The bacterial group which we usually consider as resident flora sometimes changes into opportuniistic pathogen which produces oppartunistic infection, so that attention to resident flora remarkably increased. The main topics of bacterioloical problems of skin flora are as follows: (1) selective localization of resident flora, (2) members of resident flora and their changes by age and area, (3) the role of action of resident flora, (4j the problems of Micrococcus, (5) coagulase negative Staphylococci, (6) coagulase positive Staphylococci, (7) the problerns of Propionilbacterium(P) acnes, (8) typing of propionibacteria existing on human skin, (9) antibiotic sensitivities of P. acnes, (10) effect of tetracycline on lipase productivity oi P. acnes.
Coagulase ; Efficiency ; Humans ; Lipase ; Micrococcus ; Skin* ; Tetracycline

Infection structures were observed at the penetration sites on the leaves of cucumber plants inoculated with Colletotrichum orbiculare using a fluorescence microscope. The cucumber plants were previously drenched with suspension of bacterial strains Pseudomonas putida or Micrococcus luteus. The plants pre-inoculated with both bacterial strains were resistant against anthracnose after inoculation with C. orbiculare. To investigate the resistance mechanism by both bacterial strains, the surface of infected leaves was observed at the different time after challenge inoculation. At 3 days after inoculation there were no differences in the germination and appressorium formation of conidia of C. orbiculare as well as in the callose formation of the plants between both bacteria pre-inoculated and non-treated. At 5 days, the germination and appressorium formation of the fungal conidia were, however, significantly decreased on the leaves of plants pre-inoculated with M. luteus at the concentration with 1.0 x 10(7) cfu/ml. Furthermore, callose formation of plants cells at the penetration sites was apparently increased. In contrast, there were no defense reactions of the plants at the concentration with 1.0 x 10(6) cfu/ml of M. luteus. Similarly, inoculation P. putida caused no plant resistance at the low concentration, whereas increase of callose formation was observed at the higher concentration. The results of this study suggest that the resistant mechanisms might be differently expressed by the concentration of pre-treatment with bacterial suspension.
Bacteria ; Colletotrichum* ; Fluorescence ; Germination ; Micrococcus luteus* ; Micrococcus* ; Plants ; Pseudomonas putida* ; Pseudomonas* ; Spores, Fungal

BACKGROUND: Pitted keratolysis is a superficial bacterial infection which usually affects the pressure bearing areas of the feet. Some bacterial organisms were identified as etiologic agents, including Corynebacterium species, Micrococcus species and Dermatophilus congolensis. However, in Korea, studies to prove the causative organisms have not been performed. OBJECTIVE: We performed this study to identify causative organisms of pitted keratolysis in Korea. METHOD: Twelve normal healthy men and 27 pitted keratolysis patients were enrolled. We cultured the scraped specimens of the stratum corneum and identified the cultured organisms. We compared the cultured organisms of pitted keratolysis group with those of control group. We also compared the distribution of cultured organisms in pitted keratolysis with and without tinea pedis. RESULT: Micrococcus species and Corynebacterium species were identified in pitted keratolysis group much more frequently than in normal control group. In most cases of pitted keratolysis combined with tinea pedis, the identified organisms were Micrococcus species. CONCLUSION: Micrococcus species and Corynebacterium species are thought to be the major causative organisms of pitted keratolysis in Korea. Micrococcus species might play a certain antagonistic role, especially in patients of pitted keratolysis with tinea pedis.
Bacterial Infections ; Corynebacterium ; Foot ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Micrococcus ; Tinea Pedis

