• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.40-48
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• 2015

Objectives: This study aims to understand the concentration, diversity, and antibiotic characteristics of oxytetracycline resistant bacteria present in a surface water environment. Methods: Water sampling was performed in Cheongmi Stream in Gyeonggi-do, Korea in February and August 2014. Water samples collected from two sites were plated in triplicate on tryptic soy agar plates with 30 mg/L of oxytetracycline. Oxytetracycline resistant bacteria were selected from surface water in Cheongmi Stream and were subjected to 16S rDNA analysis for oxytetracycline resistant species determination. Identified resistant strains were tested for resistance to various antibiotics. Results: Results from this study indicate that the dominant resistant organisms in this aquatic environment are from family Acinetobacter and family Aeromonas. As to culturable heterotrophic bacteria, Oxytetracycline resistant bacteria were present 0.45-0.93% during winter and 0.08-0.38% during summer. Most oxytetracycline resistant bacteria exhibited resistance to more than ten of the antibiotics studied. The diversity of oxytetracycline resistant bacteria in winter was higher than in summer. Conclusion: Most of these resistant bacteria are Gram negative and are closely related to pathogenic species. These results suggest that increasing multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria in the surface water environment has a close relation to the reckless use of antibiotics in livestock.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.409-418
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to characterize penicillin G resistant bacteria in surface water from pharmaceutical complex effluent. Methods: Surface water was sampled from pharmaceutical complex effluent in Gyeonggi-do Province, Korea in March 2015. Water samples were plated in triplicate on tryptic soy agar plates with 32 mg/L of penicillin G. Penicillin G resistant bacteria were selected from the effluent and subjected to 16S rRNA analysis for the penicillin G resistant species determination. Identified resistant strains were tested for resistance to various antibiotics. Results: Penicillin G resistant bacteria were present at 8.0% in terms of culturable heterotrophic bacteria. Identified penicillin G resistant bacteria exhibited resistance to more than nine of the antibiotics studied. These resistant bacteria are gram negative and are closely related to pathogenic species. Conclusion: Multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria in the surface water of pharmaceutical complex effluent suggest the need for disinfection and advanced oxidation processed for pharmaceutical effluent.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.527-533
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• 2006

Tetracycline is one of the mostly used antibiotics around the world. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the fate of two different types of tetracycline resistant bacteria in biological wastewater treatment plants. Tetracycline resistant enterics and heterotrophic bacteria were monitored under two different lab-scale experimental conditions. Tetracycline resistant enteric bacteria showed the lower percentages of total enteric bacteria and net specific growth rate in the monitored activated sludge system as compared to tetracycline resistant heterotrophic bacteria. Therefore, total enterics, potentially E.coli, might not be the best indicator microorganism for evaluating the antibiotic resistant bacteria in biological wastewater treatment plant.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.344-354
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Although antibiotics have contributed to treatment of bacterial infection, the antibiotic abuse can lead to antibiotic resistant bacteria. Impact of human activities on distribution of antibiotic resistance has been intensively issued and occurrence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in contaminated environments would not be a surprise. Nonetheless, anthropogenic contamination with the dissemination of antibiotic resistance along uncontaminated environments has been less considered. The aim of this study is to investigate antibiotic resistant bacteria across Ulleungdo, known as antibiotic resistance free and anthropogenic pollution free environment in Rep. of Korea. METHODS AND RESULTS: Antibiotic resistant bacteria in coastal seawater of Ulleungdo were investigated in July 2021. Antibiotic susceptibility test using the disk diffusion method was applied with six drugs according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline. Total 43 bacterial isolates were tested and 20 isolates among of them showed multidrug resistance. Particularly, the number and ratio of resistant bacteria were relatively high in a densely populated area of Ulleungdo. The bacterial communities were investigated using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding approach in the coastal seawater and soils of Ulleungdo. In the bacterial communities, Firmicutes were selectively distributed only in seawater, suggesting the possibility of anthropogenic contamination in coastal seawater of Ulleungdo. CONCLUSION(S): We found antibiotic resistant bacteria in a populated area of Ulleungdo. The occurrence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in Ulleungdo seems to result from the recent anthropogenic impact. Consistent monitoring of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the uncontaminated environment needs to considered for future risk assessment of antibiotics.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.249-258
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• 1997

Mercury- and cadmium-resistant bacteria were Isolated from an Industrial complex wastewater of Taejon area. All of them were motile, gram negative rods. In the results of physicochemical test and VITEK card test. HM1 was Identified with Achetobacter cd- coaceucus, CM3 was Identified 65 Commonas acidovorns, HM2, HM3, CMI , and CM4 were Pseudomonas sp., but HM4 and CM2 were unidenteed. They were tested for subceptlbility to 14 heavy metals. Mercury-resistant bacteria(HM1, HM2, HM3, and HM4) were sensitive to low concentration(100~400ppm) of $Cd^{2+}$, $Co^{2+}$. $Zn^{2+}$, and Ni2+, while cadmium-resistant bacteria(CM1, CM2, CM3, and CM4) showed resistance up to the high concentration(600~ 1, 200ppm) of these metal loons. As a result of resistance spectrum test of mercury-resistant bacteria, HM1 was broad-spectrum strain, HM2. HM3, and HM4 were narrow-spectrum stratas. Transmission electron microscopic examination of cell wall of HM1 culture grown with and without 100ppm of $HgCl_2$ showed remarkably merphological abnormalities. In the result of atomic absorption spectrometric analysis of cadmium-resistant bacteria grown at 200ppm of $CdCl_2$ for 6h, all of them accumulated cadrnium(14ppm~57ppm) In cell. In cadinium-resistant bacteria, CM1, CM2, and CM4 were spared from the Inhibitory effect of $Cd^{2+}$ by the addition of $Mn^{2+}$, CM4 were also spared from the Inhibitory effect of $Cd^{2+}$ by the addition of $Mn^{2+}$ as well as $Zn^{2+}$.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.169-176
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• 2023

The emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria have been increasing with anthropogenic contamination. Understanding the prevalence and distribution of these resistant bacteria in environments is crucial for effectively managing anthropogenic pollutants. Lake Gyeongpo in the Gangwon Province of South Korea is known for its diverse ecological features and human interactions. The lake is exposed to pollutants from nonpoint sources, including urban areas, agricultural practices, and recreational activities, which can introduce antibiotics and foster antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The present study investigates Lake Gyeongpo as a potential reservoir for antibiotic-resistant bacteria in a natural ecosystem. A total of 203 bacterial isolates were collected from six sampling locations in Lake Gyeongpo during May, July, and November 2022. Most isolates were taxonomically identified as Pseudoalteromonas, Bacillus, Shewanella, and Vibrio spp.; their abundance showed a spatiotemporal distribution. An antibiotic susceptibility test was conducted on 75 isolates using the disk diffusion method with six drugs according to the CLSI guideline; 42 isolates were resistant to one or more antibiotics. Among these, 15 isolates were identified as multidrug resistant bacteria. This finding suggests the potential anthropogenic impact on Lake Gyeongpo and provides valuable insights into the dissemination of antibiotic resistance caused by anthropogenic pollutants.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

The surroundings of livestock farms, including dairy farms, are known to be a major source of development and transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. To control antibioticresistant bacteria in the livestock breeding environment, farms have installed livestock wastewater treatment facilities to treat wastewater before discharging the final effluent in nearby rivers or streams. These facilities have been known to serve as hotspots for inter-bacterial antibiotic-resistance gene transfer and extensively antibiotic-resistant bacteria, owing to the accumulation of various antibiotic-resistant bacteria from the livestock breeding environment. This review discusses antibiotic usage in livestock farming, including dairy farms, livestock wastewater treatment plants as hotspots for antibiotic resistant bacteria, and nonenteric gram-negative bacteria from wastewater treatment plants, and previous findings in literature.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.142-150
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• 2012

Objectives: To estimate the multi-antibiotic resistant bacterial contaminant load discharged from livestock farms, we randomly selected livestock farms specializing in cattle, swine, and fowl and collected bacterial strains from domesticated animal feces and compost samples. Problems with resistance to antibiotics are becoming worldwide issues, and as the consumption of antibiotics appears to be excessive in Korea as well, the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria shows the possibility to cause potentially serious social problems. Methods: To monitor multi-antibiotic resistant bacterial constituents, aerobic bacteria and Escherichia coli were isolated from domesticated animal feces and compost. Antibiotic resistance testing was performed by the disc diffusion method using 13 different antibiotics. Results: Examining the degree of sensitivity to antibiotics of the aerobic bacteria originating from domesticated animal feces, fowl feces showed the highest distribution rate (35.5%), followed by swine feces compost (23.1%), swine feces (18.2%), cattle feces (14.9%), and cattle feces compost (8.2%). Antibiotic resistance tests of aerobic bacteria and E. coli originating from domestic animals feces resulted in 83.6% and 73.5% of each strain showing resistance to more than one antibiotic, respectively. Conclusions: These results suggest that increasing multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria in the environment has a close relation to the reckless use of antibiotics in livestock.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.199-206
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• 2008

Four hundred and thirteen oxytetracycline-resistant bacteria were recovered from six freshwater giant prawn farms with a history of oxytetracycline use. Most oxytetracycline-resistant isolates were Gram-negative bacteria. Six groups of oxytetracycline-resistant bacteria were classified using cluster analysis based on a comparison of levels of oxytetracycline resistance. Complex fingerprint patterns were obtained for 71 isolates studied. In general, the band patterns of isolates from different ponds were very similar, and the data indicated that the isolates were closely related. The exploration for cross-resistance found that most of the 71 oxytetracycline-resistant isolates were also resistant to tetracycline and chlortetracycline, but had a relatively low resistance to doxycycline. Many isolates showed higher chlortetracycline resistance than oxytetracycline resistance. Additionally, the oxytetracycline-resistant isolates were examined for the presence of tetracycline resistance (tet) genes. Fifty percent of the isolates carried one of the 14 known tet genes examined. The most common determinants were TetA and TetD. However, TetB, TetC, TetE, TetK, TetL, and TetM were also found with various frequencies.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.289-297
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• 2011

Objectives: To estimate the microbial contaminant load discharged from livestock farms, we randomly selected livestock farmers of cattle, swine, and fowl and collected bacterial strains from domestic animals' feces and compost samples. Recently, as multi-antibiotic-resistant bacteria and super bacteria showing resistance to a variety of antibiotics have been reported one after another, the ecological and health hazard of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is emerging as an important issue. Methods: Monitored indicator microorganism constituents were totak coliform (TC), fecal coliform (FC), and aerobic bacteria. The multi-antibiotic-resistant bacteria were identified from investigated indicator microorganisms by 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: By microbiological analysis, the largest population of aerobic bacteria ($1.5{\times}10^5$ CFU/g) was found in cattle fecal compost, and total coliforms ($1.1{\times}10^7$ CFU/g) and fecal coliforms ($1.0{\times}10^5$ CFU/g) were found primarily in swine fecal compost, while the lowest population was found in fowl fecal compost. Among the 67 strains separated from aerobic bacteria, five strains expressing high antibiotic resistance were selected in each sample. We found the multi-antibiotic resistant strains to be Shigella boydii, Staphylococcus lentus, Acinetobacter sp. and Brevibacterium luteolum. Conclusions: These results suggest that increasing numbers of multi-antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment have a close relation to the reckless use of antibiotics with livestock.