• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.836-840
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• 2011

In order to isolate thermophilic compost-promoting bacteria with high activity of cellulase and xylanase, spent mushroom substrates with sawdust were collected from mushroom cultivation farm, Jinju, Gyeongnam in Korea. Among of the isolates, one strain, designated SJ21 was selected by agar diffusion method. The strain SJ21 was identified as members of the Bacillus lincheniformis by biochemical characteristics using Bacillus ID kit and VITEK 2 system. Comparative 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain SJ21 formed a distinct phylogenetic tree within the genus Bacillus and was most closely related to Bacillus subtilis with 16S rDNA gene sequence similarity of 99%. On the basis of its physiological properties, biochemical characteristics and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain SJ21 was classified within the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus sp. SJ21 is proposed. The cellulase and xylanase activity of Bacillus sp. SJ21 was slightly increased according to bacterial population from exponential phase to stationary phase in growth curve for Bacillus sp. SJ21.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.431-437
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• 2018

Acinetobacter baumannii is categorized as a red alert pathogen that is increasingly associated with a high mortality rate in infected patients because of its resistance to extensive antibiotics. This study evaluated the antibacterial activities of some essential oils (tee tree, rosemary, and lavender oils) against 18 clinical isolates of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MRAB). The carbapenemase screening Hodge test showed that all 20 strains of A. baumannii were resistant to imipenem. The identification of multidrug-resistant microbes was carried out using the VITEK system. The antimicrobial activity of essential oils was tested by a disk diffusion method against MRAB. In the disk diffusion method, tea tree showed the largest increase in inhibition size compared to lavender oil, and rosemary had no antibacterial effect. These results proved the antimicrobial effect of multidrug resistance A. baumannii. Tee tree oil would be a useful alternative natural product for the treatment and prevention of most common human pathogens and MRAB infections. This is expected to be used as an antimicrobial agent, such as hand disinfectant using natural essential oil in the future.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.147-156
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• 2022

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections in different age groups, including children. Bacteria are the main etiological agents of UTIs. The aim of the present study was to isolate, identify, and determine the antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria isolated from children with UTIs from Baghdad, Iraq. Three hundred and two urine samples were collected from children aged 6 months to 12 years. The samples were cultured on blood agar and MacConkey agar. The selected colonies were subjected to biochemical tests and antibiotic susceptibility analysis using the Vitek^® 2 Compact automated microbial identification system. In this sample, 299 bacteria were identified, of which, 267 were gram-negative bacteria, and 32 were gram-positive bacteria. Escherichia coli (56%) was the most commonly isolated gram-negative bacteria, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14%), Enterobacter spp. (10.48%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.36%), Proteus spp. (7.8%), Acinetobacter baumannii (1.5%), and Morganella morganii (0.37%). Enterococcus faecalis (62.5%) was the most commonly detected gram-positive bacteria, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (37.5%). E. coli and P. aeruginosa were the most antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Among the tested antibiotics, meropenem showed 100% sensitivity, followed by imipenem (97.4%), amikacin (91.8%), and tobramycin (83.5%). In contrast, the high frequencies of resistance were observed with cefixime (93.2%), cefotaxime (78.7%), and ceftriaxone/cefotaxime (71.2%). In conclusion, carbapenems and aminoglycosides are highly recommended for the empirical treatment of UTIs, while, Quinolones, penicillins, and cephalosporins are not suggested. Frequent antibiotics susceptibility testing are warranted to determine the resistance pattern of UTI bacteria.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.334-340
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• 2010

It is well known that smoking as well as drinking is a factor of stomatopathy, however there are few investigations about comparison of oral flora between smokers and non-smokers. In this study, we isolated the oral flora of 30 smokers and 30 non-smokers and cultured them on blood agar plates. The isolated pathogenic microorganisms were tested for antibiotic susceptibility and resistance using the Kirby-Bauer antibiotic testing method. Each colony was stained using the Gram staining method and was identified by an automatic identifier, known as the VITEK system. We isolated 41 colonies from smokers' oral cavity, and they were sorted as 63% of Gram-positive cocci, 29% of Gram-negative cocci, 3% of Gram-positive bacilli, and 5% of Gram-negative bacilli by gram staining, whereas 38 colonies were isolated from non-smoters' oral cavity, and their proportions were 55% of Gram-positive cocci, 26% of Gram-negative cocci, 3% of Gram-positive bacilli, and 16% of Gram-negative bacilli. The VITEK system revealed specific distribution of bacteria species that Streptococcus mutans (6/41), Gemella morillorum (6/41), Streptococcus oralis (2/41), Streptococcus pneumoniae (1/41), Staphylococcus aureus (3/41), Streptococcus anginosus (1/41), Streptococcus intermedius (1/41), Streptococcus uberis (1/41), and Streptococcus sanguinis (1/41) in smokers oral cavity whereas Streptococcus sanguinis (8/38), Staphylococcus aureus (1/38), Staphylococcus auricularis (1/38), Streptococcus uberis (1/38), Streptococcus intermedius (1/38), Streptococcus mutans (1/38), and Streptococcus oralis (1/38) in those of non-smokers'. Three cases of Staphylococcus aureus from smokers produced Beta-lactamase and were identified methicillin-resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However one case of Staphylococcus aureus from non-smoker did not produce Beta-lactamase and was sensitive to methicillin. In conclusion, the distribution of oral flora was different between smokers' and non-smokers' oral cavity, especially Gemella morillorum and MRSA were predominantly found in smoker's oral cavity. These results are useful in the treatment and prevention of patients with stomatopathy caused by smoking.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.356-364
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• 2016