A novel lysozyme was purified from a marine microorganism and its major characteristics were studied. Cell-free supernatant was prepared by centrifugation of culture broth, ultrafiltration using a hollow fiber (molecular weight cut off, 50kD) and concentration using a hollow fiber (molecular weight cut off, 10kD). The crude lysozyme was purified 34.7 fold to electrophoretic homogeneity with a recovery of 24.1% by CM-Sepharose FF cationic-exchange and Sephadex G-100 gel chromatography. The relative molecular weight of this lysozyme was determined as about 39 kD. The optimum pH and temperature towards Micrococcus lysodleikticus were pH 8.0 and 35 degrees C respectively, and the enzyme was stable at temperature below 50 degrees C and pH 5.0 - 10.0. The lysozyme activity was slightly enhanced by Zn2+ and Cu2+ and slightly inhibited by Mn2+ and Ag+. The lysozyme showed good compatibility to many common chemical agents such as EDTA (0.1%) and KH2 PO4 (1.0%). The lysozyme had broad-spectrum against many bacteria, including a number of pathogens, which were resistant to egg-white lysozyme.
Bacterial Proteins ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Enzyme Stability ; Micrococcus ; enzymology ; Muramidase ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Seawater ; microbiology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the colony count of airborne microbes contamination every hour in the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit (NSICU) in order to identify the relationship of colony count to person-visits. METHODS: Data were collected during from 11:00 a.m. September 5 to 11:00 a.m. September 6, 2002. This study used blood agar & nutrient agar and handtally counter (USA) for collection of airborne microbes and number of person-visits. Data was analyzed using the SPSSWIN 10.0 with means, Pearson correlation coefficient, and simple regression. RESULTS: The result of this study are as follows. Total colony count of airborne microbes for 24 hours in the NSICU was 4,609. Total number of person-visits to the NSICU was 15,347. The highest scores for the total colony count in different areas of the NSICU was the rear door, followed by the preparation room, and the front entrance, while the lowest count was in the isolation rooms. There was a statistically significant relationship between colony count and number of person-visits to the NSICU. The most frequently airborne microbes in the NSICU were Micrococcus, CNS, Staphylococcus Micrococcus, Aureus. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that the number of person-visits in hospitals influences total colony count of airborne microbes. This study contributes to assessment of biological indoor air quality in hospital and in the development of an NSICU care plan.
Agar ; Air Microbiology ; Air Pollution, Indoor ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Micrococcus ; Staphylococcus

Efficacy of resistance induction by the bacterial isolates Pseudomonas putida (TRL2-3), Micrococcus luteus (TRK2-2) and Flexibacteraceae bacterium (MRL412), which were isolated from the rhizosphere of plants growing in Jeju Mountain, were tested in a greenhouse. The disease severity caused by Phytophthora infestans was effectively reduced in the potato plants pre-inoculated with bacterial isolates compared with those of the untreated control plants growing in a greenhouse. In order to estimate the level of protection by the bacterial isolates, Mancozeb WP (Diesen M(R), Kyong nong) and DL-3-amino butyric acid (BABA) were pre-treated, whereas Dimethomorph WP (Forum(R), Kyong nong) and phosphonic acid (H3PO3) were post-treated the challenge inoculation with the pathogen. Disease severities of chemical pre-treated as well as post-treated plants were reduced compare to those of the untreated. The disease reduction in the plants pre-treated with Mancozeb WP was the highest, whereas that of post-treated with Dimethomorph WP was the lowest. The yields of plants pre-inoculated with three bacterial isolates were greatly increased than those of control plants. These results suggest that biological control by bacterial isolates might be an alternative strategy against late blight disease in potato plants growing in greenhouse.
Butyric Acid ; Cytophagaceae ; Micrococcus luteus ; Phytophthora infestans* ; Phytophthora* ; Pseudomonas putida ; Rhizosphere ; Solanum tuberosum*

Skin floras were taken from forehead, sternal area, lower margin of axillae, and interscapular space of 50 healthy Koreans(M 30, F 20) between 18 year and 40 years old using Williamson and Kligman's method and modified Pilsburg and .Nichols method. After incubating these floras for 3-5 days aerobically and anaerobically, we identified them using various stains and biochemical tests. The most common flora was Corynebucterium acne(84%), followed by aerobic diphtheroids(14%), coagulase negative staphylococcus, Micrococcus in orders. Although transient floras including Staphylococcus aareas, Pseudomonas, Listeria monocytogenes, and other Gram negative bacilli were isolated, they were rare and did mainly from axilla. The most common resident site of Corynebacteirium acne was forehead (l. 67 x 10/cm), but in aerobic diphtheroids and Micrococcaceae was the lower margin of axilla(2.70x16/cm, 2.34x10/cm), in which aerobic floras were more than anaerobics. The incidence rate of lipophilic diphtheroid was 27%, however it was 35% in axilla. The aerobic diphtheroid capable of nitrate reduction was 26%, which was very common in forehead. Among Propionibacterium species, Propionibacterim(P) acne was isolated 100% from all sites, but P. grandulosum was only in 2-7% and P. avidum was not.
Acne Vulgaris ; Adult ; Axilla ; Coagulase ; Coloring Agents ; Forehead ; Humans ; Incidence ; Listeria monocytogenes ; Micrococcaceae ; Micrococcus ; Propionibacterium ; Pseudomonas ; Skin* ; Staphylococcus

