• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 1987

Adherence to HEp-2 cells has been proposed as a virulence characteristic of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC). The role of the HEp-2 adherent E. coli was evaluated in a group of children with endemic diarrhea admitted to Hanyang University Hospital in Seoul, Korea. HEp-2-adherent E. coli was detected in fecal samples of 59 (59%) of 100 cases and ten (22.7%) of 44 concurrent control children (p<0.0005). Adherence was exhibited by 15 serogroups and subgroups, but within these groups more than one adherence pattern was frequently observed. Of 17 strains belonging to traditional infantile EPEC serogroups, 12(70.6%) gave a positive adherence. Of 45 enterotoxin producing strains, 24 (53.3%) gave a positive adherence. HEp-2-adherent strains that did not belong to classic EPEC serogroups and did not produce heat-stable and/or heat-labile enterotoxins(referred as enteroadherent E. coli, EAEC) was found in 29 (29%) of the patients with diarrhea and in six (13.6%) of the well children (p<0.05). From 22 of the 29 cases, no pathogen other than EAEC was isolated. These findings strongly implicate EAEC as the cause of diarrhea in the children. Our study supports the concept that EAEC may be an important cause of endemic diarrhea in Korean children.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.147-153
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• 1987

Colonization factor antigen I(CFA I) has been shown to be one of several virulence factors that promote attachment of enterotoxigenic E. coli(ETEC) to small intestinal epithelial cells of humans. The ability of ETEC to produce mannose-resistant hemagglutination(MRHA) of human blood group A has been used to detect CFA I. To determine gastrointestinal carriage in Korean children of E. coli with MRHA and CFA I, 116 strains of E. coli from diarrheal children admitted to Hanyang University Hospital were examined for MRHA of human erythrocytes and the presence of CFA I. Of 45 ETEC strains, 18(40%) gave a positive MRHA($MRHA^+$) and eight(18%) were positive for CFA I(CFA $I^+$). ETEC with CFA I were all heat-stable enterotoxin(ST) producers and two of these strains were of serogroups $O_{25}$. Of 17 classic enteropathogenic E. coli(EPEC), 7(41%) were $MRHA^+$ but all were negative for CFA I(CFA $I^-$). Of 30 enteroadherent E. coli(EAEC) strains, 11(37%) were $MRHA^+$ and one was CFA $I^+$. Of 24 nonpathogenic E. coli, 4(17%) were $MRHA^+$ but all were CFA $I^-$. It was shown that MRHA was common in all strains of E. coli, CFA I was limited only to ST producing ETEC and EAEC; although MRHA is a useful screening procedure, serologic tests seem to be necessary to comfirm CFA I production. CFA I was associated with a lower proportion of ETEC isolates in Korea than has been reported for other locations.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.48.1-48.15
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• 2021

Background: Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a swine enteropathogenic coronavirus that has devastated the swine industry in South Korea over the last 30 years. The lack of an effective method to control the endemics has led to a surge in PEDV recurrences in affected farms throughout the country. Objectives: In the first step toward establishing systematic monitoring of and active control measures over the swine populations, we constructed an assessment model that evaluates the status of (1) biosecurity, (2) herd immunity, and (3) virus circulation in each of the PEDV-infected farms. Methods: A total of 13 farrow-to-finish pig farms with a history of acute PEDV infection on Jeju Island were chosen for this study. The potential risk of the recurrence in these farms was estimated through on-site data collection and laboratory examination. Results: Overall, the data indicated that a considerable number of the PEDV-infected farms had lax biosecurity, achieved incomplete protective immunity in the sows despite multi-dose vaccination, and served as incubators of the circulating virus; thus, they face an increased risk of recurrent outbreaks. Intriguingly, our results suggest that after an outbreak, a farm requires proactive tasks, including reinforcing biosecurity, conducting serological and virus monitoring to check the sows' immunity and to identify the animals exposed to PEDV, and improving the vaccination scheme and disinfection practices if needed. Conclusions: The present study highlights the significance of coordinated PEDV management in infected farms to reduce the risk of recurrence and further contribute towards the national eradication of PEDV.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.101-110
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• 2022

This study was performed to investigate infectious gastrointestinal diseases in 115 Korean cats (83 indoors and 32 outdoors) with digestive signs such as diarrhea, anorexia or abdominal distention. Detection of infectious pathogens was analyzed using real-time PCR. As a result, 85 of 115 Korean cats were detected with feline corona virus (FCoV), feline parvo virus, Group A rotavirus, Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens), Campylobacter coli (C. coli), Campylobacter jejuni, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Tritrichomonas foetus, Cyclospora cayetanensis, and Giardia lamblia. The most frequently detected pathogen was C. perfringens (52 cats, 61.2%), followed by FCoV (43 cats, 50.6%) and C. coli (16 cats, 18.8%). Also, single infection was the most common (43 cats), followed by double infection in 31 cats, triple infection in 7 cats, and quadruple infection in 4 cats. There was no significant relationship between pathogen detection and age, gender, living environment, weather, and diarrhea. However, there was a significant difference between the age group under 1 year and the age group 1~7 (P value<0.05). In this study, cats with suspected gastrointestinal infection were randomly evaluated, and other factors that could affect pathogen detection were insufficiently considered. For this reason, additional epidemiological investigations with a larger number of cats and sufficient consideration of the causes that may affect the results are needed. Nevertheless, it is thought that this study can also provide valuable information on gastrointestinal pathogens in Korean cats.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 2024

