Original article Seo Young Hwang, Young Kwan Lim, Kye Won Choe, Young ho Choi, Mi-Kyung Lee Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Mi-Kyung Lee, E-mail: cpworld@cau.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2024;27(3):185-196. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2024.27.3.6Received on 2 February 2024, Revised on 8 September 2024, Accepted on 9 September 2024, Published on 20 September 2024.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.This is an Open Access article which is freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Abstract Background: As most Candida species cause opportunistic infections, it is helpful for patient care to determine species name of Candida spp. and their distribution in both sterile and non-sterile specimens. We aimed to investigate trends in the distribution of Candida species isolated from a hospital in Korea, along with their antifungal susceptibilities and seasonal variations. Methods: This study was conducted at the Chung-Ang University Hospital and included 8,760 different clinical specimens from

Original article PDF Bo-Rae G. Park, Hye-Ryoun Kim, Mi-Kyung Lee Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Mi-Kyung Lee, E-mail: cpworld@cau.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2006;9(2):90-95.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: To estimate the influence of a change in the hospital environment on a hospitalacquired urinary tract infection (HAUTI), we analyzed and compared the rates of HAUTI and the associated risk factors between an old hospital (Phil-dong) and a new hospital (Heucksuck-dong) of Chung-Ang University. Methods: Retrospective studies of patients with urinary tract infection were conducted at the old and new hospital during the period from July 2003 to June 2004 and from January to December 2005, respectively. HAUTI was defined as the isolation of one or two microorganisms at greater than CFUs/mL from urine at 48 hours or more after admission. The risk factors of HAUTI included sex, age, duration of

Original article PDF Mi-Kyung Lee1, Hye-Ryoun Kim1, Young-Jo Lee2 Department of Laboratory Medicine1, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine; and Seegene Inc.2, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Mi-Kyung Lee, E-mail: cpworld@cau.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2006;9(2):119-124.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Polymerase chain reacation (PCR)-based methods have been described for rapid detection and identification of Candida spp. Multiplex PCR assay was developed using internal transcribed spacers and topoisomerase II gene for the accurate identification of Candida species. Methods: We designed Dual Specificity Oligo (DSO) primers for multiplex PCR. Multiplex PCR was followed by agarose gel electrophoresis to test 8 type strains (C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. krusei, C. guilliermondii, C. lusitaniae, C. dubliniensis) and 96 clinical isolates (C. albicans 51 isolates, C. parapsilosis 10 isolates, C. glabrata 10 isolates, C. tropicalis 9 isolates, C. krusei 6 isolates, C. guilliermondii 5 isolates, C. lusitaniae 5 isolates) of Candida spp. Results: With multiplex PCR using DSO primers, the eight Candida type strains each could be easily differentiated and all

Original article PDF Mi-Kyung Lee, Bo-Rae G. Pa Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Mi-Kyung Lee, E-mail: cpworld@cau.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2007;10(2):150-153.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Colonial morphology of Candida albicans known as ‘spiking’ on a primary isolation blood agar plate (BAP) allows rapid and presumptive identification of C. albicans. We evaluated the ‘spiking’ appearance to identify C. albicans. Methods: A total of 144 fully identified clinical isolates of yeasts and 10 type strains of yeasts were tested. All isolates obtained from the 5% CO2 incubation on BAP and chocolate agar plate (CHOC) were macroscopically examined for the presence of an irregular margin (spiking). The germ tube test was performed by incubating test organisms in 0.5 mL of pooled human sera. Results: The sensitivity for BAP-spiking, CHOC-spiking and germ tube test were 93.7%, 91.1%, and 98.7%, respectively. The specificity for three methods was

Original article PDF Hae Kyung Lee1, Hiun Suk Chae2, Jung Oak Kang3, Mi-Kyung Lee4, Heungsup Sung5, Mi-Na Kim5, Jongwook Lee6, Miae Lee7, Ki-Nam Shim8 Departments of 1Laboratory Medicine, 2Internal Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, 3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 4Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, 5Department of Laboratory Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 6Hanaro Medical Foundation, Departments of 7Laboratory Medicine, 8Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Miae Lee, E-mail: miae@ewha.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2008;11(2):84-89.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Clarithromycin resistance in Helicobacter pylori is a major cause of eradication therapy failure. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and type of mutations in the 23S rRNA gene in Korea, which are associated with clarithromycin resistance.  Methods: From January 2008 to March 2008, 353 gastric biopsy specimens were collected from five university