Aim: The purpose of this study was to identify dominant pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibilities of endodontic infection in type II diabetes mellitus (DM) patients to determine effective empirical antibiotics. Methodology: Pathogens from endodontic infection in six patients with DM and in six patients without DM were cultured, identified and their antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using Vitek2 systems ($bioM{\acute{e}}rieux$, Marcy l' Etoile, France). The results were analyzed using Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test at P< 0.05 level. Results: Pathogens of opportunistic infection were dominant in DM patients (P=0.015). However, there was no significant difference of antimicrobial susceptibility between DM and non-DM patients. Relatively high percent (27%) of pathogens showed resistance to penicillin. Conclusions: More cautions should be paid to DM patients because they are prone to opportunistic infection. Penicillin is not effective in the control of endodontic infection.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 2013

Staphylococcus species are one of prevalent pathogens found in hospitals. Microbes that are a primary cause of nosocomial infection were isolated from a dental and medical environment it may assist the reader to explain what this is and how it differs from the 'dental health care providers and ward health care providers'. To investigate the distribution of staphylococcus species in this environment, we used vitek II to measure drug sensitivity, and further performed biochemical testing. The isolation rate of staphylococcus species from the dental and medical environment was 100% but from dental health care providers and ward health care providers were 44.4% and 33.3%, respectively. In the analyses, staphylococcus species showed resistance to diffusion of cefoxitin and oxacillin discs. These staphylococci may be sufficiently positive for the mecA gene. Our results suggest that staphylococci might be an important cause of nosocomial infection in the dental clinic.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.47-51
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• 2009

A case of recurrent urinary tract infection by cysteine-requiring Escherichia coli in a 5-years-old child with congenital vesicoureteral reflux is described. This bacterium was not grown on MacConkey agar plate for overnight culture, and after 48hrs, tiny colonies were observed. These colonies were not identified by VITEK2 and Walkaway 96i without cysteine supplementation. The isolate was susceptible for cefotetan, ciprofloxacin and imipenem, and resistant for piperacillin/tazobactam, cephalothin, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, amikacin, gentamicin, and tobramycin.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.24.1-24.5
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• 2021

A 4-year-old Holstein cow with progressive atrophy and ataxia was submitted for diagnosis. The postmortem examination revealed multifocal yellowish nodules in the pulmonary parenchyma and vegetative masses in the mitral and tricuspid valve of the heart. Both kidneys were severely enlarged, with multiple yellow nodules on the parenchyma. Histopathologically, pulmonary abscesses, vegetative endocarditis, suppurative glomerulonephritis, and fibrino-purulent arthritis were observed. The tiny β-hemolytic bacterial colonies were isolated from the lesions and identified as Arcanobacterium haemolyticum by the VITEK 2 system (bioMérieux, USA). This is the first documented report of an A. haemolyticum infection in a Holstein cow in Korea.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.172-175
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• 2019

A young slaty-backed gull was found dead nearby Seongsan harbor, Seogwipo-si, Jeju. Grossly, focal ulceration and a protuberant nodule were observed in intermediated zone between proventriculus and gizzard. Numerous discrete or confluent white-yellowish nodules were scattered on the surface of liver. Caudal portion of left kidney was replaced by a white-yellowish nodule. Three raised masses were observed in the spleen. Histologically, there were severe ulceration with hemorrhage in the gizzard and multifocal granulomatous inflammations in liver, kidney, spleen, and lungs. Pink to dark-red, round to oval fungal spores and pseudohyphae in granulomatous lesions were confirmed by periodic acid-Schiff stain. Candida albicans were isolated from the lesions of liver, kidney, spleen and gizzard using fungal culture and confirmed by VITEK 2 system. Based on the gross, histopathological findings, and fungal examination, this case was diagnosed as systemic candidiasis of a wild slaty-backed gull. In our best knowledge, this is the first report for systemic candidiasis characterized by multifocal granulomatous lesions in internal organs of a wild gull in Korea.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.223-227
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• 2014

This study was investigated to determine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from raw milk samples and to further study on the molecular characteristics of the MRSA isolates. Using Staphylococcus Medium 110, Staphylococcus spp. were isolated from raw milk samples and further identification was carried by Vitek2 system. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of antibiotics were conducted by serial dilution method according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline. For the detection of resistance genes and molecular characterization, PCR reaction was performed by gene specific primers and followed by DNA sequencing. Of the 698 milk samples, 94 Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were identified (94 S. aureus/286 Staphylococcus spp.). Of the 94 S. aureus, seven isolates have mecA, a methicillin resistant gene. mecA positive seven isolates were then characterized by staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing, and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (pvl) gene using PCR. All of mecA positive isolates were resistant to ampicillin and oxacillin, but sensitive to teicoplanin, vancomycin and ciprofloxacin. One of seven isolates was SCCmec type II and six isolates were type IV and all seven isolates were pvl gene negative.