BACKGROUND: Sputum smear microscopy is rapid, economic, and useful to detect patients with transmittable tuberculosis, albeit laborious. We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of an automated acid-fast bacilli stainer, which had been developed for lowering the labor and maintaining or increasing the staining quality. METHODS: One hundred sputum samples including some known positive smear specimens which were selected from clinical specimens requested for smear and culture for mycobacteria at Pusan National University Hospital, were used for evaluation. Auramine/rhodamine fluorescent acid-fast stainings were performed manually or by using the automated stainer, AT-2000F (Dagatron, Ilsan, Korea). Ziehl-Neelsen stain was also performed simultaneously. RESULTS: Concordance rate between automated and manual fluorescent stains was 98.0% and that between automated fluorescent and manual Ziehl-Neelsen stains was 88.0%. In all discordant cases, the automated stains showed one-grade higher results compared to the respective manual fluorescent or Ziehl-Neelsen stains. With the automatic stainer, all staining procedures were processed automatically except for slide loading and unloading. The process time was reduced by a half, and the slide-to-slide or day-to-day variations of staining quality were reduced compared with the manual fluorescent stain. CONCLUSION: Acid-fast bacilli stain using automated stainer AF-2000F can reduce the processing time, labor, and variations of staining quality, and enhance or maintain the detection of positive smears.
Busan ; Coloring Agents ; Humans ; Microscopy ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis

As the incidence of nontuberculous mycobacterial infection has been increasing recently in Korea, the importance of drug susceptibility test for clinical isolates of mycobacteria has become larger. In this study we determined the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of clinical isolates of M. fortuitum and M. abscessus in Korea, and evaluated the efficacy of a modified broth microdilution method using 2,3-diphenyl-5-thienyl-(2)-tetrazolium chloride (STC), in terms of its ability to provide accurate and easy-to-read minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) endpoints for the susceptibility testing of rapidly growing mycobacteria. Most isolates of M. fortuitum and M. abscessus in Korea are susceptible or intermediately susceptible to amikacin, cefoxitin, ciprofloxacin, and clarithromycin. Many isolates of M. fortuitum are susceptible to doxycycline, sulfamethoxazole, and imipenem, while many M. abscessus isolates are resistant to these drugs. In the present study, the modified broth microdilution method using STC was found to be reliable, easy to read, and inexpensive for M. fortuitum and M. abscessus susceptibility testing. The modified colorimetric MIC testing method using STC was proven to be a useful surrogate for RGM antibiotic susceptibility testing.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology ; Cefoxitin/pharmacology ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical/methods ; Ciprofloxacin/pharmacology ; Clarithromycin/pharmacology ; Colorimetry/methods ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Korea ; *Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Mycobacterium/*metabolism ; Mycobacterium fortuitum/*metabolism ; Tetrazolium Salts/*pharmacology

BACKGROUND: The drug resistance rate in tuberculosis patients with history of chemotherapy is an important indicator of for evaluation of appropriateness of treatment regimens and compliance of patients. This study examined the long-term changes in the drug resistance rates among TB patients failed in treatment or reactivated. METHODS: The results of drug susceptibility testing data from patients registered in health centers from 1981 to 2004 were analyzed. RESULTS: The rate of resistance to isoniazid decreased from 90% to 20%, and the resistance to ethambutol decreased from 45% to 6%. The rate of resistance to rifampicin varied from 13% to 28% and the resistance to pyrazinamide was 5% to 10%. Multidrug resistance was about 2-3% lower than any rifampicin resistance rates. The second-line drug resistance was ranged from 1% to 3%. There was no difference between patients' genders. Patient numbers per 100,000 population increased with age. The regional distribution was even at 4-6 patients per 100,000 population, and drug resistance rates were significantly lower in big city areas than in small towns and rural areas. CONCLUSION: The rates of resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from TB patients with history of chemotherapy to isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and isoniazid plus rifampin were significantly decreased during over two decades.
Compliance ; Drug Resistance ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Therapy ; Ethambutol ; Humans ; Isoniazid ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Pyrazinamide ; Rifampin ; Tuberculosis*

