• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제44권6호
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• pp.685-688
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• 2006

The aim of this study was to characterize the molecular features of serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis strains circulating in Beijing, China. Twenty out of 23 strains belonged to ST 4821. The causative serosubtype for meningococcal meningitis was P1.12-1,16-8. All of the strains expressed class 3 PorB protein. Among the five pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns observed, pattern III predominated.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제51권3호
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• pp.309-313
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• 2023

Here we report essential features of the draft genome of an AmpC-β-lactamase-producing bacterial isolate obtained from farm tomatoes in South Africa. The isolate designated strain Tom1 featured a genome of 4950426 bp with a G+C% of 59.83. It was identified as Serratia marcescens by ribosomal multilocus sequence typing (rMLST), digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH), average nucleotide identity (ANI), and phylogenetic analysis using reference genomes. Its genome encoded an AmpC-β-lactamase (bla_SST-1), an efflux pump providing tetracycline resistance (tet(41)), and an aminoglycoside acetyltransferase (aac(6')-Ic). Additionally, genes encoding proteins involved in prodigiosin biosynthesis and associated with adherence, biofilm formation, virulence, and pathogenicity were detected.

• 환경생물
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.286-295
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• 2011

Bacteria resistant to various antibiotics have recently become an issue of the utmost importance. Resistant strains are not uncommon, even in municipal drinking water sources. The health threat posed by resistant, pathogenic bacteria has serious ramifications for both public health and agriculture. In this study, we isolated antibiotic resistant bacteria from water samples from the Han River, Korea, which is contaminated by the wastewater from many industrial complexes, hospitals, agricultural and animal husbandry estates, and from wastewater treatment facilities. We determined the degrees of resistance to various antibiotics exhibited by the isolated strains. The similarities between the isolated $E.$ $coli$ strains were examined, using the pulsed field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing, in order to trace their origins and to explore the syntechnic adaptations and pathogenicity of the various strains and relate these to their genetic sequence. A total of 25 $E.$ $coli$ strains were isolated from six stations along the Han River. All the 25 strains exhibited resistance to ampicillin. We also investigated resistance to amoxicillin, clavulanic acid, cefazolin, cofoxitin, cefotaxime, cefpodoxime, ceftriaxone, cefepime, nalidixic acid, aztreonam, ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol and imipenem. Based on the ESBL detection, 14 strains belonged to the ESBL producing strains. The number of the clonal complex producing strains was 5 among the 14 isolated strains. The 5 strains were included in the 168, 23, 38, 469, 156 clonal complex, respectively. The rest 9 strains were not included in the clonal complex, but showed independent STs.

• 한국수산과학회지
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• 제50권5호
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• pp.624-629
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• 2017

A rainbow trout Onchorhynchus mykiss farm located in Gangwon province, South Korea, experienced approximately 10% mortality in June 2017. Most diseased fish had a markedly distended, gas-filled stomach, and exhibited abnormal behavior at the water surface. In this study, we attempted to identify the cause of stomach distension syndrome in those rainbow trout. The stomach of most of the affected fish were full of unidentified gases and some exudate, and yeast was isolated from the stomach mucosa. Pure cultures of yeast were identified using a multilocus sequence typing scheme based on 18S rRNA, internal transcribed spacers, large subunit rRNA, and the gene encoding the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB1). The RPB1 gene sequences were compared with those of related species available in a database. The yeast was identified as Scheffersomyces coipomoensis (Candida coipomoensis) based on sequence analyses. This is the first study to reveal that Sch. coipomoensis is a potential causative agent of stomach distension syndrome in farmed rainbow trout. Our results will be helpful for future related studies, and indicate that farmers and stakeholders should observe this emerging disease closely.

• 한국어병학회지
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.277-286
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• 2023

Korean rockfish, Sebastes schlegelii, is a representative bony fish that belongs to the family Scorpaenidae and the order Scorpaeniformes. It has high ecological and economic value and is widely cultivated in many East Asian countries, including South Korea, Japan and China. One of streptococci, Streptococcus iniae, is Gram-positive cocci with a negative reaction for catalase and oxidase. The Korean rockfish shows clinical signs when infected with S. iniae, such as body darkening, bleeding, enlarged kidneys, blurred eyes, abdominal distension, etc., ultimately leading to death. The Korean rockfish causes significant economic losses every year in South Korea due to streptococcosis. In this study, we identified bacteria from the fish using polymerase chain reaction and conducted analyses of hemolytic activity and biochemical tests using API 20 STREP and API ZYM systems. Results of confirming the hemolytic activity (n=4) observed in alpha-type hemolysis (25%), beta-type hemol- ysis (50%), and gamma-type hemolysis (25%) of isolates. The biochemical test results exhibited sig- nificant variation among S. iniae. Additionally, we performed intraperitoneal injection with S. iniae in the fish and analyzed the phylogenetic tree using housekeeping genes of S. iniae, including cpsD, arcC, glnA, groEL, gyrB, mutS, pheT, prkC, rpoB, and tkt, via multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The lethal dose (LD₅₀) showed strong pathogenicity, such as 3.34 × 10 colony-forming unit (CFU)/ml for 23FBStr0601 strain and 7.16 × 10 CFU/ml for 23FBStr0602 strain. 23FBStr0603 strain showed relatively low pathogenicity at 1.73 × 10⁵ CFU/ml. The strains 23FBStr0601 and 23FBStr0602, which showed strong pathogenicity, clustered into one monophyletic group. The 23FBStr0603 strain showed weak pathogenicity and formed a monophyletic group with KCTC 3657.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제32권10호
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• pp.1307-1314
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• 2022