Purpose: Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of mortality in children living in developing countries. The etiology of acute diarrhea in each healthcare center varies depending on place, time, and population. This study aimed to identify pathogen patterns in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and non-HIV children suffering from acute diarrhea, using multiplex real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), in an Indonesian tertiary hospital. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital from March 2019 to April 2020. Results: The study showed that multiplex RT-PCR results were positive in 58.9% of the specimens, with more positive results in HIV-infected children than in non-HIV-infected children (70% vs. 54.7%). Altogether 72 enteropathogens were detected from all specimens. Enteropathogens in non-HIV children with acute diarrhea consisted of bacteria (70.6%) and viruses (29.4%) with a predominance of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (25.4%), followed by Campylobacter spp. (11.8%), enteropathogenic E. coli (9.8%), Norovirus GII (7.8%), and Clostridium difficile (7.8%). Enteropathogens in HIV-infected children consisted of viruses (57.1%), bacteria (28.6%), and parasites (14.3%) comprising Norovirus GII (24%), Cryptosporidium spp. (14.3%), Campylobacter spp. (14.3%), Norovirus GI (14.3%), and Astrovirus (14.3%). Cryptosporidium spp. was the only parasite found in this study and was found only in HIV-infected children. In non-HIV children with acute diarrhea, most pathogens were invasive bacteria, while in HIV-infected children, more viral and parasite infections occurred, primarily caused by opportunistic pathogens. Conclusion: The pattern of enteropathogens can help clinicians determine further examinations and appropriate empirical antimicrobial therapy for the patient.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.126-131
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• 2015

Pathogenic Escherichia coli is recognized as an important cause of diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic-uremic syndrome worldwide. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence E. coli contamination in the Korean traditional food bibimbap. E. coli were isolated from 84 of 1142 (7.3%) bibimbap investigated from 2005 to 2011. Antibiotic resistance profiling demonstrated that 6 of the 84 isolates (7.2%) showed multiple drug resistance. Fifteen virulence genes specific for pathogenic E. coli such as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) were examined by multiplex PCR for mixed bacterial cultures derived from bibimbap samples. The EPEC virulence gene (ent) was detected in 5 strains (5.9%), while ETEC, EAEC, and EIEC were not detected. STEC serotypes O103 (1.2%), O91 (1.2%), and O128 (6.0%) were found, but other serogroups such as O26, O157, O145, O111 and O121 were not detecded. Automated Repetitive-Sequence-Based PCR analysis showed different patterns.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2010

To understand protozoan, viral, and bacterial infections in diarrheal patients, we analyzed positivity and mixedinfection status with 3 protozoans, 4 viruses, and 10 bacteria in hospitalized diarrheal patients during 2004-2006 in the Republic of Korea. A total of 76,652 stool samples were collected from 96 hospitals across the nation. The positivity for protozoa, viruses, and bacteria was 129, 1,759, and 1,797 per 10,000 persons, respectively. Especially, Cryptosporidium parvum was highly mixed-infected with rotavirus among pediatric diarrheal patients (29.5 per 100 C. parvum positive cases), and Entamoeba histolytica was mixed-infected with Clostridium perfringens (10.3 per 100 E. histolytica positive cases) in protozoan-diarrheal patients. Those infected with rotavirus and C. perfringens constituted relatively high proportions among mixed infection cases from January to April. The positivity for rotavirus among viral infection for those aged $\leq$ 5 years was significantly higher, while C. perfringens among bacterial infection was higher for $\geq$ 50 years. The information for association of viral and bacterial infections with enteropathogenic protozoa in diarrheal patients may contribute to improvement of care for diarrhea as well as development of control strategies for diarrheal diseases in Korea.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.576-584
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• 2017

