No abstract available.
Cost Savings*

No Abstract Available.
Korea*

No Abstract Available.
Korea*

No abstract available.
Antibodies* ; Coxiella burnetii* ; Coxiella* ; Korea* ; Prevalence*

Rapid identification of Mycobacterium spp. isolated from patients is important with increased isolation of mycobacteria other than tubercle bacilli (MOTT). DNA-DNA hybridization with streptavidin-peroxidase and tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) color reaction method was recognized as a useful tool for identification of various species of mycobacteria. In this study, optimum condition of the test was determined. The optimal concentrations of tetramethylbenzidine dihydrochloride and hydrogen peroxide for streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase were 0.3-0.6 ug/ ml and 0.16 mM, respectively. The TMB stock solution was stable when prepared in methanol and the dilution of TBM stock solution in 10 mM sodium citrate-10 mM EDTA solution (pH 5.0) gave highest peroxidase-TMB activity. The suitable composition of hybridization solution consisted of 2 x SSC, 10% dextran sulfate, 50 ug/ml salmon DNA, 5 x Denhardt's solution, and 50% formamide. The 5-minute heating at 100C of test DNA prior to photobiotin labeling significantly increased the reaction. In conclusion, DNA-DNA hybridization method with streptavidin-peroxidase and TMB color reaction method may be useful for rapid identification of Mycobacterium spp. isolated from patients.
Dextran Sulfate ; DNA ; Edetic Acid ; Heating ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Methanol ; Mycobacterium* ; Peroxidase ; Salmon ; Sodium

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the degree of streptococcal colonization in Korean pregnant women. METHODS: The study comprised of 153 singleton pregnant women who visited Severance Hospital for delivery, and their neonates. Specimens for GBS culture were collected by a sterile cotton swab from lower vagina and cervix of pregnant women, and from ear canal and throat of neonates. They were first cultured for 48 hours in Todd-Hewitt broth and then subcultured onto Tryptose blood agar plates(Difco). Group B streptococci were confirmed by the presence of beta-hemolysis and a positive reaction with Phadebact group B Streptococci reagent(Karo Biodiagnostics AB, Huddinge, Sweden). RESULTS: The prevalence of positive cultures in pregnant women and neonates were 2.61%(4/153) and 0%(0/4), respectively. In the study population there was a case of suspicious group B streptococcual sepsis in an infant whose mother was colonized. CONCLUSIONS: In our study the GBS colonization rate in Korean pregnant women was significantly lower than that of other countries. The reason for this difference may be associated with a racial differences, or social factors such as socio-economic status or a life style.
Agar ; Cervix Uteri ; Colon ; Ear Canal ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Life Style ; Mothers ; Pharynx ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence ; Sepsis ; Streptococcal Infections* ; Vagina

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to determine prevalence of potential heterogeneous vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (h-VRSA) among methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolated in Korea by using Mu-3 agar and to determine the effect of in vitro vancomycin exposure on the resistance. METHODS: MRSAs isolated in 1980-1999 were screened for the presence of VISA or h-VRSA using Mu-3 agar. MIC of vancomycin was tested by NCCLS agar dilution and broth microdilution tests. Suspected h-VRSA were selected by vancomycin-containing media and change of resistance was determined by population analysis. A strain with Mu50 type growth was serially exposed to 8 pg/ml of vancomycin containing media and change of the vancomycin resistance was determined. RESULTS: Among the 455 MRSA isolates, 18 (3.9 %) grew on selective brain heart infusion agar (BHIA), and 354 (77,8%) on Mu-3 agar, 66 (14.5%) with Mu3 type growth and 78 (17.1%) with Mu50 type growth. MIC of vancomycin was 11 pg/ml for some of the isolates when inocula were approximately 10' CFU, but VISA was not present when tested by NCCLS broth microdilution test. Exposure of the isolates to van-cornycin raised the MIC. Serial exposure once to 8 pg/ml of vancomycin resulted in significant decrease of cells susceptible to 8-12 pg/ml of vancomycin. CONCLUSION: VISA was not present among the test isolates, but 34.2% were suspected to be potential h-VRSAs, suggesting possible emergence of VISA if vancomycin was administered prolonged period. It is considered that suitable screening media are vancomycin containing BHIA for VISA and Mu-3 agar for h-VRSA. The isolates showing Mu50 type growth on Mu-3 agar are not always VISA, but rather h-VRSA.
Agar* ; Brain ; Heart ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Prevalence ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus* ; Vancomycin Resistance ; Vancomycin*