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Given the characteristic procedures involved in the endoscopy unit, the spread of pathogens is much more frequent in this unit than in other environments. However, there is a lack of data elucidating the existence of pathogens in the endoscopy unit. The aim of this study was to detect the presence of possible pathogens in the endoscopy unit. METHODS: We performed environmental culture using samples from the endoscopy rooms of 2 tertiary hospitals. We used sterile cotton-tipped swabs moistened with sterile saline to swab the surfaces of 197 samples. Then, we cultured the swab in blood agar plate. Samples from the colonoscopy room were placed in thioglycollate broth to detect the presence of anaerobes. After 2 weeks of culture period, we counted the colony numbers. RESULTS: The most commonly contaminated spots were the doctor's keyboard, nurse's cart, and nurse's mouse. The common organisms found were non-pathogenic bacterial microorganisms Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, and Streptococcus spp.. No definite anaerobe organism was detected in the colonoscopy room. CONCLUSIONS: Although the organisms detected in the endoscopy unit were mainly non-pathogenic organisms, they might cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. Therefore, the environment of the endoscopy room should be managed appropriately; moreover, individual hand hygiene is important for preventing possible hospital-acquired infections.
Agar ; Animals ; Colonoscopy ; Endoscopy* ; Hand Hygiene ; Immunocompromised Host ; Mice ; Micrococcus ; Opportunistic Infections ; Staphylococcus ; Streptococcus ; Tertiary Care Centers

We describe here a case of central venous catheter (CVC)-related bacteremia caused by Microbacterium species in a 14-year-old patient, who had received chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. All nine blood cultures obtained from admission day 2 to day 62 yielded the same yellow-pigmented coryneform rod. Both Vitek 2 (bioMerieux, USA) and MicroScan (Dade Behring, USA) identified the isolate as Micrococcus species, and the API Coryne (bioMerieux, France) identified the isolate as Rhodococcus or Brevibacterium species. However, the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed a 99% identity with Microbacterium species. The bacteremia was recurrent or persistent over 60 days despite alternate systemic antibiotic therapy, but blood culture became negative after an addition of teicoplanin lock therapy for eradicating CVC-related bacteremia. This represents the first report of CVC-related Microbacterium bacteremia cured by antibiotic lock therapy in Korea.
Adolescent ; Bacteremia ; Brevibacterium ; Central Venous Catheters ; Genes, rRNA ; Humans ; Micrococcus ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Rhodococcus ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; Teicoplanin

The objective of this study is to propose a more accurate and faster MTT [3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] colorimetric assay (MCA) for quantitative measurement of polypeptide bacteriocins in solutions with nisin as an example. After an initial incubation of nisin and indicator bacterium Micrococcus luteus NCIB 8166 in tubes, MTT was added for another incubation period. After that, nisin was quantified by estimating the number of viable bacteria based on measuring the amount of purple formazan produced by cleavage of yellow tetrazolium salt MTT. Then MCA was compared to a standard agar diffusion assay (ADA). The results suggested a high correlation coefficient (r(2)=0.975+/-0.004) between optical density (OD) and the inhibitory effect of nisin on a bacterial strain Micrococcus luteus NCIB 8166 at a range of 0.125-32 IU/ml. The MCA described in this study was very quick. Quantification of nisin took only 7-8 h and the detection limit was at the level of 0.125 IU/ml when compared to 12 IU/ml and 24-28 h for ADA. The MCA provides an accurate and rapid method for quantification of nisin in solutions and is expected to be used for quantification of other antimicrobial substances.
Bacteriocins ; analysis ; metabolism ; Colorimetry ; methods ; Immunodiffusion ; Micrococcus luteus ; metabolism ; Nisin ; Regression Analysis ; Tetrazolium Salts ; analysis ; Thiazoles ; analysis ; Time Factors