BACKGROUND: The anti-mycobacterial susceptibility test is performed on only a small percentage of clinical isolates in Korea. The aim of this study is to propose an anti-mycobacterial susceptibility testing scheme, which is not only economic and practical but also fully informative to physicians. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The anti-mycobacterial susceptibility test results of 502 strains, isolated from five university-affiliated hospitals, were analysed. The interpretation of the results and the need for second-line drug susceptibility test were judged according to the recommendation of NCCLS M24-A guidelines. RESULTS: The isolates from 10% (38/363) of treatment-navie patients and 61% (85/139) of re- treatment patients showed resistance to at least one of the anti-mycobactial agents; 3% (11/363) and 44% (61/139) of isolates from each group were multi-drug resistant. According to the recommendation by NCCLS, the percentage of patients not needing the susceptibility test results for second-line drugs were 96% for treatment-naive and 47% for re-treatment patients. CONCLUSION: Since the susceptibility test against first-line drug is sufficient for 95% of treatment- navie patients with tuberculosis patients, susceptibility test against second-line drugs may be performed only when it is necessary. As for the re-treatment patients with tuberculosis, susceptibility test for both first-line and second-line drugs should be performed simultaneously.
Cost-Benefit Analysis* ; Humans ; Korea ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: The anti-mycobacterial susceptibility test is performed on only a small percentage of clinical isolates in Korea. The aim of this study is to propose an anti-mycobacterial susceptibility testing scheme, which is not only economic and practical but also fully informative to physicians. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The anti-mycobacterial susceptibility test results of 502 strains, isolated from five university-affiliated hospitals, were analysed. The interpretation of the results and the need for second-line drug susceptibility test were judged according to the recommendation of NCCLS M24-A guidelines. RESULTS: The isolates from 10% (38/363) of treatment-navie patients and 61% (85/139) of re- treatment patients showed resistance to at least one of the anti-mycobactial agents; 3% (11/363) and 44% (61/139) of isolates from each group were multi-drug resistant. According to the recommendation by NCCLS, the percentage of patients not needing the susceptibility test results for second-line drugs were 96% for treatment-naive and 47% for re-treatment patients. CONCLUSION: Since the susceptibility test against first-line drug is sufficient for 95% of treatment- navie patients with tuberculosis patients, susceptibility test against second-line drugs may be performed only when it is necessary. As for the re-treatment patients with tuberculosis, susceptibility test for both first-line and second-line drugs should be performed simultaneously.
Cost-Benefit Analysis* ; Humans ; Korea ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: Recently the incidence of coronary artery disease has been increased rapidly in Korea. After the introduction of coronary care unit, the mortality rate of cardiovascular patients has been decreased. The predictive factors for mortality in patients admitted at Coronary Care Unit (CCU) are important in the management of acutely ill cardiovascular patients. METHODS: One thousand one hundred and thirty patients (64.8+/-14.5 years), who were admitted at CCU from January 2002 to June 2003, were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to mortality: the survived group (Group I: n=1055, 63.3+/-13.3 years) and the moribund group (Group II: n=75, 64.8+/-14.1 years). Clinical characteristics, risk factors, clinical diagnosis, laboratory, echocardiographic and coronary angiographic findings were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The overall mortality at CCU was 6.6%, 75 out of 1130 patients. Age and sex were not different between both groups. Coronary artery disease was the most common cause of admission (886 out of 1130 patients) and death (46 out of 75 patients). Coronary angiographic findings were not different between the two groups. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by echocardiogram was higher in Group I than in Group II (53.1+/-15.6% vs. 42.3+/-16.3%, p<0.05). Predictive factors for mortality by multiple logistic regression analysis were low LVEF (OR 11.4, 2.9-21.4 95%CI, p<0.001), no performance of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI, OR 10.8, 2.5-17.8 95%CI, p<0.001) and clinical diagnosis of aortic dissection (OR 3.8, 1.3-9.8 95%CI, p=0.021). CONCLUSIONS: The predictive factors for mortality at CCU were low LVEF, no PCI and aortic dissection.
Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Care Units* ; Coronary Disease ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mortality* ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Risk Factors ; Stroke Volume