The antimicrobial agents reduced infectious diseases significantly. However, antibiotic resistance has followed for almost every antimicrobial agent. Especially, Staphylococcus aureus was one of the most notorious for the multidrug resistance. Streptomyces sp. 681 has been selected for antibiotic-producing strain against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from 1,000 strains of Actinomycetales which had been isolated from soil. In antimicrobial susceptibility test, all of the test strains were susceptible to vancomycin. However, most strains of Staphylococcus aureus were found to be resistant to methicillin. Ninety eight (75%) strains out of 129 strains showed multiple resistance pattern to more than 5 antimicrobial agents. The MIC values of the purified antibiotic (K-681) were 1-32 ug/ml against Gram-positive bacteria compared to >128 ug/ml against Grarn-negative bacteria or fungi. The MIC was 8 ug/ml for 90% of the 129 clinical isolates of S. aureus. The antibiotic showed no cytotoxicity against P 388, HeLa, and S180 at the concentration of 500 ug/ml.
Actinomycetales ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Bacteria ; Communicable Diseases ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Fungi ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; Methicillin ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Soil ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus* ; Streptomyces* ; Vancomycin

No abstract available.
Bacteria*

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma(EH) is a rare vascular tumor of low-grade malignancy. It was previously described as intravascular bronchioloalveolar tumor (IVBAT). But electron microscopic study and immunohistochemical staining results have proved endothelial origin. Patients are usually asymptomatic and the tumors are found incidentally on routine chest X-rays. Most patients show a slowly progressive clinical course, even though some patients occasionally die as results of respiratory failure or extrathoracic complications. Confirmative diagnosis is made through thoracoscopic or open-lung biopsy. There is still no effective therapeutic modality for pulmonary EH. We have experienced a 55-year-old woman whose simple chest x-ray film revealed bilateral multiple small nodules. The nodules were histopathologically and immunohistochemically diagnosed as primary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the lung. The possibility of metastatic disease was excluded thorough clinical, laboratory and radiological studies. Comparison of radiographic chest film taken 3 years ago showed no significant progression of the pulmonary nodular lesions. Conservative management was instituted and careful 4 months follow-up showed no significant changes.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemangioendothelioma, Epithelioid* ; Humans ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Thorax ; X-Ray Film

All of the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains exhibit resistance to oxacillin by producing PBP2a encoded by mecA, whereas methicllin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) strains do not. To investigate phenotypic differences other than oxacillin resistance level in responses to oxacillin between MSSA and MRSA, we compared alterations of viability and ultrastructure of MSSA by oxacillin treatment with those of MRSA. When MSSA and MRSA strains were exposed to oxacillin of their respective MICs, and then were assayed for viability and observed by transmission electron microscope, increase in thickness of cell wall was more prominent in MRSA strains than in MSSA strains, while decrease in number of surviving cells was more evident and change in morphology of growing cross wall was greater in MSSA strains than in MRSA strains. It is assumed that these different responses to oxacillin between MSSA and MRSA strains may be due to activation of some PBP2a unbound to oxacillin. In conclusion, MSSA and MRSA showed different functional and morphological responses to oxacillin, although they were treated with oxacillin of concentrations that respectively inhibit their proliferation.
Adenosine ; Cell Wall ; Electrons ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Oxacillin ; Staphylococcus aureus

Gastric tuberculosis is a rare disease. It usually occurs secondarily to another lesions and mainly in the lungs. Only a few cases of primary gastric tuberculosis have been reported in the literature. Most commonly, gastric tuberculosis lesion locates in the lesser curvature side of the antrum. Therefore the clinical picture is similar to the peptic ulcer. A 24-year-old women visited to the Inha university hospital complaining of vomiting and epigastric discomfort. Gastrofiberscopy showed multiple polypoid mass around the pylorus with stenotic pyloric channel. Subtotal gastrectomy was performed and histologic examination revealed chronic granulomatous inflammation with caseation necrosis. That is compatible with tuberculosis. The patient was taken antituberculosis medication without complication. So we report the case of pyloric obstruction due to gastric tuberculosis with review of the literature.
Female ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lung ; Necrosis ; Peptic Ulcer ; Pyloric Stenosis ; Pylorus ; Rare Diseases ; Tuberculosis* ; Vomiting ; Young Adult

