• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제67권5호
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• pp.409-412
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• 2009

Background: Several large outbreaks have demonstrated the threat of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in close-contact environments, such as occurs during training and quartering of military recruits training. In South Korea, which is a hospital or healthcare-associated MRSA prevalent area, military service is compulsory for all healthy young men. We surveyed and determined the extent of CA-MRSA colonization in the upper respiratory tracts of Korean military recruits. Methods: The Korean military recruits who were enrolled in a military training facility from November 2004 to March 2005 were eligible for this study. Sputum or nasopharyngeal swap was obtained from randomly selected subjects who displayed upper respiratory tract symptoms. Results: Of the 181 participants, 32 participants (17.7%) were colonized with S. aureus, and 12 participants (6.6%) were colonized with MRSA. Among the cases that were colonized with S. aureus, 37.5% (12/32) were colonized with MRSA. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed resistant patterns that were suggestive of the CA-MRSA strains for all of the MRSA isolates. Conclusion: This study of Korean military recruits found a great deal of showed MRSA colonization in them, and the antimicrobial resistant profile that was suggestive of a CA-MRSA strain. Further efforts to prevent the spread of MRSA infections and careful monitoring for CA-MRSA outbreaks are warranted, especially in a high risk group such as military recruits.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제51권4호
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• pp.267-275
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• 2011

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (S.) aureus (MRSA) is one of the most important nosocomial pathogens worldwide and the emergence of this strain has become a major clinical problem. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of MRSA and their genetic characteristics in 69 S. aureus isolated from humans and animals. In human isolates, higher antimicrobial resistance rates were observed against penicillin (80.6%), followed by erythromycin (11.9%) and tetracycline (9.0%). All of them were susceptible to clindamycin, enrofloxacin, novobiocin, pirlimycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and vancomycin. The resistance patterns in animal isolates were similar to those of human isolates. Two (2.9%) MRSA strains were isolated from human (n = 1) and animal (n = 1), and these isolates were confirmed as carrying the mecA gene. One isolate originating from human was resistant to 7 drugs and the other isolate derived from animal was resistant to 11 drugs. Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) variant IIIB was identified in animal isolate but SCCmec type of an isolate from human was not exactly determined. Two MRSA isolates showed unrelated PFGE pattern between them. Our results indicated although the frequency of MRSA isolates from humans and animals was low, a continuous surveillance and monitoring should be called for to prevent the contamination and spread of MRSA in the community. To our knowledge, this is the first time that SCCmec type variant IIIB was detected from animals in Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제29권9호
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• pp.1460-1469
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• 2019

The extensive distribution of multidrug-resistant (MDR) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a threat to healthcare worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the MDR and molecular patterns of MRSA isolates in children admitted to the two biggest tertiary care pediatric hospitals in northern and southern Vietnam. A total of 168 MRSA strains were collected to determine antibiotic susceptibility by minimum inhibitory concentration tests. Antibiotic-resistant genes, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing, and multilocus sequence typing were used for the molecular characterization of MRSA. Among the total strains, the MDR rate (51.8%) was significantly higher in the northern hospital than in the southern hospital (73% vs. 39%, p < 0.0001). The MDR-MRSA with the highest rates were "ciprofloxacin-erythromycin-gentamicintetracyclines" (35.6%), followed by "erythromycin-tetracycline-chloramphenicol" (24.1%), and "ciprofloxacin-erythromycin-gentamicin" (19.5%), showing an accumulative total of 79.3%. The most susceptible antibiotics were rifampicin (100%) and vancomycin (100%), followed by doxycycline (94.0%), meropenem (78.0%), and cefotaxime (75.0%). The SCCmecII strains showed greater resistance to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, meropenem and cephalosporins compared with the other strains. The SCCmecII strains exhibited the highest rate in the tested genes (aacA/aphD: 55.2%, ermA/B/C: 89.7%, and tetK/M: 82.8%). ST5-SCCmecII was the predominant clone in the northern hospital, whereas SCCmecIVa was more pronounced in the southern hospital. In conclusion, our results raised concerns about the predominant MDR-MRSA strains in the pediatric hospitals in Vietnam. The north-south difference in the antibiotic resistance patterns and genetic structure of MRSA suggests different MRSA origins and various uses of antimicrobial agents between the two regions.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.47-54
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• 2020