Nocardiosis is an acute, subacute, or chronic infection, most often beginning in the lung, and usually affects the immunocompromised host. Nocardial infections are not rare in the United States, 500 to 1000 cases are recognized each year, but rarely reported in Korea. Disorders associated with cellular immune dysfunction are the major risk factors for nocardiosis. We report one case of brain and retroperitoneal abscess caused by Nocardia asteroides in patient who has had a chronic lymphocytic leukemia and diabetes mellitus, with a review of the relevant literature.
Abscess ; Brain ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Korea ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell* ; Lung ; Nocardia asteroides ; Nocardia Infections* ; Risk Factors ; United States

As an effort to develop a rapid and sensitive diagnostic test, we produced previously a monoclonal antibody (MAb) specific to the lipoarabinomannan (LAM) antigen and used in a sandwich ELISA for detection of mycobacterial antigens in sputum. In this study, we attempted to improve the antigen detection assay by combination of af5nity-purified antibodies against Mycobacterium tuberculosis soluble antigen and anti-LAM MAb. With the new assay, the LAM antigen was detectable as low as 2 ng/ml, and none of 10 gram-negative and gram-positive organisms gave significant absorbance, thus indicating the specific detection of mycobacterial antigens. Sputum samples from 62 patients who were suspected having tuberculosis and from 37 healthy controls were examined. The sensitivity of the antigen detection assay ranged from 0% in the 1+ culture group to 78.8% in the 3+ culture group. When the results were combined, 15 of 24 culture-positive samples were antigen-positive, thus giving an overall sensitivity of 62.5%. The overall specificity was 96.0%, when all the culture-negative samples were combined. The results thus demonstrate that the antigen detection assay can provide a rapid supplemental information for the diagnosis of pulmonary diagnosis.
Antibodies ; Diagnosis* ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sputum* ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

Tularemia is a major laboratory acquired zoonoses caused by Francisella tularensis that have high virulence, and usually transmitted to humans from direct contact with infected wild animals like rabbits or insect vectors like ticks. Clinical tularemia can be divided with 6 major syndromes that are delineated by the mode of organism aquisition, in which ulceroglandular type is the most common. F. tularensis have 3 different biogroups which have homogeneous antigenecity, type A (biogroup tularensis), type B (biogroup palearctica) and biogroup novicida, and can be confirmed by serology most frequently. In the domestic area, there was no reports of tularemia in humans or presence of bacteria in the reservoirs. Authers experienced a case of tularemia which is suspected as F. tularensis type B, ulceroglandular type. A healthy 40-year-old man admitted the hospital for lymph node swelling in both axillary and upper arm area and for furuncles in both forearm and palm. He contacted with dead rabbit and eated it after cooking before 20 days from admission day. In laboratory cultures, F. tularensis did not grow in any of the routine or anaerobic culture media except for one blood agar plate at 5 days. After subculturing that to cystine containing chocolate agar plate at 37C degree, 5% CO2 incubator, we could see the accelerating growth of colony. In microbiological test, it was oxidase and urease negative. In acid production in cystine trypticase agar base, it was glucose positive and sucrose, maltose, glycerol negative. In agglutinating test, F. tularensis antiserum titer (Difco, USA) with isolates was 1:160 or over and antibody titer to F. tularensis antigen (Difco, USA) was 1:320 or over. Anti-F. tularensis-IF assay and Anti-F. tularensis-indirect-EIA with isolates were positive.
Adult ; Agar ; Animals ; Animals, Wild ; Arm ; Bacteria ; Cacao ; Cooking ; Culture Media ; Cystine ; Forearm ; Francisella tularensis* ; Francisella* ; Furunculosis ; Glucose ; Glycerol ; Humans ; Incubators ; Insect Vectors ; Lymph Nodes ; Maltose ; Oxidoreductases ; Rabbits ; Sucrose ; Ticks ; Tularemia* ; Urease ; Virulence ; Zoonoses