Original article Eun-Hwa Baek1, Se-Eun Kim1, Da-Hye Kim1, Sunjoo Kim2,3 1Infection Control Team, 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital, Changwon, 3Institute of Health Science Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea Corresponding to Sunjoo Kim, E-mail: sjkim8239@hanmail.net Ann Clin Microbiol 2020;23(4):173-179. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2020.23.4.2Received on 21 February 2020, Revised on 16 April 2020, Accepted on 16 April 2020, Published on 20 December 2020.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Multidrug- resistant organisms (MDRO) are a serious concern in healthcare-associated infections. Hand hygiene (HH) is essential to prevent the spread of MDRO in the healthcare institutes. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the incidence of MDRO and hand hygiene compliance and the experimental effectiveness of alcohol-gel hand hygiene practice. Methods: From March 2016 to September 2018, we analyzed the cross-correlation between the incidence of MDRO and the HH compliance each month at Gyeongsang National University

Original article PDF Soo Jin Park*, Sunjoo Kim Korean Red Cross Gyoungnam Blood Center, Medical Quality Management Office, Changwon*; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea Corresponding to Sunjoo Kim, E-mail: sjkim8239@hanmail.net Ann Clin Microbiol 2003;6(1):7-11.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Group A streptococci (GAS) is the most common cause of bacterial pharyngitis. Recently, a high frequency of resistance to erythromycin (EM), the drug of choice for penicillinallergic patients, has been reported, especially in countries where antibiotics are overused. Resistance is classified as constitutive, inducible, or M according to the sensitivity results with EM and clindamycin (CC). These EM resistance phenotype is attributable to the ermB, ermTR, and mefA genes, respectively. Although EM resistance of GAS is a serious problem in our country, there are very few reports regarding to its mechanism.  Methods: GAS were isolated from elementary school children of Jinju in 2002. Antibiotic

Original article PDF Eun-Ha Koh, and Sunjoo Kim* Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea Corresponding to Sunjoo Kim, E-mail: sjkim8239@hanmail.net Ann Clin Microbiol 2005;8(1):51-56.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: The carrier study of group A streptococci (GAS), the most common cause of bacterial pharyngitis, is important to understand the epidemiology of GAS in the region. The authors performed throat cultures from the children of four elementary schools in Jinju area to investigate current microbiological characteristics in this area. Methods: Throat cultures were taken from 2,351 healthy elementary school children (male 1,311 and female 1,040) from October through December, 2004. Two schools are located in rural areas, while the other two schools are in Jinju city. Beta-hemolytic streptococci (BHS) were identified with bacitracin disk (0.04 U) and latex agglutination test (Seroiden Strepto Kit, Eiken). Results: Four-hundred forty-three

Original article PDF Eun-Ha Koh1, Kook Young Maeng1, Sunjoo Kim1, Hyun ju Jeong2, Nam Yong Lee3 Department of Laboratory Medicine, and Institute of Health Sciences1, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju; Department of Laboratory Medicine2, Masan Medical Center, Masan; and Department of Laboratory Medicine3, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Sunjoo Kim, E-mail: sjkim8239@hanmail.net Ann Clin Microbiol 2006;9(1):51-57.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: The erythromycin (EM) resistance rates and emm genotypes of Streptococcus pyogenes could vary by geographical location and study period. The purpose of this study, involving a large number of children, was to determine EM resistance rate and its resistance mechanism of S. pyogenes, and to compare these results with those of previous studies performed at the same area. Methods: Throat cultures were taken from 2,351 healthy children of four elementary schools from October through December, 2004 in Jinju. A total

Original article PDF Eun-Ha Koh, Sunjoo Kim Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea Corresponding to Sunjoo Kim, E-mail: sjkim8239@hanmail.net Ann Clin Microbiol 2008;11(1):1-4.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Group A streptococci (GAS) are the most common cause of pharyngitis in children. The streptococci in throat cultures from healthy elementary school children in Jinju were compared with previous results. Methods: Throat cultures were taken from 1,402 healthy school children in 2006. β-hemolytic streptococci (BHS) were identified with a bacitracin disk (0.04 U) and latex agglutination test (Seroiden Strepto Kit, Eiken, Tokyo, Japan). Results: Two-hundred sixteen (15.4%) and 149 (10.6%) cultures grew BHS and GAS, respectively. The isolation rate of GAS was significantly lower than in 2004 (16.0%) or 2002 (16.9%) (P＜0.05). Among BHS, the prevalence of group A strains (69.0%) decreased significantly compared with 2004 (84.9%) and 2002 (83.8%)