Objective: To generate recombinant Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) engineered for expression of porcine ${\beta}-defensin-2$ (pBD-2) and cecropin P1 (CP1) fusion antimicrobial peptide and investigate their anti-bacterial activity in vitro and their growth-promoting and disease resisting activity in vivo. Methods: The pBD-2 and CP1 fused gene was synthesized using the main codons of B. subtilis and inserted into plasmid pMK4 vector to construct their expression vector. The fusion peptide-expressing B. subtilis was constructed by transformation with the vector. The expressed fusion peptide was detected with Western blot. The antimicrobial activity of the expressed fusion peptide and the recovered pBD-2 and CP1 by enterokinase digestion in vitro was analyzed by the bacterial growth-inhibitory activity assay. To analyze the engineered B. subtilis on growth promotion and disease resistance, the weaned piglets were fed with basic diet supplemented with the recombinant B. subtilis. Then the piglets were challenged by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli). The weight gain and diarrhea incidence of piglets were measured after challenge. Results: The recombinant B. subtilis engineered for expression of pBD-2/CP1 fusion peptide was successfully constructed using the main codons of the B. subtilis. Both expressed pBD-2/CP1 fusion peptide and their individual peptides recovered from parental fusion peptide by enterokinase digestion possessed the antimicrobial activities to a variety of the bacteria, including gram-negative bacteria (E. coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Haemophilus parasuis) and grampositive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus). Supplementing the engineered B. subtilis to the pig feed could significantly promote the piglet growth and reduced diarrhea incidence of the piglets. Conclusion: The generated B. subtilis strain can efficiently express pBD-2/CP1 fusion antimicrobial peptide, the recovered pBD-2 and CP1 peptides possess potent antimicrobial activities to a variety of bacterial species in vitro. Supplementation of the engineered B. subtilis in pig feed obviously promote piglet growth and resistance to the colibacillosis.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.73-95
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• 1986

A total of 5,462 isolates suspicious of Salmonella, Shigella and E. coli which were isolated during 1983 to 1985 by 12 City Hygine Laboratories and General Hospital Laboratories were received and identified at the National Salmonella Center, Seoul, Korea. The result of identification of these strains were summarized as follows: 1. It was confirmed that the total organisms broke down into 2,014 strains of Salmonella 1,294 of which were S. typhi, 887 strains of Shigella and 2,561 strains of E. coli. 2. For seasonal distribution of enteric pathogens, July was the month with the highest out breaks of salmonellosis, May was the month of Shigellosis, and April was of the highest month it in the case of E. coli. 3. Salmonella typhi with the highest incidence of isolation was shown to belong to various phage types, especially with the strains detected in Seoul. M1 type was widely distributed all over the country, but the majority was E1 type in 1983. 4. For age distribution of patients, the 20-29 age group had the highest incidence of salmonellosis whileas the 1 to 9 age group had the highest incidence of Shigellosis. 5. For sexuly distribution of Salmonella and Shigella infections seemed to be relatively higher in the female than in the male. However, E. coli. had no relationship to both sex. 6. The antibiotic sensitivity patterns of S. typhi cultures showed a tendancy to be resistant to colistin, gentamycin, neomycin, tetracycline and streptomycin. 7. The isolates of S. paratyphi-A, S. typhimurium and S. enteritidis seemed to have a tendency of multiple drug resistance. 8. 93.9 percent of 1,568 E. coli strains showed negative reactions to the antisera of enteropathogenic E. coli and 15.6 percent of them produced a heat-labile enterotoxin, but positive reaction to the antisera was 6.1 percent and 11.6 percent of them producled the enterotoxin.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.33-48
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• 2007

목적 : 본 연구에서는 한국인 소아의 침 및 성인의 질부로부터 분리한 1367개의 유산 생성 균주 중 4가지의 장내 병원성 세균;Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA), Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157에 대해 발육억제 효과를 나타내는 유산 균주를 분리하고 분리된 균주의 Probiotic으로서의 가능성을 조사하고자 하였다. 방법 : 네 가지 병원성 세균을 대상으로 agar spot test와 Catalse test를 시행하여 1367개 균주 중 최종적인 실험대상 균주를 선정하였다. 최종 선정된 유산균과 네 가지 병원성 세균을 혼합 배양하여 병원성 세균증식 억제 효과를 보았다. 또한 최종균주의 probiotic으로서의 가능성을 확인하기 위해 균을 동정하고 내산성 등 몇 가지 특성을 관찰하였다. 결과 : Agar spot test 결과 전체의 15.7%에 해당하는 215 균주가 MRSA에 대해 억제 효과를 나타내었으며 215 균주 중 9.8%에 해당하는 21 균주가 L. monocytogenes에도 동시에 억제효과를 나타냈다. 이들 균주 중 가장 탁월한 효과를 보인 Lb 1250을 실험 대상 균주로 선정하였다. Lb(Lactobacillus) 1250과 상술한 병원성 세균을 각각 혼합 배양하면 Lb 1250 존재 하에서 MRSA의 증식은 $10^4$배 억제되었으며, L. monocytogenes는 $10^3$배의 억제 효과를 보였다. 그러나 S. typhimurium, E. coli O157에 대해서는 아주 미약한 효과를 나타냈다. Lb 1250의 몇 가지 특성을 조사한 결과 Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii로 동정되었으며, 이는 $H_{2}O_2$를 잘 생산해 내는 균주이었다. 또한 이 균주는 우유에서 curd를 약하게 생성하며 이 curd의 향은 달콤하고 최종 pH가 4.6까지 감소하였으며, pH 2와 같은 강산의 조건하에서 배양한 결과 2시간 후에도 상당한 생존도를 유지하였다. 결론 : 이상의 결과에서 Lb 1250은 병원성 세균의 성장을 억제함을 관찰하였고, probiotic으로서의 이용가능성을 확인하였다.