Original article PDF Heungsup Sung1, Jung-Oak Kang2, Mi Ae Lee3, Jongwook Lee4, Hae Kyung Lee5, Mi-Kyung Lee6, Ji-Hun Lim1, Mi-Na Kim1, Helicobacter Study Group Department of Laboratory Medicine, 1University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center, 2Hanyan/g University Medical College, 3Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, 4Konyang University College of Medicine, 5 The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, 6Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Mi-Na Kim, E-mail: mnkim@amc.seoul.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2009;12(1):30-36.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: CLSI provides a guideline only for a agar dilution method of testing clarithromycin susceptibility for Helicobacter pylori. This study was to evaluate a disk diffusion method for clarithromycin and amoxicillin. Methods: One hundred and forty clinical isolates of H. pylori isolated from May 2005 to May 2007 were tested by the CLSI agar dilution method and a disk diffusion method using 2μg (2CLR) and 15μg (15CLR) clarithromycin disks and 2μg (2AMX) and 10μg (10AMX) amoxicillin disks.

Case report PDF Ah Ra Cho1, Hye Ryoun Kim1, Mi-Kyung Lee1, Seong Ho Choi2, Sin Weon Yun3 Departments of 1Laboratory Medicine, 2Internal Medicine and 3Pediatrics, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Mi-Kyung Lee, E-mail: cpworld@cau.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2010;13(2):93-97. https://doi.org/10.5145/KJCM.2010.13.2.93Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract We report a case of catheter-related bacteremia due to Tsukamurella pulmonis. T. pulmonis is a rare cause of opportunistic infection in immunosuppressed patients and in cases of indwelling foreign materials. This infection was nearly impossible to identify using conventional phenotyping methods because of its similarities to the related genera Nocardia, Rhodococcus, Gordonia, Streptomyces, Corynebacterium, and Mycobacterium. This organism was initially misidentified as Mycobacterium aubagnense through PCR-RFLP analysis. We correctly identified this organism using 16S rRNA sequencing combined with phenotyping tests. (Korean J Clin Microbiol 2010;13: 93-97) Keywords Tsukamurella pulmonis, Catheter, Bacteremia, Korea, Misidentification, Mycobacteria

Original article PDF Tae-Hyoung Kim1, Yong Seong Lee2, Mi-Kyung Lee3, Kyu Man Lee4 Departments of 1Urology and 3Laboratory Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Departments of 2Urology and 4Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea Corresponding to Mi-Kyung Lee, E-mail: cpworld@cau.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2010;13(2):79-84. https://doi.org/10.5145/KJCM.2010.13.2.79Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Candida species are the fourth leading cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections and have one of the highest mortality rates among nosocomial pathogens. C. tropicalis has been reported to be one of the leading Candida species other than C. albicans to cause Candida infection in patients who have malignancy, diabetes mellitus, and burn. This study was designed to determine whether burn might influence the species distribution and susceptibilities of azoles against clinical isolates of Candida species including C. tropicalis.  Methods: A total 372 Candida isolates from various samples in a tertiary burn center were

Original article PDF Nae Yu, Mi-Kyung Lee Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Mi-Kyung Lee, E-mail: cpworld@cau.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2011;14(1):30-35. https://doi.org/10.5145/KJCM.2011.14.1.30Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Bacterial vaginitis (BV) and Trichomonas vaginitis are the most frequently recurring infectious diseases in women. Therefore, accurate tests for post-treatment follow-up are required. A multiplex PCR assay allows for the simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens in a single specimen. In this study, we assessed the clinical implications of multiplex PCR detection of fastidious microorganisms causing vaginitis.  Methods: A total of 216 vaginitis patients who presented to Chung-Ang University Yongsan Hospital with more than one positive result on multiplex PCR (Trichomonas vaginalis (TV), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU), Mycoplasma genitalium (MG), Mycoplasma hominis (MH)) were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Each patient’s clinical symptoms, initial treatment and follow-up for BV,

Case report PDF Bo Hyun Kim, Mi-Kyung Lee Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Mi-Kyung Lee, E-mail: cpworld@cau.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2012;15(3):110-113. https://doi.org/10.5145/KJCM.2012.15.3.110Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Microbacterium oleivorans is a gram-positive, coryneform rod bacterium. The pathogenic potential of the Microbacterium species has recently been reported to be increasing. Microbacterium comprises approximately 50 species. The differences in regards to the biochemical characteristics of Microbacterium species are unclear, and is why molecular investigations (e.g., using 16S rRNA gene sequencing) are the best method to identify the species. We report a case of bacteremia that was caused by Microbacterium oleivorans in a 4-year-old boy, who had no specific medical history. This represents the first report of M. oleivorans bacteremia in Korea. (Korean J Clin Microbiol 2012;15:110-113) Keywords  16S rRNA, Bacteremia, Microbacterium oleivorans, Sequencing