essential component of drug efflux and type-I secretion systems in Gram-negative bacteria. TolC comprises a periplasmic $\alpha$-helical barrel domain and a membrane-embedded $\beta$-barrel domain. TdeA, a functional and structural homolog of TolC, is required for toxin and drug export in the pathogenic oral bacterium Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. Here, we report the expression of the periplasmic domain of TdeA as a soluble protein by substitution of the membrane-embedded domain with short linkers, which enabled us to purify the protein in the absence of detergent. We confirmed the structural integrity of the TdeA periplasmic domain by size-exclusion chromatography, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and electron microscopy, which together showed that the periplasmic domain of the TolC protein family fold correctly on its own. We further demonstrated that the periplasmic domain of TdeA interacts with peptidoglycans of the bacterial cell wall, which supports the idea that completely folded TolC family proteins traverse the peptidoglycan layer to interact with inner membrane transporters.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2023

Wastewater of anthropogenic origin is known to harbor various bacteria that are known to be of potential risk to human health and environment. It is of utmost importance to monitor such water sources. Coliforms present in the sewage water samples of municipal sewage treatment plants located at three different places in the South Gujarat region (Surat, Navsari and Vapi) of India were analyzed for their coliforms load as well as tested for their drug resistance. Using cultivation-based techniques microbial load and drug resistance (Amoxicillin, Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Erythromycin, Trimethoprim and Sulphamethoxazole) were analyzed. Water treatment statistically significantly decreased the bacterial load in Vapi and Navsari samples. The optical density of with and without antibiotics of all the three locations was shown to increase significantly after 72 hours. Of all the isolates tested, except isolate 'VA5' (resisted up to 90 ㎍ of Ampicillin) all other isolates resisted 256 ㎍ concentration of antibiotics tested. This study indicates that the sewage water is being contaminated with drugs and/or antibiotics due to industrial and/or anthropogenic activities. Regular monitoring of the water quality is required followed by implementation of environmental laws for reducing the pollutants, that are of human health and environment concern.