Original article PDF Eun-Ha Koh, In-Suk Kim, Sunjoo Kim Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea Corresponding to Sunjoo Kim, E-mail: sjkim8239@hanmail.net Ann Clin Microbiol 2009;12(1):6-10.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Streptococcus pyogenes is the most common cause of bacterial pharyngitis. T antigens and emm genotypes are essential markers for an epidemiological study of S. pyogenes. Macrolide resistance of S. pyogenes is a serious obstracle to successfully treating a sore throat.  Methods: One-hundred forty-seven strains of S. pyogenes isolated from healthy school children in 2006 were subjected to T typing and emm genotyping. A disk diffusion method was applied for several antibiotics. A double disk diffusion test was performed to evaluate the phenotype distribution of macrolide resistance.  Results: Among T antigens and emm genotypes, T11 (19.7%) and emm78 (16.7%), respectively, were the most common in 2006. Both T5/27/44 (2.3%) and emm44/61 (9.1%) declined to a great extent from about 29% in 2004. The

Original article PDF Oh-Geun Kweon1, Jin Seok Kim2, Gou-Ok Kim1, Chang-Il Lee1, Kwang-Hyeon Jeong1, Junyoung Kim2 1Division of Microbiology, Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government Institute of Health and Environment, 2Division of Enteric Diseases, Center for Infectious Diseases, Korea National Institute of Health, Cheongwon, Korea Corresponding to Junyoung Kim, E-mail: jun49@hanmail.net Ann Clin Microbiol 2014;17(2):50-57. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2014.17.2.50Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Extended-spectrum cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones are important antimicrobials for treating invasive salmonellosis, and emerging resistance to these antimicrobials is of paramount concern. Methods: A total of 30 Salmonella spp. clinical isolates recovered in Gyeongsangbuk-do from 2012 to 2013 were characterized using antibiotic resistance profiles and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Results: A high prevalence of multidrug-resistant isolates, mainly showing an ampicillin, nalidixic acid, chloramphenicol resistance pattern, was observed. Four extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing isolates (3 CTX-M-15 isolates and 1 CTX-M-27 isolate) were found. The blaCTX-M-27 gene was carried by an IncF conjugative

PDF Original article Annals of Clinical Microbiology (Ann Clin Microbiol) 2020 December, Volume 23, Issue 4, pages 173-179. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2020.23.4.2 Eun-Hwa Baek1, Se-Eun Kim1, Da-Hye Kim1, Sunjoo Kim2,31Infection Control Team, 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital, Changwon, 3Institute of Health Science Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea Abstract Background: Multidrug- resistant organisms (MDRO) are a serious concern in healthcareassociated infections. Hand hygiene (HH) is essential to prevent the spread of MDRO in the healthcare institutes. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the incidence of MDRO and hand hygiene compliance and the experimental effectiveness of alcohol-gel hand hygiene practice. Methods: From March 2016 to September 2018, we analyzed the cross-correlation between the incidence of MDRO and the HH compliance each month at Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital. We employed an experiment to observe the effect of alcohol gel hand hygiene practice on the reduction of

Original article Seon A Jo1, Seungjun Lee2, Sunjoo Kim2,3 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Daewoo General Hospital, Geoje, 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital, Changwon, 3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Jinju, Korea Corresponding to Sunjoo Kim, E-mail: sjkim8239@hanmail.net Ann Clin Microbiol 2021;24(4):127-134. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2021.24.4.3Received on 7 May 2021, Revised on 28 July 2021, Accepted on 9 September 2021, Published on 20 December 2021.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Group A streptococcus (GAS) is the most common cause of bacterial pharyngitis. This study aimed to characterize the molecular epidemiology of GAS infection using an emmtyping and emm-clustering approach. Methods: A total of 372 patients from Changwon who showed pharyngitis symptoms were recruited during the sampling period of 2018–2019 and throat cultures were obtained from them. emm typing was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing. emm

Original article Jooyoung Cho1,2*, Jung-Hyun Byun1,3,4*, Sang-Guk Lee1, Kyeongjin Oh1, Beomchan Jeon1, Dongeun Yong1,3, Jeong-Ho Kim1,5 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Wonju Severance Christian Hospital, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, 3Research Institute of Bacterial Resistance, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 4Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, 5Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yongin Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yongin, Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work. Corresponding to Dongeun Yong, E-mail: deyong@yuhs.ac; Jeong-Ho Kim, E-mail: jeongho@yuhs.ac Ann Clin Microbiol 2021;24(3):83-96. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2021.24.3.3Received on 1 April 2021, Revised on 15 July 2021, Accepted on 19 July 2021, Published on 20 September 2021.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Although urine culture is considered a reference standard for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI), it is