Objective : Infectious diseases are a growing problem worldwide by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Daehwangmokdan-tang is one of the oriental medicine prescriptions contained in Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine. This study investigated the antibacterial activity of EtOH 70% extracts of Daehwangmokdan-tang (DMT) which prescription is composed of oriental medicine against MRSA. Methods : The antimicrobial activity and active concentration of MRSA were verified by measuring the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of DMT. In addition, the effects of the disease were checked by treating the existing antibiotics and large ethanol extract in parallel, and the extent of growth suppression was checked over time. In addition, cell membrane permeability experiment confirmed the effect of large DMT on the immunity mechanism of MRSA. Results : TThe minimum inhibitory concentration of DMT against MRSA is 500 ~ 2000 ㎍/㎖ by broth dilution method. In the checkerboard method, the combinations of DMT with antibiotics has partial synergistic effect or synergy effect and DMT markedly reduced the MICs of the antibiotics oxacillin (OX), gentamicin (GEN) against MRSA. In the inhibition of resistance mechanism of DMT against MRSA, the expression of resistance gene and protein about β-lactam antibiotic was reduced. Also, we observed the effect of DMT about cell membrane permeability against MRSA, and confirmed that DMT suppressed growth of strains by increasing cell membrane permeability and energy metabolism. Conclusion : Basis on the result, we speculate that DMT may be useful for the treatment of MRSA infections when used in combination with β-lactam antibiotic.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.136-139
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• 2014

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the severe nosocomial infectious agents. The traditional diagnostic methods including biochemical test, antibiotic susceptibility test and PCR amplification are time consuming and require much work. The Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) biosensor is a rapid and powerful tool for analyzing the chemical composition within a single living cell. To identify the biochemical and genetic characterization of clinical MRSA, all isolates from patients were performed with VITEK2 gram positive (GP) bacterial identification and Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (AST). Virulence genes of MRSA also were identified by DNA based PCR using specific primers. All isolates, which were placed on a gold coated nanochip, were analyzed by a confocal Raman microscopy system. All isolates were identified as S. aureus by biochemical tests. MRSA, which exhibited antibiotic resistance, demonstrated to be positive gene expression of both femA and mecA. Furthermore, Raman shift of S. aureus and MRSA (n=20) was perfectly distinguished by a confocal Raman microscopy system. This novel technique explained that a SERS based confocal Raman microscopy system can selectively isolate MRSA from non-MRSA. The study recommends the SERS technique as a rapid and sensitive method to detect antibiotic resistant S. aureus in a single cell level.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제19권7호
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• pp.734-741
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• 2009

Recently, strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin (VCM) have been clinically isolated. The antibacterial activity of a new drug, linezolid (LZD), in such a strain was evaluated by measuring bacterial metabolic activity. A total of 73 MRSA strains having various susceptibilities to VCM were subjected to a novel and highly sensitive chemiluminescence-based assay. LZD MIC in the tested strains, measured by the microbroth dilution method, was within the range 1-4 mg/l (mostly ${\leq}2$mg/l), except for one LZD-resistant strain (NRS127; MIC=7 mg/l), and showed no correlation with VCM resistance. The chemiluminescence assay demonstrated that bacterial metabolic activity was strongly suppressed with increasing LZD concentration. The chemiluminescence intensity curve had a low baseline activity without tailing in most strains. The present results suggest that LZD has strong antibacterial activity against MRSA strains, and would be effective for treatment of infections that are poorly responsive to VCM. The chemiluminescence assay facilitated sensitive and discriminative susceptibility testing within a relatively short time.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.231-235
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• 2008

Various kinds of antibiotic intramammary infusions are used for treatment of bovine mastitis. As antibiotic-resistant bacteria are increased, the therapeutic rate for bovine mastitis is decreased. The goal of this research is to detect significant synergic effects of combination of antibiotics with sulbactam, $\beta$-lactamase inhibitor, on methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We used 5 strains of MRSA isolated from bovine mastitis with clinical and subclinical signs. All of the bacteria isolated had resistance to oxacillin and showed multi-resistant patterns in the antimicrobial susceptibility tests. Minimal bactericidal concentrations of ampicillin, amoxicillin, cephalexin, ampicillin/sulbactam(2:1), amoxicillin/sulbactam (2:1), and cephalexin/sulbactam (1:1) were measured according to broth microdilution method suggested by National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS, M31-A2) to compare the synergic effects of sulbactam combination with each antibiotic alone. Ampicillin and amoxicillin showed synergic antibacterial activity to 4 and 3 respectively in 5 strains of MRSA in combination with sulbactam. This study demonstrates that ampicillin/sulbactam and amoxicillin/sulbactam can be therapeutic choices for mastitis associated with MRSA.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.185-190
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• 2010