Candida albicans is an important human pathogen that causes systemic infections, predominantly among population with weakened immune system. Cell wall structures of C. albicans are important to adhere to host tissue and evade to host immune system. Among cell wall structure, the outermost fibrillar layer of C. albicans is of interest since it may play important roles in antigenicity, phagocytosis, and adherence. The expression of virulent factors could be affected by the growth conditions. The dynamic nature of the cell surface alters the physical properties of the fungal interface with host cells and thereby influences adhesion to the host and recognition by components of the host immune system. In this study, we investigated the effects of culture conditions on cell surface fibril expression of C. albicans by a transmitting electron microscopy and SDS-PAGE. The protein fibril of C. albicans was expressed in the presence of whole serum, however, the fibril expression was decreased in 25% serum and serum containing 1% glucose. Also, germ tube can be induced by serum, RMPI medium, N-acetyl glucosamine, and 39 degrees C culture condition, hence, the fibrillar structure of C. albicans was detected only in serum-induced germ tube. The expression of fibril layer and the major fibril proteins of 66, 47, 30 kDa were reduced as increasing cell concentration of intial inoculum from 2x10(7) cells/ml to 8x10(7) cells/ml. The fibrillar layer of C. albicans was expressed in serum early within 10 min, and the thickness of fibril layer was increased according to the increase of culture time. When the fibrillar proteins were analysed by SDS-PAGE, major protein of 30 kDa was maintained continuously during over night culture although expression of the other proteins were various. These results suggest that expression of serum induced protein fibril is influenced by culture conditions and is not related to hyphal transition of C. albicans.
Candida ; Candida albicans ; Cell Wall ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Glucosamine ; Glucose ; Humans ; Immune System ; Microscopy, Electron ; Phagocytosis ; Proteins

