The aim of this study was to describe the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) obtained from individual cows in Korea. Twelve MAP-positive fecal DNA samples and 19 MAP isolates were obtained from 10 cattle herds located in 5 provinces in Korea. In addition, 5 MAP isolates obtained from the Czech Republic and Slovakia and 3 isolates from Australia were genotyped for comparison with the domestic isolates. The most prevalent strains in Korea were of the “bison-type” genotype (23 of 31 fecal DNA/isolates) and were distributed nationwide. The remaining MAP isolates (8) and all of the foreign isolates were identified as “cattle-type”. The bison-type strains which were discriminated only as INMV 68 in variable-number tandem repeats of mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units (MIRU-VNTR) typing. Multilocus short sequence repeat (MLSSR) typing differentiated the bison-type strains into 3 different subtypes. The cattle-type strains were divided into 3 subtypes by MIRU-VNTR and 8 subtypes by MLSSR. The allelic diversities in the MIRU-VNTR and MLSSR results were calculated as 0.567 and 0.866, respectively. These results suggest that MIRU-VNTR typing cannot provide a sufficient description of the epidemiological situation of MAP. Therefore, an alternative method, such as MLSSR, is needed for typing of MAP strains to elucidate the molecular epidemiology of MAP infections. Overall, this study is the first epidemiological survey report in Korea using both MIRU-VNTR and MLSSR typing methods, and it has provided basic data necessary to elucidate the characteristics of MAP infections in Korea.
Animals ; Australia ; Cattle ; Czech Republic ; DNA ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Korea ; Methods ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis ; Mycobacterium avium ; Mycobacterium ; Paratuberculosis ; Slovakia ; Tandem Repeat Sequences

In 2008, Korea has enacted new ordinances about the role of estheticians, but this law can be interpreted ambiguously, restricting hiring of estheticians in medical clinics. The purpose of the study is to obtain information about medical-esthetic systems in other countries. We have taken a survey of this object from 30 OECD & Asian countries, and the questionnaires returned from a total of 22 countries (Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Singapore, Israel, and Thailand), were used for the final analysis. The results are summarized as follows. In most countries, estheticians working independently deal with only healthy, normal skin. In most countries, estheticians working independently have no right to operate any medical instruments. In all 17 countries that returned the questionnaires medical clinics can employ estheticians, and only theses estheticians who belong to the medical clinics can handle the non-invasive medical instruments under the supervision of doctors. In 17 countries that have related legal regulations, nurses, under the control of doctors, can perform wider range of duties in various settings than estheticians. The survey concludes that the duties of estheticians are closely related with medical skin care services and estheticians can perform various non-invasive medical procedures only under the control of doctors. From consulting a variety of medical-esthetic systems in other countries, we propose that the estheticians be allowed to work in medical clinics to provide better medical services for the patients and to make more chances of employment for themselves.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Austria ; Canada ; Denmark ; Employment ; Finland ; France ; Germany ; Great Britain ; Humans ; Hungary ; Israel ; Japan ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Netherlands ; New Zealand ; Norway ; Organization and Administration ; Portugal ; Questionnaires ; Singapore ; Skin ; Skin Care ; Slovakia ; Social Control, Formal ; Spain ; Switzerland ; Turkey ; United States

OBJECTIVETo investigate a case of mass mortality of Garra rufa (G. rufa) from a fish hatchery farm in Slovakia.

METHODSCausative bacterial agent was swabbing out of affected fish skin area and subsequently identified using commercial test system. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by the disk diffusion method.

RESULTSInfected G. rufa was characterized by abnormal swimming behaviour, bleeding of skin lesions and local haemorrhages. Despite of using recommended aquatic antibiotic treatment no improvement was achieved and Aeromonas sobria (A. sobria) was identified as a causative agent of fish mortality. Due to massive fish mortality, antibiotic susceptibility of pure isolated culture of A. sobria was evaluated employing eight antibiotics against human infections. A. sobria was resistant only against one antibiotic, namely ampicilin.

CONCLUSIONSThese results indicate that A. sobria can act as a primary pathogen of G. rufa and may be a potential risk factor for immunodeficient or immunoincompetent patients during the ichthyotherapy.

Aeromonas ; drug effects ; pathogenicity ; Ampicillin ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Bacterial Typing Techniques ; Cyprinidae ; microbiology ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Fish Diseases ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; mortality ; Fisheries ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Slovakia