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most prevalent pathogens in hospitals. To investigate cross contamination by this bacterium in both dental and medical settings, the pathogens that cause acute pyogenic infection and one of the major microbes responsible for nosocomial infection were isolated from health care providers, nurses and patients. We used VITEK II to measure drug sensitivity, and we further performed biochemical testing, coagulase serotype testing and pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for isolated MRSA colonies. The isolation rate of Staphylococcus aureus from nasal swabs was 75.0% from dental health care providers and 18.8% from the medical health care providers. A total of 10 MRSA strains were isolated from 40 health care providers and 2 patients and the prevalent coagulase serotype from patients and health care providers was VII. The antimicrobial drug resistance and partial PFGE types of the isolated MRSA strains showed a similar pattern. These results suggest that MRSA may be one of the principal causes of nosocomial infection in dental and medical hospitals.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.102-110
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• 2007

본 연구는 조선대학교 치과병원의 진료환경 및 진료요원으로부터 기회감염성 병원체로 알려진 methicillin 또는 vancomycin 저항성 황색포도상 구균 (methicillin-or vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA or VRSA)의 존재 여부를 조사하여, 이를 광주지역 개원치과와 비교분석을 통해 현재 조선대학교 치과병원의 MRSA와 VRSA의 오염정도를 파악하고자 하였다. 이를 위해 진료실 환경 및 진료요원으로부터 분리한 S. aureus 균주들의 8종 항생제에 대한 감수성 조사를 시행하고, 기존에 알려진 항생제 내성 유전자 존재 여부를 PCR법을 이용하여 확인하였다. 그 결과, 조선대학교 치과병원의 진료요원에서 채취한 샘플 중 1개 (2.3%), 개원 치과에서는 2명 (10%)의 진료요원의 샘플에서 S. aureus가 분리되었으며, 진료환경에서는 두 곳 모두에서 S. aureus가 검출되지 않았다. 조선대학교 치과병원과 개원치과에서 분리된 S. aureus는 amoxicillin, penicillin G, ciprofloxacin clindamycin, vancomycin에 내성을 보이며 oxacillin, cefuroxime에는 균주에 따라 감수성 또는 내성을 보였다. 조선대학교 치과병원에서 분리된 S. aureus는 erythromycin과 clindamycin에 내성 유전자인 ermA가 존재하였으며, 개원치과에서 분리된 3개의 S. aureus 중 2개에서 penicillin과 oxacillin에 내성 유전자 mecA가 존재하는 것으로 나타났다. Vancomycin 내성 유전자인 vanA, vanB는 어떠한 샘플에서도 검출되지 않았다. 이상의 결과를 종합할 때, 본 연구는 조선대학교 치과병원과 개원치과의 S. aurues분포 및 MRSA 또는 VRSA의 존재여부를 조사하여 MRSA와 VRSA의 확산예방을 위한 치과진료 환경의 개선과 적절한 항생제 사용에 대한 기초 자료를 제공할 것으로 사료된다.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.420-426
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• 2017

메치실린 내성 포도알균(methicillin resistant Staphylococci, MRS)는 인체 여러 부위에서 집락화 될 수 있으며 의료기관과 연관된 사람에서 흔히 분리된다. 이 연구는 밀접한 단체생활을 하는 일개 고등학교 한 개 반의 학생들 손과 그들이 사용하는 책상에서 MRS 균의 오염 정도를 평가하고자 하였다. Staphylococcus aureus가 28명의 학생의 손 중에서 2 균주가 분리되었으며 모두 메치실린에 감수성이었다. 응고인자 음성 포도알균(coagulase negative Staphylococci, CoNS)는 26 균주가(26/28, 92.9%) 분리되었으며 이들 균주 중 14 균주는 메치실린 내성균(MRCoNS)이었다. 14 MRCoNS 중 S. warneri가 가장 흔하였으며(8/14, 57%), 이들은 대부분의 $non-{\beta}-lactam$ 항생제에 감수성 이었다. 31개의 책상에서는 S. aureus는 분리되지 않았으나 26 CoNS (26/31, 83.9%)가 분리되었다. 손과 책상에서 분리된 포도알균 이외의 균은 Micrococcus와 Bacillus spp.이었다. 결론적으로 MRSA는 이번 연구에서 분리되지 않았으나 mecA 유전자를 갖고 있는 MRCoNS는 학생들의 손에서 높은 비율로 분리되었다. 손씻기와 같은 예방 교육을 강화할 뿐만 아니라 이들 균의 오염 및 보균율 등의 조사와 같은 능동적 감시 등이 이들 균의 감염예방과 전파 차단을 위해 필요할 것으로 사료된다.