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study assessed the antibiotic resistance organisms isolated from the blood and bile of acute cholangitis and evaluated risk factors associated with them and their impact on clinical outcomes. METHODS: The identities and antibiotic resistance profiles of bacteria isolated from 433 cases of acute cholangitis from 346 patients were analyzed. Risk factors and the outcomes of patients infected with them were assessed. RESULTS: Microorganisms were isolated from 266 of 419 blood cultures and 256 of 260 bile cultures. Isolates from bile and blood were identical in 71% of the cases. A total of 20 extended spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producers and 4 carbapenemase-producing organisms were isolated from blood, and 34 ESBL-producers and 13 carbapenemase-producers were isolated from bile. Sixty-four (14.8%) cases were infected with any one of these bacteria isolated from blood or bile. Risk factors associated with them in blood were nosocomial infection and prior biliary intervention. In bile, indwelling biliary device was a risk factor associated with them. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria were associated with mortality, independent of other prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: ESBL or carbapenemase-producing bacteria were frequently isolated in acute cholangitis patients especially with prior biliary intervention and nosocomial infection. Isolation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria was an independent risk factor of mortality.
Bacteria ; Bacterial Proteins ; beta-Lactamases ; Bile ; Cholangitis ; Cross Infection ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Humans ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: The opportunistic fungus Candida albicans is a major pathogen especially to immunocompromised patients. OBJECTIVES: We examined the protective effect of the active and passive immunizations to evaluate the applicability for the treatment of candidosis in Candida-infected mice model. METHODS: Candida cell wall components were obtained by treatment of lyticase, proteinase K, and dithiothreitol. The proteinase was purified from the culture filtrates of C. albicans using a series of chromatographic steps consisting of DEAE-Sepharose FF, Sephacryl S-200 HR and size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography. The phospholipase was purified from the culture supernatant of C. albicans with DEAE column chromatography, reverse phase column chromatography, revere phase HPLC and size-exclusion HPLC. Antibodies to cell wall protein components, proteinase and phospholipase were produced by immunization into mice of same strain. RESULTS: The mean survival times of active and passive immunized mice groups were longer than those of non-immunized groups. CONCLUSION: These results showed that immunization with proteinase and its antibody were the most effective to prolong survival time in Candida-infected mice.
Acrylic Resins ; Animals ; Antibodies ; Candida ; Candida albicans ; Cell Wall ; Chromatography ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Chromatography, Reverse-Phase ; Dithiothreitol ; Endopeptidase K ; Ethanolamines ; Fungi ; Glucan Endo-1,3-beta-D-Glucosidase ; Immunization ; Immunization, Passive ; Mice ; Multienzyme Complexes ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Phospholipases ; Proteins ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUND: Pathogenic fungi infect humans, especially immunocompromised patients, with superficial or deeply invasive pattern. In the past 20 years, fungal infections have been increased dramatically resulted by increment of organ transplantation, cancer, AIDS patients, or use of broad-spectrum antibacterial agents. Fungal infections are now important causes of morbidity and mortality of hospitalized patients. but there is no effective antifungal antibiotics as well as antibacterial antibiotics OBJECTIVE: Effective new antifungal antibiotics are needed for the treatment of mycosis. So in an effort to develop effective antifungal antibiotics, we screened over 600 isolates of Streptomyces sp. from soil. METHODS: Antifungal producing strain was selected using disk diffusion method, An antifungal substance (AF1) was purified with ethyl acetate extraction, silica gel column chromatography and reverse phase HPLC. MICs of AF1 were detected by agar dilition method. RESULTS: The compound showed UV maxima of 307, 321, 340, 359 nm indicating methylpentaene. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of the AF1 were 3.7 microgram/ml against mold, and 3.7 - 7.4 microgram/ml against Candida species. AFI was also active against Crytococcus neoformans, with MIC of 0.9 microgram/ml. The concentration of AF1 for K+ ion release from human red blood cell and hemolysis were 5 microgram/ml. CONCLUSION: The antibiotic purified from culture broth of Streptomyces sp. WCM-9 was a polyene antifungal antibiotic which have broad spectrum antifungal activity.
Agar ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Antifungal Agents ; Candida ; Chromatography ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Diffusion ; Erythrocytes ; Fungi ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Mortality ; Organ Transplantation ; Silica Gel ; Soil ; Streptomyces* ; Transplants

Biofilms are microbial communities that form on a surface and are surrounded by extracellular polymeric substances. Candida biofilms are a cause of infections associated with medical devices. In the present study, an attempt was made to evaluate a significance of biofilm formation ability (BF) in virulence of C. albicans. C. albicans of 98 isolates, 24 commensal strains obtained from the oral cavities of healthy volunteers, 29 from blood culture, 25 from urine culture, and 20 from vaginal candidiasis, were assayed for BF, an ability to adhere to epithelial cells (ADH), cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), and germ tube forming rate (GT). The relationships of BF with CSH, ADH, and GT were statistically examined. A positive correlation between BF and ADH was obtained, but the correlation (r=0.326) was relatively low. To assess BF as a factor contributing for candidiasis, mice lethality test was performed. The 10 isolates with the highest BF (mean survival rate, 24%) allow to kill mice more than those with the 10 lowest BF (mean survival rate, 47%). In addition, clinical strains isolated from blood culture, urine culture, and vaginal candidiasis showed higher BF than oral commensal strains. These results suggest BF may represent a virulent characteristic of C. albicans.
Animals ; Biofilms ; Candida ; Candida albicans ; Candidiasis ; Epithelial Cells ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Mice ; Polymers ; Survival Rate