In this study, we sought to investigate the various characteristics of Salmonella spp. isolated from raw chicken meats available in Korean markets. The data collected, such as food source of isolation, sampling information, serotype, virulence, and genetic profile including sequence type, were registered in the database for further comparative analysis of the strains isolated from the traceback investigation samples. To characterize serotype, virulence and gene sequences, we examined 113 domestically distributed chicken meat samples for contamination with Salmonella spp. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted on 24 strains (21.2%) of Salmonella isolated from 113 commercially available chicken meats and by-products, using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Serotyping of the isolated Salmonella spp. revealed S. Enteritidis in 11 strains (45.8%), S. Virchow in 6 strains (25%), S. Montevideo in 2 strains (8.3%), S. Bsilla in 2 strains (8.3%), S. Bareilly in 1 strain (4.2%), S. Dessau in 1 strain (4.2%), and S. Albany in 1 strain (4.2%). The genetic correlation indicated that 24 isolated strains were classified into 18 clusters with a genetic similarity of 64.4-100% between them. Eleven isolated S. Enteritidis strains were classified into 9 genotypes with a sequence identity of 74.4%, whereas the most distantly related S. Virchow was divided into five genotypes with 85.9% identity. Here, the MLST analysis indicated that the major Sequence Type (ST) of the Salmonella spp. isolated from domestic chicken sold in Chungcheong Province belongs to the ST 11 and 16, which differs from the genotype of Salmonella isolated from imported chicken. The differential sequence characteristics can be a genetic marker for identifying causative bacteria for epidemiological investigations of food poisoning.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.421-426
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• 2014

To characterize the extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) in diarrheagenic Escherichia coli from Korea in 2008-2011, we screened seven enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and one enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) that produce ESBLs from a nationwide survey. All eight isolates produced CTX-M-type ESBLs, including CTX-M-12 (n = 4), CTX-M-14 (n = 2), and CTX-M-15 (n = 2). PCR-based replicon typing indicated that the $bla_{CTX-M-12}$ genes of four ETEC isolates were carried on a conjugative IncF plasmid, whereas the $bla_{CTX-M-14}$ of one EAEC was located on an IncK plasmid. This is the first report of the occurrence of $bla_{CTX-M}$ genes in clinical isolates of EAEC in Korea. The ESBL-producing isolates were shown to be different based on pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing, whereas the four isolates with CTX-M-12 were clonally related. These observations raise an alarm for the spread of plasmid-mediated resistance to ESBL among diarrheagenic E. coli.

• 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.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제51권2호
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• pp.260-264
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• 2019

84세 여성이 항문까지 욕창이 번져 응급실에 내원하였다. 그녀는 근처의 요양기관에서 전원되었고, 입원시 소변 도뇨관을 달고 있었으며 열은 없었다. 그람염색에서 많은 수의 포도상구균과 >25의 호중구 (${\times}1000$배 렌즈)가 관찰되었다. 24시간 배양한 혈액한천배지에서 용혈이 없는 점액성의 집락이 관찰되었으며 배양 48시간에는 점액성이 더욱 확대되었다. India ink로 염색하여 협막의 모습을 관찰하였으며, 카타라제 양성, 라텍스법 혈액응고효소 음성, 시험관법 혈액응고효소 음성소견을 보였다. Vitek-2와 질량분석기인 Vitek MS V-3 IVD에서 S. aureus로 나타났으며, 16S rRNA 유전자 염기서열 분석 및 Multilocus sequencing typing (MLST)에서 S. aureus로 표준균주인 ATCC 29213과 99.9% 일치를 보였다. 본 증례는 용혈성이 없고, 점액성이 강하며, 라텍스법 혈액응고효소 음성, 시험관법 혈액응고효소 음성소견을 보이는 MRSA를 동정하여 이를 보고한다.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제48권3호
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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.